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	baking powder baked Alaska baker's peel baking ammonia, powdered baking powder Baldwin apple Balthazar Banbury cake Definition: 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 gas bubbles that cause a bread or cake to rise. There are three basic kinds of baking powder. The most common is double-acting, which releases some gas when it becomes wet and the rest when exposed to oven heat. Single-acting tartrate and phosphate baking powders (hard to find in most American markets because of the popularity of double-acting baking powder) release their gases as soon as they're moistened. Because it's perishable, baking powder should be kept in a cool, dry place. Always check the date on the bottom of a baking-powder can before purchasing it. To test if a baking powder still packs a punch, combine 1 teaspoon of it with 1/3 cup hot water. If it bubbles enthusiastically, it's fine. Substitution: BAKING POWDER, DOUBLE ACTING  1 tsp = 1/4 tsp baking soda plus 5/8 tsp cream of tartar OR1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk (reduce liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup) OR 1/4 tsp baking soda plus 3/8 cup molasses (reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup; adjust sweetener) OR 11/2 tsp phosphate or tartrate baking powder --Copyright (c) 1995 by Barron's Educational Series, from The New Food Lover's Companion, Second Edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst
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