Leavening Agents at Work

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Even the richest cake or crustiest bread should be light and airy. Here we reveal the secrets of leavening agents!

• Baking Powder is a leavener containing a combination of baking soda, an acid (such as cream of tartar), and a moisture-absorber (such as cornstarch). When mixed with liquid, baking powder releases carbon dioxide bubbles that cause bread or cake to rise.
• Double-Acting Baking Powder releases some gas when it becomes wet and the rest when exposed to oven heat.
• Single-Acting Baking Soda releases their gasses as soon as they’re moistened.


• Baking Soda is used as a leavener in baked goods. When combined with an acid ingredient such as sour milk, sour cream or molasses, baking soda produces carbon dioxide bubbles, thereby causing a dough or batter to rise. Because it reacts immediately when moistened, it should always be mixed with dry ingredients before adding any liquid; the batter should be placed in the oven immediately.


• Yeast is a living, microscopic, single-cell organism that, as it grows, converts its food into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Yeast is available in a dry granule form, which is stored in the cupboard, and in compressed cakes, which is perishable and must be stored in the refrigerator. You can substitute 1 envelope of dry yeast for 1 cake of compressed yeast.


• Air is incorporated into a batter primarily by 2 methods, creaming and foaming. Creaming is the process of beating fat and sugar together to incorporate air. Foaming is the process of beating eggs with or without sugar to incorporate air.