Double Action Baking Powder

Our double-action baking powder is just what you need to have around in the pantry for all your baking needs.

What is double-action baking powder?

• Double action baking powder is a baking soda base with additional ingredients to get a second "action" when heat is applied. Furthermore the acidic ingredients needed to activate the baking soda is already included in the mix in the form of sodium acid pyrophosphate (slow acting acid) and monocalcium phosphate (fast acting acid). This means that unlike pure baking soda, as soon as you add water to double action baking soda, it starts to bubble.

What is the difference between our Double Action Baking Powder and the GMO free version?

• Double-action baking powder contains corn starch. Over 98% of double-action baking powder sold worldwide isn't guaranteed GMO free. This causes no issues with bakery products as only a small amount of double-action baking powder is required in a recipe. Furthermore, the corn starch is not a major ingredient in double-action baking powder. However, the corn starch is made from GMO corn which causes a problem with organic certified products.
• Our GMO free double-action baking powder is guaranteed to contain no GMO corn starch. This is required for the products to be certified organic as one of the pillars of organic certification is no use of GMO ingredients. This product was specifically developed to adhere to the organic certification standards.

Is double-action baking powder gluten-free?

• Yes, our double-action baking powder is gluten free as it's starch is in the form of corn starch.

Is your double-action baking powder aluminum-free?

• Yes, our double-action baking powder is aluminum-free (alum-free).

What is the difference between baking soda and double action baking powder?

• Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, a fine white powder that has many uses. You may wonder about bicarbonate of soda vs baking soda, but they are simply alternate terms for the same ingredient. If your recipe calls for bicarbonate of soda, it is simply referring to baking soda.
• Baking soda is a quick-acting leavening agent. As soon as pure baking soda is blended with moisture and an acidic ingredient a chemical reaction occurs that produces bubbles of carbon dioxide. These bubbles are what gives the light texture you want in baking.
• The trick with baking soda in recipes is that the reaction that creates the bubbles is immediate, so you want to get the batter or dough into the oven quickly, before all the bubbles dissipate. That's why baking soda is used for "quick" recipes for biscuits or breads. There's no waiting around for yeast to do its work and dough to rise.
• Double action baking powder, on the other hand, is a blended mixture containing baking soda, acidic salts or dry acids, and often a starch. Baking powder typically contains tartaric acid, more commonly known as cream of tartar.
• Cream of tartar is a dry acid, so when you use baking powder, you are adding the acidic ingredient that will produce the carbon dioxide bubbles at the same time. Typically, baking powder is called for in recipes that do not otherwise have an acidic ingredient.
• Double action baking powder has two leavening periods (hence the double action). The first surge of air bubbles is created when the alkaline baking soda and the acidic cream of tartar are combined with the recipe's milk or water. The second leavening period happens when the ingredients reach a certain temperature, as occurs during baking in your oven.

Why isn't your double-action baking powder organic?

• We only sell organic products but sometimes, they just don't exist or are impossible to source. This is the case with: xanthan gum, guar gum, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), cream of tartar, double action baking powder and most obviously salt.

How can products be labeled as organic if they contain conventional ingredients like double action baking powder?

• According to USDA rules (which most countries copy), if 95% of a product is made up of organic ingredients, it can be called organic.
• But you can't just add 5% of anything. The non-organic ingredients that can legally go into foods labeled as organic have to be listed in the "National List of inorganic products" that can legally go into foods labeled as organic.
• One of the key terms in the list is "commercially available". As an example organic yeast exists, we sell it but it is not considered "commercially available" as its cost is completely ridiculous. So conventional yeast is allowed in organic bread for example.