• 1 1/4 oz. baking powder

Baking powder is a leavening agent composed of a dry acid (typically cream of tartar or sodium aluminum sulfate), a base (sodium bicarbonate), and a neutral filler (usually cornstarch or rice starch). The mixture creates carbon dioxide gas when activated by moisture and heat, causing batter and dough to rise during baking. Standard baking powder is "double-acting," releasing gas both when wet ingredients are added and again when heat is applied, allowing bakers greater flexibility in timing. The invention of modern baking powder in the mid-19th century revolutionized home baking by providing a more reliable and convenient alternative to yeast or potassium bicarbonate alone.

Baking powder is essential in quick breads, cakes, cookies, biscuits, pancakes, and muffins—any application requiring immediate leavening without fermentation time. It is used in both sweet and savory applications, from chocolate cakes to buttermilk biscuits to scones. The ingredient is typically combined with flour, salt, and fat, then mixed with wet ingredients to activate the leavening reaction immediately before baking. Proper measurement is critical; too little baking powder results in dense, flat baked goods, while excess can produce an undesirable metallic aftertaste and overly tender crumb.