Homemade Baking Powder Test — no aluminum!
I keep seeing videos about making homemade baking powder, but I never see anyone actually using it! So here we are, putting it to the test. And yes! It does work.
Ok, reasons you might want to make homemade baking powder, according to my always-impeccable Pinterest research:
So you never run out or end up with old ingredients that don’t work anymore. Baking powder from the store only keeps it’s efficacy for 6 months to a year, while cream of tartar is good for about 4 years, cornstarch lasts indefinitely, and baking soda retains its fizzy qualities for a couple years, at least (the internet says it only lasts 6 months opened and 2 years unopened, but I have a bag of baking soda I’ve been using for at least 5 years and it’s still fizzing away 🤷♀️).
That metallic taste is naaasty. The aluminum in most baking powders is gross, and if you manage to get a clump of it in something, good luck having your taste buds functioning properly for the next couple of hours.
Sodium aluminum phosphate can cause kidney and neurological issues if consumed in large quantities. You probably aren’t eating it by the spoonful, but it can’t hurt to cut it out.
Reasons you might want to stick to the store bought stuff:
You can buy aluminum-free baking powder, it’s just a touch more expensive (if 5-6 times is considered a touch 😳).
This homemade baking powder substitute is single acting, unlike most double acting baking powder you can buy. Double acting baking powder reacts with both liquid and heat, while single acting is activated by liquid. So if you let your pancake batter sit in the fridge overnight there probably won’t be anything left to rise by the morning.
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Whether you want to replace baking powder entorely, or just realized you ran out and are frantically looking for something to finish those pancakes for those hangry kids who are about to make you lose your mind, here is your solution:
1 part baking soda
1 part cornstarch
2 parts cream of tartar
Happy baking!