But don't freak out if you accidentally poured too much baking soda in cookie dough or added too much baking powder to cake batter. Depending on the situation, you might be able to fix it. Try one of these solutions first before dumping all the ingredients and starting over.
If you catch yourmeasurement error before you start stirring all your ingredients together, you mightbe able to simply scoop out all of the baking soda/powder and start again. This method will waste a bit of baking soda or powder, but it'll allow you to save the rest of your ingredients.
Increase the Quantity for an Easy Fix
If you know how much extra you added, just increase the other ingredients in the recipe to match the amount of baking soda or baking powder that you used. For example,if you accidentally used 1 teaspoon rather than the 1/2 teaspoon the recipe called for,just double all the other ingredients in the recipe, and you'll have a big batch of whatever it is you're baking. Then, proceed with the recipe as written.
It's typically easiest to double the recipe, especially if you're making a cake or bars. This may require a few tricky measurements and conversions, but it'll save you from having an awkward portion that is either too big or too small for your pan, or that requires a special oven time. If you're making cookies, you don't have to strictly double everything since the dough is divided into individual portions.
This isn't a perfect solution since it will give you a larger batch than you intended to make, require more of the other ingredients, and might require an extra pan or cookie sheet, but it sure beats tossing out all of those ingredients. Keep in mind that some cooked cakes freeze well as does most cookie dough.
When to Start Over
If you have no idea how much you threw into the mixing bowl, and you can't scoop it all out, tossing your ingredients out and starting again is probably your safest and best bet. While it's painful to waste ingredients, you probably won't be happy with the way your recipe turns out if you decide to move forward without dealing with the overdose of baking soda or baking powder. The only thing worse than wasting ingredients is wasting ingredients and time.
If your recipe called for mixing dry and wet ingredients separately, and you caught the mistake before they were combined, then you only have to begin again with the dry ingredients.
Reasons to Start Over
When you're cooking for the family, flops aren't a big deal. But when you're cooking for other people, you want your recipe to turn out right. If you're making something that you won't be able to taste before serving and/or won't have time to make again, you're probably better off just starting over when you realize your mistake. You want to be remembered for your baking successes—not your baking flops. If you're only baking for yourself and think the recipe might be salvageable (or don't care), go ahead and continue. See how the baked good turns out and learn from your mistakes.
If you accidentally add baking soda instead of baking powder to baked goods, they won't rise because there is not enough acid. To fix this, add about one tablespoon of white or apple cider vinegar for every half teaspoon of baking soda to the liquids before mixing with the dry ingredients.
Do not make the mistake of trying to substitute equal parts baking soda for baking powder in recipes. Your baked goods will have no leavening, be quite flat, and have an altered taste.
If you know how much extra you added, just increase the other ingredients in the recipe to match the amount of baking soda or baking powder that you used.
Per the food forum Hometalk, you can dump your chunky baking soda into another container and use a mallet or meat tenderizer to break the clumps apart or break-out your blender and pulversize the clumps until they are once again a fine powder.
One way to fix a bitter cake is to add a small amount of an acidic component, which is highly recommended especially when you toss in too much baking soda. If your cake recipe contains chocolate, you can add a ½ teaspoon of cocoa powder. Here are some other ingredients you can try: Lemon juice.
If you accidentally add baking soda instead of baking powder to baked goods, they won't rise because there is not enough acid. To fix this, add about one tablespoon of white or apple cider vinegar for every half teaspoon of baking soda to the liquids before mixing with the dry ingredients.
Recipes that use both baking soda and baking powder
There are two other reasons for using both: If a recipe is relying on an acidic ingredient for flavor (like buttermilk or lemon juice), too much baking soda would neutralize that flavor. Using both baking soda and baking powder maximizes the flavor and the rise.
Take a pastry blender...the kind with a handle and metal splines....just scrap the top of the "rock", and it turns into powder again. Put a quarter of an apple inside the box and let it sit there for a day or two, the moisture from the apple should help it soften up a little bit, much like brown sugar.
Using a clean mixing bowl, mix together 3 parts warm water with 1 part white vinegar. Soak a clean sponge in this solution and apply the sponge directly to the baking soda stain. Place pressure on the affected area with a dry towel.
Use a small amount of an acidic condiment such as lemon juice or vinegar to neutralise the soda. If the recipe has chocolate, simply add half a teaspoon of cocoa powder to it.
If you find that you've added too much baking soda, and sapped all the acidity out of your sauce, you can always add in a little bit of lemon juice or vinegar. Epicurious explains that these two ingredients will bring back some of that missing acidity and add a bright note to your dish.
Baking soda is a strong leavening agent and it is important to always use the exact amount called for in the recipe. While not enough baking soda will give an inadequate rise and a heavy finished product, adding too much will cause baked goods to fall and leave a metallic, soapy taste behind.
Simply, without these leaveners, many cookies would fall flat and cake layers would be dense and stodgy. But baking powder and soda are not interchangeable, and if you're out of one, the other won't act as a direct substitute (though it can be part of the solution—more on that below).
Use 1 teaspoon of baking soda for every tablespoon of baking powder. To make sure it functions correctly, also add 2 teaspoons of vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or another acidic ingredient to your batter or dough.
Baking powder is not as effective as baking soda for removing stains. The reason is that baking powder contains both an acid and a base, neutralising its reactivity – the property that gives baking soda its cleaning power. That said, baking powder can still be used for light cleaning tasks or minor stains.
Without baking soda or baking powder, these cookies will remain a little flatter then other recipes but because of the eggs and creaming of the butter and sugars in this recipe they will still puff up a little in the oven. They will have crispy edges and a soft, chewy center.
Introduction: My name is Greg O'Connell, I am a delightful, colorful, talented, kind, lively, modern, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Measuring_Spoons_Group_HeroHorizontal-a57b8ac290234cb0b53a71be8e9be373.jpg "Fix a Baking Powder or Baking Soda Mistake (1)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/too-much-baking-soda-1388008_color4-2c81878d63664bbb82603b0286449960.GIF "Fix a Baking Powder or Baking Soda Mistake (2)")
