How to Make Substitute Baking Powder

Co-authored by Hunter Rising

Baking powder is a leavening agent used to help batters rise when they’re cooked. Luckily, if you’re out of baking powder and in a pinch, you can make your own with ingredients that are probably already in your pantry! Your homemade mixtures will work in your batter more quickly, so make sure you bake it right away!

Ingredients

Using Cream of Tartar

1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda
2 tbsp (10 g) of cream of tartar
1 tsp (3 g) of corn starch (optional)

Substitutes 3 tbsp (41 g) of baking powder

Adding Lemon Juice to a Recipe

1 tsp (4.6 g) of baking soda
¹⁄₄ tsp (1.2 mL) of lemon juice

Substitutes 1 tsp (14 g) of baking powder

Using Yogurt or Buttermilk in Your Recipe

¼ tsp (1.5 g) of baking soda
½ cup (122.5 g) of plain Greek yogurt or ¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) of buttermilk

Substitutes 1 tsp (14 g) of baking powder

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Cream of Tartar

1
Mix 1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda with 2 tbsp (10 g) of cream of tartar. Use a small whisk to thoroughly sift the powders together. The cream of tartar causes a reaction with the baking soda and forms baking powder.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Cream of tartar can be found in the baking aisle of your local grocery store.
2
Store the mix in an airtight container if you’re not using it right away. Use a resealable plastic container and store it in your pantry. Make sure no moisture gets inside the container since your baking powder could clump.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Baking powder can be stored indefinitely. You can check if your baking soda is fresh by pouring hot water on it and seeing if it bubbles.^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
Advertisement
3
Add 1 tsp (3 g) of corn starch to prevent clumps. If you don’t plan to use your baking powder right away, it will start to clump up and be hard to use. Stir in 1 tsp (3 g) of corn starch with a whisk to prevent clumping.^{[4]
X
Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Adding Lemon Juice to a Recipe

1
Add 1 tsp (4.6 g) of baking soda to the dry ingredients of your batter. Whisk the baking soda thoroughly with the rest of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.^{[5]
X
Research source}
2
Pour ¹⁄₄ tsp (1.2 mL) of lemon juice into the wet ingredients. Keep the wet ingredients, like eggs or milk, in another mixing bowl separate from the dry ingredients.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Lemon juice can affect the flavor of your baked goods if you use too much. If you don’t want added citrus flavor, do not use lemon juice.
3
Mix the dry and wet ingredients according to the recipe. Stir all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. This combines the lemon juice and baking powder, causing the reaction that creates baking powder.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- This creates a single-acting baking powder. Store-bought baking powder is usually double-acting, meaning it leavens your batter when it’s first mixed and when it cooks. Cook the batter once you mix in the baking powder.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Yogurt or Buttermilk in Your Recipe

1
Add 1/4 tsp (1.5 g) of baking soda to your dry ingredients. Keep the dry and wet ingredients in separate mixing bowls. Use a whisk to mix the baking soda entirely into the other dry ingredients.^{[8]
X
Research source}
2
Use either ½ cup (122.5 g) of Greek yogurt or ¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) of buttermilk. Both types of dairy are fermented and can trigger the reaction needed to make baking powder. Make sure to use plain, unflavored dairy so it doesn’t affect the flavor of your baked goods and mix it with the rest of your wet ingredients.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Check the dairy section of your local grocer for Greek yogurt or buttermilk.
3
Reduce the other liquids used in your recipe to account for the dairy. Buttermilk and yogurt will make your batter runnier if you don’t change the amounts of the other ingredients. Adjust the amounts of your other wet ingredients until you remove ¹⁄₂ c (120 mL).^{[10]
X
Research source}
- If there are other dairy products in your recipe, reduce their amounts first. Then adjust the levels of any extracts or flavorings you would normally add to the recipe.
- This may affect the flavor and bake of your recipe.
4
Combine the wet and dry ingredients according to the recipe. Mix all the ingredients together in 1 of the mixing bowls. This starts the reaction between the dairy and baking soda to make baking powder.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Use the batter right away to get the baking powder’s full effect.

Community Q&A
Did you know you can get answers researched by wikiHow Staff? Unlock staff-researched answers by supporting wikiHow

Question

How much vinegar do I use to equal 1 teaspoon of baking powder?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this staff-researched answer.

Use 1/4 teaspoon or 1.2 milliliters with a tablespoon of baking soda to make baking powder.
Question

What kind of vinegar do I use?

Community Answer

You should use regular white vinegar.
Question

Can I use bicarbonate of soda with lemon on my face?

Community Answer

Yes. Apply the paste liberally to the affected area and leave it on for approximately 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with warm water for approximately 2 minutes.

Warnings

The baking powder substitutes you mix are single-acting, meaning they release gas as soon as they’re mixed. Put your mix in the oven soon after you make the substitute.^{[12]
X
Research source}

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0