baking soda

[canella]

got a recipe for banana bread from an american friend and it says i need 1/2 tsp of baking soda. i dont have any - can i use baking powder instead?

can you tell i'm not the kind of mum who bakes - i feel i should know these things!

Yes you can

thank you!! wanted to make it today before my dd gets back and discovers how many banans are in it!!! she tells me she doesnt like them but i'v had this bread and it was delicious so i'm hoping to trick her into eating it! (cruel mother emotion!!)

Baking soda is the same as Bicarbonate of Soda, which is not the same as Baking Powder.

i realise that now - the bread was disgusting! something went wrong!

Oh dear! I wanted to chime in with what FanjolinaJolie said -- sorry to hear I'm too late!

you can find bicarb of soda in supermarkets very easily here ?

Sorry - my mistake, I have used baking powder instead of baking soda before with no dire results.

not in the UK and couldnt find it in the shopw i went into here! will have a better look next time! but oppsandababycoconut - it wasnt just the baking soda that went wrong! i also tried to convert the recipe from cups to grams and think that didnt help!

Baking soda is called Natron or Haushaltsnatron in German. You can't get it everywhere, but some larger supermarkets do have it. Kaiser Natron is the popular brand - biggish green sachets with white writing.

Those quick breads that only call for baking soday usually have some kind of acid in them for the soda to react with - sour milk, yogurt, buttermilk, orange juice etc. I don't think baking powder would give the same reaction. The quick bread and muffin recipes I have usually call for a teaspoon each of baking soda and baking powder.