I have been baking muffins recently. I opened a can of baking
powder, which was not past its expiration date or even close to
it. I realized last night that it must, nonetheless, be old,
because the muffins just are not rising much. Sooo, I am wondering:

1) Does BP age in an unopened can? I note that the cans are not
all metal now, so I imagine the cardboard would not offer the same
level of protection.

2. Do all double-acting BPs have the same leavening power? The
one I have open is Rumford, but I have always used Calumet in the
past. For some odd reason, Calumet is almost impossible to find
here now.

Thanks,


--
Jean B.

>I have been baking muffins recently. I opened a can of baking powder,
>which was not past its expiration date or even close to it. I realized
>last night that it must, nonetheless, be old, because the muffins just are
>not rising much. Sooo, I am wondering:
>
> 1) Does BP age in an unopened can? I note that the cans are not all metal
> now, so I imagine the cardboard would not offer the same level of
> protection.
>
> 2. Do all double-acting BPs have the same leavening power? The one I have
> open is Rumford, but I have always used Calumet in the past. For some odd
> reason, Calumet is almost impossible to find here now.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jean B.
>
>
The chemical makeup of baking powder is: baking soda plus cream of tartar
plus cornstarch.... or:

I thought there was a clear answer to this; apparently there is not. I'd
contact the mfg. They're generally more helpful than you would imagine about
a question like this. I recently had a long very insightful conversation
from the mfg. of Ziploc bags regarding their heat sensitivity.

Banking soda=
NaHCO3. baking soda
Cream of tartar KHC4H4O6.
NaHCO3 + KHC4H4O6 ----> KNaC4H4O6 + H2O + CO2
Some baking powders contain sodium aluminum sulfate: NaAl(SO4)2. The
reaction there is:
NaAl(SO4)2 + 3 NaHCO3 ----> Al(OH)3 + 2 Na2SO4 + 3 CO2
Read mo What is the chemical composition of baking powder | Answerbag
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/411545#ixzz1IZWR6tON
Baking powder is baking soda plus cream of tartar plus cornstarch....


Good Luck, let us know,

Kent

On 4/4/2011 12:24 PM, Kent wrote:
>> I have been baking muffins recently. I opened a can of baking powder,
>> which was not past its expiration date or even close to it. I realized
>> last night that it must, nonetheless, be old, because the muffins just are
>> not rising much. Sooo, I am wondering:
>>
>> 1) Does BP age in an unopened can? I note that the cans are not all metal
>> now, so I imagine the cardboard would not offer the same level of
>> protection.
>>
>> 2. Do all double-acting BPs have the same leavening power? The one I have
>> open is Rumford, but I have always used Calumet in the past. For some odd
>> reason, Calumet is almost impossible to find here now.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Jean B.
>>
>>
> The chemical makeup of baking powder is: baking soda plus cream of tartar
> plus cornstarch.... or:
>
> I thought there was a clear answer to this; apparently there is not. I'd
> contact the mfg. They're generally more helpful than you would imagine about
> a question like this. I recently had a long very insightful conversation
> from the mfg. of Ziploc bags regarding their heat sensitivity.
>
> Banking soda=
> NaHCO3. baking soda
> Cream of tartar KHC4H4O6.
> NaHCO3 + KHC4H4O6 ----> KNaC4H4O6 + H2O + CO2
> Some baking powders contain sodium aluminum sulfate: NaAl(SO4)2. The
> reaction there is:
> NaAl(SO4)2 + 3 NaHCO3 ----> Al(OH)3 + 2 Na2SO4 + 3 CO2
> Read mo What is the chemical composition of baking powder | Answerbag
> http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/411545#ixzz1IZWR6tON
> Baking powder is baking soda plus cream of tartar plus cornstarch....
>
>
> Good Luck, let us know,

The Wikipedia article seems pretty reliable especially on the nature of
"double-acting" baking powder, something I was never very clear about.
The article also gives more history than you might ever want to know :-)
--


James Silverton, Potomac

I'm "not"

