Can you use cornstarch instead of baking powder? Do you want to know how to make a Baking Powder Substitute? Continue reading for some helpful cornstarch vs baking powder facts!
Why Would Baking Powder Need to Be Replaced?
Baking powder, like everything else, has an expiration date and may need to be replaced. It loses its effectiveness as a leavening agent after it expires, which means it won’t lift your baked goods as it should.
To see if the baking powder has expired, dissolve about 1/2 teaspoon in warm water. It’s fine if the mixture fizzes. If it doesn’t, you should discard the remaining baking powder.
What Function Does Baking Powder Serve in a Recipe?
Baking powder is a leavening agent that can help your baked goods rise and lighten the texture of whatever you’re making.
When baking powder is mixed with water, the dry acid reacts with the base, resulting in the release of carbon dioxide. This release causes bubbles to form, which causes your recipe to rise.
PRO TIP: When baking, always use Aluminum free Baking Powder!
Can You Use Cornstarch Instead of Baking Powder?
Cornstarch cannot be used to replace baking powder, but it can be used to make baking powder. Here’s a simple homemade baking powder recipe I like to use:
- 2 tbsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp corn starch
4 teaspoons baking powder is produced by this recipe.
What Is the Difference Between Cornstarch and Baking Powder?
| Baking Powder | Cornstarch |
| Forming air bubbles, giving desserts height. | Extracted from corn kernels and processed into starch |
| Is made up of an acid, a base, and a buffer. | Used to thicken liquids. |
| Used in baking to make desserts lighter and less dense. | Heat and starch molecules cause the thickening reaction. |
Despite their nearly identical appearances, cornstarch and baking powder are completely different!
Baking powder is more complex and contains multiple ingredients. Let us pretend to be mad scientists for a moment and talk about acids and bases. But don’t worry, I won’t harm your brain!
Substitutes for Baking Powder
What are the actual alternatives? Allow me to tell you about them! There are several options available:
Create Your Own
To make 1 teaspoon, combine cream of tartar, cornstarch, and baking soda – the same three ingredients found in baking powder. Use 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/4 teaspoon of the remaining ingredients, and you’re set! Double or triple the proportions to make more.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is a fermented dairy product with a sour, slightly tangy flavor similar to plain yogurt.
The byproduct of churning sweet cream into butter is old-fashioned buttermilk. Buttermilk is typically made by adding bacterial cultures to milk and allowing it to ferment, converting sugars into acids.
Because of its acidity, buttermilk can produce the same leavening effect as baking powder when combined with baking soda.
To easily substitute 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking powder, combine 1/2 cup (122 grams) buttermilk and 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda with the remaining ingredients.
To maintain the desired texture and consistency of your final baked product, reduce the amount of other liquid you add to compensate for the amount of buttermilk added.
If you add 1/2 cup (122 grams) of buttermilk to your recipe, you should reduce the amount of other liquids by the same amount.
For 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking powder, substitute 1/2 cup (122 grams) buttermilk and 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda. To maintain the desired consistency, reduce the other liquids in your recipe.
Yogurt Plain
Yogurt, like buttermilk, is produced by fermentation.
The fermentation process degrades sugars and increases lactic acid concentration, effectively lowering the pH and increasing the acidity of the yogurt.
The concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution is measured by its pH. Low pH substances are considered acidic, while high pH substances are considered basic.
Because plain yogurt has an acidic pH, it is an excellent substitute for baking powder when combined with baking soda.
Plain yogurt outperforms other varieties because it provides the necessary acidity for leavening without adding flavor.
In a recipe, substitute 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda and 1/2 cup (122 grams) plain yogurt for 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder.
The amount of liquid in the recipe should be reduced based on how much plain yogurt is added, as with buttermilk.
To replace 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking powder in a recipe, use 1/2 cup (122 grams) plain yogurt plus 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda. To compensate for the yogurt, the amount of liquid should be reduced.
Molasses
This sweetener is a byproduct of sugar production and is frequently used in place of refined sugar. It has 40-60% sugar content, according to Health Line.
Molasses can also be used instead of baking powder.
This is due to the fact that molasses is acidic enough to produce an acid-base reaction when combined with baking soda.
To replace 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking powder, use 1/4 cup (84 grams) molasses plus 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda.
You may want to reduce the amount of sweetener in the rest of the recipe as well, because molasses is high in sugar.
For 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder, use 1/4 cup (84 grams) molasses and 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda. To compensate, reduce the other liquids and sugar in your recipe.
Cream of Tartar
Cream of tartar, also known as potassium acid tartrate, is an acidic white powder produced as a byproduct of winemaking.
It is most commonly used to stabilize egg whites and creams, as well as to prevent sugar crystal formation.
It is also a quick and easy substitute for baking powder and can be found in the spice aisle of most supermarkets.
For best results, use a cream of tartar to baking soda ratio of 2:1.
1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder is replaced with 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) cream of tartar.
In place of 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder, use 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) cream of tartar and 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda.
Vinegar
Despite its distinct flavor, vinegar is a common ingredient.
In fact, the acidic pH of vinegar makes it ideal for use as a baking powder substitute.
When combined with baking soda, vinegar has a leavening effect in cakes and cookies.
Though any vinegar will do, white vinegar has the most neutral flavor and will not change the color of your final product.
Substitute 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) vinegar for each teaspoon (5 grams) of baking powder in the recipe.
Each teaspoon (5 g) of baking powder can be substituted with 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon vinegar.
How to Select the Most Appropriate Substitute
To choose the best baking powder substitute, consider the flavor profile of your finished baked good.
Vinegar, for example, may impart a sharp, sour flavor and is probably best suited as a substitute for baking powder in recipes that call for a small amount.
Molasses, on the other hand, has a very sweet flavor and would work better in sweet desserts than savory breads.
Additionally, depending on what you decide to use as a substitute, you may need to adjust the other ingredients in your recipe.
If you use a liquid substitute for baking powder, reduce the amount of other liquids in the recipe to compensate. This will assist you in maintaining the proper texture and consistency.
If you choose a strong-flavored substitute, you may need to adjust the amounts of other ingredients in your recipe to achieve the desired flavor.
Certain baking powder substitutes are better suited to specific types of recipes. Depending on which substitute you use, you may need to adjust the other ingredients in your recipe.