Can you use bicarbonate of soda in cakes instead of baking powder?

[binkyboinky]

Can't get baking powder anywhere.. I'm not a baker but there's a recipe I want to follow on yt!

www.thoughtco.com/substitute-baking-powder-and-baking-soda-607372

I thought so but I have made some disastrous cakes with only bicarbonate of so (have to make egg free pnss).

Soda!! And Cakes!! Not egg free penis

Bicarb needs something acidic like buttermilk or natural yoghurt to work.

With cream of tartar and soda. The two components of baking powder .

It needs acid as well. That could be lemon juice, vinegar, buttermilk, or natural yoghurt. Or probably other things that I haven't thought of...

What Shinygoldbauble said.

If you use bicarb it can give an awful taste to cakes. I never use it or half the amount and replace with baking powder as I can nearly alway taste it.

There is a list of ingredients that you can use it with that will neutralise the taste but if you use a lot, like replaced your baking powder with it, you'll probably still be able to taste it.

If you can't get baking powder maybe make some bread based treats, iced fingers or cinabuns.

Cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda together make baking powder. I used them together recently but forgot to look up the ratio. They're weren't the best risen muffins I've ever made.

Not as a direct substitution.
Either find a bicarbonate of soda recipie (ginger bread springs to mind), or mix with cream of tartar.

Thanks, it's a 3 ingredient cake, just biscuits, milk and baking powder! I'm going to try it anyway and see how it goes.

It says you can on the packet but the only time I tried the “cake” was inedible - I’m sure it could work though!

Thanks all, the recipe calls for 2tsp but I'll halve it to one.

It might taste of soap. I think you reduce the amount by 3.

I never use either after too many soapy scones and cakes.
If the recipe asks for it (Nigella seems to put it in everything- she says she prefers plain flour+ baking powder to SR flour for example) I just use SR.
I suppose your recipe needs it though as it's flourless.

Blimey, that's where I'm going wrong. I thought they were the same thing. And interchangeable.