James Silverton wrote:
> On 4/4/2011 12:24 PM, Kent wrote:
>>> I have been baking muffins recently. I opened a can of baking powder,
>>> which was not past its expiration date or even close to it. I realized
>>> last night that it must, nonetheless, be old, because the muffins
>>> just are
>>> not rising much. Sooo, I am wondering:
>>>
>>> 1) Does BP age in an unopened can? I note that the cans are not all
>>> metal
>>> now, so I imagine the cardboard would not offer the same level of
>>> protection.
>>>
>>> 2. Do all double-acting BPs have the same leavening power? The one I
>>> have
>>> open is Rumford, but I have always used Calumet in the past. For
>>> some odd
>>> reason, Calumet is almost impossible to find here now.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Jean B.
>>>
>>>
>> The chemical makeup of baking powder is: baking soda plus cream of tartar
>> plus cornstarch.... or:
>>
>> I thought there was a clear answer to this; apparently there is not. I'd
>> contact the mfg. They're generally more helpful than you would imagine
>> about
>> a question like this. I recently had a long very insightful conversation
>> from the mfg. of Ziploc bags regarding their heat sensitivity.
>>
>> Banking soda=
>> NaHCO3. baking soda
>> Cream of tartar KHC4H4O6.
>> NaHCO3 + KHC4H4O6 ----> KNaC4H4O6 + H2O + CO2
>> Some baking powders contain sodium aluminum sulfate: NaAl(SO4)2. The
>> reaction there is:
>> NaAl(SO4)2 + 3 NaHCO3 ----> Al(OH)3 + 2 Na2SO4 + 3 CO2
>> Read mo What is the chemical composition of baking powder | Answerbag
>> http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/411545#ixzz1IZWR6tON
>> Baking powder is baking soda plus cream of tartar plus cornstarch....
>>
>>
>> Good Luck, let us know,
>
> The Wikipedia article seems pretty reliable especially on the nature of
> "double-acting" baking powder, something I was never very clear about.
> The article also gives more history than you might ever want to know :-)

Thanks to you too. I actually have some old booklets on the
topic, as well as polemics and claims about the superiority of
various baking powders.

--
Jean B.

Kent wrote:
>> I have been baking muffins recently. I opened a can of baking powder,
>> which was not past its expiration date or even close to it. I realized
>> last night that it must, nonetheless, be old, because the muffins just are
>> not rising much. Sooo, I am wondering:
>>
>> 1) Does BP age in an unopened can? I note that the cans are not all metal
>> now, so I imagine the cardboard would not offer the same level of
>> protection.
>>
>> 2. Do all double-acting BPs have the same leavening power? The one I have
>> open is Rumford, but I have always used Calumet in the past. For some odd
>> reason, Calumet is almost impossible to find here now.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Jean B.
>>
>>
> The chemical makeup of baking powder is: baking soda plus cream of tartar
> plus cornstarch.... or:
>
> I thought there was a clear answer to this; apparently there is not. I'd
> contact the mfg. They're generally more helpful than you would imagine about
> a question like this. I recently had a long very insightful conversation
> from the mfg. of Ziploc bags regarding their heat sensitivity.
>
> Banking soda=
> NaHCO3. baking soda
> Cream of tartar KHC4H4O6.
> NaHCO3 + KHC4H4O6 ----> KNaC4H4O6 + H2O + CO2
> Some baking powders contain sodium aluminum sulfate: NaAl(SO4)2. The
> reaction there is:
> NaAl(SO4)2 + 3 NaHCO3 ----> Al(OH)3 + 2 Na2SO4 + 3 CO2
> Read mo What is the chemical composition of baking powder | Answerbag
> http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/411545#ixzz1IZWR6tON
> Baking powder is baking soda plus cream of tartar plus cornstarch....
>
>
> Good Luck, let us know,
>
> Kent
>
>
Hmmm. Yes. I need to see what the various ones are made of. I
never gave this too much thought, because I haven't had an issue
before. I'd use it. It would work. It would eventually become
old, and I'd throw it out. That was it. I am not used to opening
a can and having it not be effective.

--
Jean B.

