Does Baking Soda Make Things Rise? The Science Behind Leavening

If you’ve ever wondered whether baking soda truly makes things rise, the answer is a resounding yes. Baking soda is one of the most effective leavening agents used in baking, capable of transforming dense batters into light, fluffy cakes, muffins, and cookies. Understanding how this simple white powder works can help you become a better baker and troubleshoot recipes when things don’t turn out as expected.

Baking soda, scientifically known as sodium bicarbonate, is a naturally alkaline compound that creates the lift and texture we associate with well-baked goods. However, it doesn’t work alone—it requires specific conditions to activate its leavening properties.

How Does Baking Soda Make Things Rise?

The rising power of baking soda comes from a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas. When baking soda encounters both an acidic ingredient and moisture, it undergoes a chemical transformation that releases bubbles of CO2 throughout your batter or dough.

These tiny gas bubbles become trapped in the mixture, causing it to expand and rise during baking. As the batter heats in the oven, the gas bubbles expand further, the structure sets around them, and you’re left with a light, airy texture once the baking is complete.

This process happens relatively quickly once the ingredients are combined, which is why many recipes instruct you to mix baking soda-based batters briefly and bake them promptly after mixing.

The Essential Role of Acidic Ingredients

Baking soda cannot create rise on its own—it requires an acidic ingredient to trigger the chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide. This is a crucial point that many beginning bakers overlook.

Common acidic ingredients that activate baking soda include:

• Buttermilk
• Yogurt or sour cream
• Lemon juice or vinegar
• Cream of tartar
• Molasses
• Brown sugar (which contains molasses)
• Chocolate or cocoa powder
• Honey

When you see baking soda listed in a recipe, you should always find at least one acidic ingredient elsewhere in the ingredients list. Without this acid, the baking soda won’t activate properly, and your baked goods will lack the desired rise and may have an unpleasant, soapy taste from the unreacted sodium bicarbonate.

How Much Rise Does Baking Soda Provide?

Baking soda is remarkably powerful—much more so than baking powder. A little goes a long way, which is why most recipes call for only 1/4 to 1 teaspoon per cup of flour.

The amount of rise you achieve depends on several factors:

Proper measurement: Too little baking soda won’t provide enough lift, while too much can cause baked goods to rise too quickly and then collapse, leaving a coarse texture and bitter taste.

Sufficient acid: The acid-to-base ratio needs to be balanced. If there’s too much acid, you’ll neutralize all the baking soda without any leftover to provide additional rise. If there’s too little acid, you won’t fully activate the baking soda.

Temperature: The chemical reaction between baking soda and acid accelerates at higher temperatures, so placing your batter in a preheated oven helps maximize the rise.

Timing: Because the reaction begins immediately when wet and dry ingredients are combined, delaying baking can result in reduced rise as the carbon dioxide escapes before the structure sets.

Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder for Leavening

While both baking soda and baking powder serve as leavening agents, they work differently and aren’t always interchangeable.

Baking powder is essentially baking soda that has been pre-mixed with an acidic ingredient (usually cream of tartar) and a moisture-absorbing starch (typically cornstarch). This means baking powder is a complete leavening system that only needs liquid to activate—no additional acidic ingredients are required.

Most baking powder sold for home use is “double-acting,” meaning it releases some carbon dioxide when mixed with liquid and then releases more when heated. This extended reaction time gives you more flexibility in when you bake the batter.

Recipes use baking soda specifically when:

• The recipe already contains acidic ingredients that need to be neutralized
• A quick, immediate rise is desired
• The recipe requires the flavor-enhancing properties of the acidic ingredients
• Browning is important (baking soda creates a more alkaline environment that promotes browning)

Why Some Recipes Use Both Baking Soda and Baking Powder

You might encounter recipes that call for both baking soda and baking powder, which can seem confusing. There are good reasons for this combination:

Some recipes contain acidic ingredients that provide flavor (like buttermilk in pancakes or brown sugar in cookies) but not quite enough acid to react with the amount of baking soda needed for proper rise. In these cases, baking soda neutralizes some of the acid while baking powder provides additional leavening power.

The baking soda also helps with browning and can contribute to the texture and flavor profile of the finished product in ways that baking powder alone cannot achieve.

Common Mistakes That Prevent Proper Rising

Understanding why baking soda sometimes fails to provide adequate rise can help you troubleshoot your baking:

Old or expired baking soda: While baking soda has a long shelf life, it can lose potency over time, especially if exposed to moisture. Test your baking soda by mixing a small amount with vinegar—it should bubble vigorously if still active.

Insufficient mixing: The baking soda needs to be evenly distributed throughout the batter to provide uniform rise. However, overmixing can also be problematic as it allows too much carbon dioxide to escape before baking.

Delayed baking: Because the reaction begins immediately upon mixing, letting batter sit too long before baking results in lost leavening power and reduced rise.

Oven temperature too low: If your oven isn’t hot enough, the batter may not set quickly enough to trap the carbon dioxide bubbles, resulting in a dense texture.

Wrong proportions: Too much baking soda can cause baked goods to rise too quickly and collapse, while too little won’t provide adequate lift.

Testing Baking Soda’s Effectiveness

If you’re unsure whether your baking soda is still effective, perform this simple test: Add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice. Fresh baking soda will immediately produce vigorous bubbling and fizzing. If the reaction is weak or absent, it’s time to replace your baking soda.

For best results, replace baking soda every six months if you bake frequently, or once a year for occasional bakers. Always store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from moisture and strong odors.

Practical Tips for Using Baking Soda as a Leavening Agent

To maximize the rising power of baking soda in your baking:

Sift dry ingredients: This ensures even distribution of baking soda throughout your flour mixture, promoting uniform rise and preventing pockets of unpleasant soda taste.

Don’t overmix: Once you combine wet and dry ingredients, mix just until incorporated. Overmixing releases the carbon dioxide you need for rise and can also develop too much gluten, creating a tough texture.

Bake immediately: Get your batter into the preheated oven as soon as possible after mixing to capture the full leavening effect.

Preheat your oven: A properly preheated oven ensures the batter sets quickly while the carbon dioxide is still creating lift.

Use the right amount: Follow recipe measurements carefully. As a general guideline, use about 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda per cup of flour when acidic ingredients are present.

Beyond Baking: Other Rising Applications

While baking is the most common use for baking soda’s leavening properties, this versatile compound can create rise in other contexts:

In homemade bath bombs, the combination of baking soda and citric acid creates the fizzing action when the bomb dissolves in water—the same carbon dioxide reaction that makes baked goods rise.

Some DIY cleaning solutions use baking soda’s reaction with acidic ingredients like vinegar to create foaming action that helps lift dirt and grime, though the cleaning power comes more from the mechanical action and individual properties of each ingredient rather than the reaction itself.

The Bottom Line

Yes, baking soda definitely makes things rise, but only under the right conditions. This powerful leavening agent requires an acidic ingredient and moisture to activate its ability to produce carbon dioxide gas, which creates the lift and light texture in baked goods.

Understanding the science behind how baking soda works empowers you to use it more effectively in your baking, troubleshoot problems when recipes don’t turn out as expected, and even adapt recipes to suit your needs. Remember that baking soda is much stronger than baking powder, acts quickly once activated, and requires immediate baking for best results.

With proper measurement, fresh ingredients, appropriate acidic components, and correct technique, baking soda will consistently deliver the rise you need for successful baking.

Sources:

• National Center for Biotechnology Information – Sodium Bicarbonate
• PMC – Leavening Agents in Baking
• LibreTexts Chemistry – Baking Powder and Leavening
• Oxford Academic – Acid-Base Balance in Baking