On 4/3/2011 2:10 PM, Jean B. wrote:
> I have been baking muffins recently. I opened a can of baking powder,
> which was not past its expiration date or even close to it. I realized
> last night that it must, nonetheless, be old, because the muffins just
> are not rising much. Sooo, I am wondering:
>
> 1) Does BP age in an unopened can? I note that the cans are not all
> metal now, so I imagine the cardboard would not offer the same level of
> protection.
>
> 2. Do all double-acting BPs have the same leavening power? The one I
> have open is Rumford, but I have always used Calumet in the past. For
> some odd reason, Calumet is almost impossible to find here now.
>
> Thanks,

In my family we have always used Rumford. It always seems to work
fine for me. And mine is always really old because I don't use
it all that often and I'm not about to go buy a new can each time
I bake something. ;-)

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

On Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:45:48 -0400, Kate Connally
> wrote:

> On 4/3/2011 2:10 PM, Jean B. wrote:
> >
> > 2. Do all double-acting BPs have the same leavening power? The one I
> > have open is Rumford, but I have always used Calumet in the past. For
> > some odd reason, Calumet is almost impossible to find here now.
> >
> > Thanks,
>
> In my family we have always used Rumford. It always seems to work
> fine for me. And mine is always really old because I don't use
> it all that often and I'm not about to go buy a new can each time
> I bake something. ;-)
>
I have Clabber Girl in the cupboard at the moment and according to the
internet, it's single acting. To be honest, I don't find much/any
difference between brands and have no idea what the difference is
between single and double acting.

I love Google! Answer: Double-acting baking powder releases some gas
when it becomes wet and the rest when exposed to oven heat.
Single-acting baking powders release their gases as soon as they're
moistened.

No wonder "they" say to work fast after you have mixed the dry and wet
ingredients.

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

"Kate Connally" > ha scritto nel messaggio

> In my family we have always used Rumford. It always seems to work> fine
> for me. And mine is always really old because I don't use
> it all that often and I'm not about to go buy a new can each time> I bake
> something. ;-)

It's something I have to buy and bring here, so I am very careful with it.
Once opened, the tin stands on its head in the freezer. It lasts 2 years or
so like that. I have had Calumet, Rumford and Clabber Girl and all were
fine.

On Thu, 7 Apr 2011 09:34:25 +0200, "Giusi" > wrote:

>
> "Kate Connally" > ha scritto nel messaggio
>
> > In my family we have always used Rumford. It always seems to work> fine
> > for me. And mine is always really old because I don't use
> > it all that often and I'm not about to go buy a new can each time> I bake
> > something. ;-)
>
> It's something I have to buy and bring here, so I am very careful with it.
> Once opened, the tin stands on its head in the freezer. It lasts 2 years or
> so like that. I have had Calumet, Rumford and Clabber Girl and all were
> fine.
>
What do people do over there (since baking powder seems so scarce)?
Use more eggs?

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.

"sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio "Giusi" >
wrote:

> What do people do over there (since baking powder seems so scarce)?
> Use more eggs?

It isn't in as many things as there, but they do have it. It is sold in
individual packets, like saccarin, with who knows how much in each? Sure, I
could measure it, but it's expensive that way, over packaged and sometimes
scented with vanilla!

Cakes rely more on beaten egg than baking powder, although many recipes do
have a little in them.

On Fri, 8 Apr 2011 08:02:36 +0200, "Giusi" > wrote:

>
> "sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio "Giusi" >
> wrote:
>
> > What do people do over there (since baking powder seems so scarce)?
> > Use more eggs?
>
> It isn't in as many things as there, but they do have it. It is sold in
> individual packets, like saccarin, with who knows how much in each? Sure, I
> could measure it, but it's expensive that way, over packaged and sometimes
> scented with vanilla!

We pay more for packaging than the contents, that's for sure. I use
so little baking powder that I'd like to find it in individual
packets. Oh, have you bought cream of tartar lately? That is
*expensive*! $4-$.50 for a tiny little container by Shilling, of all
places.
>
> Cakes rely more on beaten egg than baking powder, although many recipes do
> have a little in them.
>
Does baking powder makes cakes less dense than cakes made with all
eggs for leavening?

--

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.