Baking powders are made differently.

[ShuBunny]

There should be a thread called D’uh... so you wanna call yourself a baker... I’ll be the biggest contributor.

Bought a new baking powder to use. Freaked out when my bake went wrong.
amazon primed the old one. Royal.
Both are double acting. After 5 mins. The one on the right will be a cleaning agent. Damn thing doesn’t dissolve. Maybe it is made for chiffon cakes or whatever.

@Norcalbaker59

 

[Norcalbaker59]

There should be a thread called D’uh... so you wanna call yourself a baker... I’ll be the biggest contributor.

Bought a new baking powder to use. Freaked out when my bake went wrong.
amazon primed the old one. Royal.
Both are double acting. After 5 mins. The one on the right will be a cleaning agent. Damn thing doesn’t dissolve. Maybe it is made for chiffon cakes or whatever.

@Norcalbaker59


thView attachment 3506

The sodium bicarbonate should dissolve as it is highly water soluble. Usually double acting baking powder is mixed with two acids, one that is sensitive to water, the other to heat. The two most common are monocalicum phosphate (water) and sodium aluminum sulfate (heat). Aluminum sodium sulfate comes in two form: anhydrous and dodecahydrate. The anhydrous (meaning it contains no water) is slowly soluble in water; dodecadydrate (a solid with 12 water molecules) is readily water soluble. So maybe they used the wrong type of sodium aluminum sulfate in the Redman.

I stopped using baking powder with aluminum years ago.

 

[ShuBunny]

I stopped using baking powder with aluminum years ago.

First time ever looking at the ingredient label of baking powder. Mind blown

 

[Norcalbaker59]

View attachment 3507
First time ever looking at the ingredient label of baking powder. Mind blown

That‘s a very strange baking powder. I have never seen one with wheat flour. Normally the binder is cornstarch. Sometimes potato starch.

Maybe the flour is the reason it’s not dissolving, and being first on the ingredients list means it is makes up the bulk of the product.

The food and drug administration in the US regulates the percentage of CO2 the baking powder has to release. So the brands all performed pretty much the same. The difference though comes in the taste that is imparted by the acids used to slow the activation of the sodium bicarbonate. The aluminum imparts a bitter and/or metallic taste.

I have used Rumford brand for years. It actually has a single acid in it that is coated for slower release. So it acts like a double acting baking powder.

Last year I stated purchasing Argo brand as well. Argo is a two acid aluminum free double acting baking baking powder.

 

[ShuBunny]

You have a good point! Rum Ford and Agro are not on the shelves here. So I switched to Royal (marketed as clabber girl? In USA)

 

[Norcalbaker59]

You have a good point! Rum Ford and Agro are not on the shelves here. So I switched to Royal (marketed as clabber girl? In USA)

Royal, Clabbers Girl is sold in the US. They are both US companies. They are both now owned by B&G Brands, a multinational that owns Rumford as well.

Royal and Clabber Girl were two of the original brands in the US. I remember my grandma always had Clabbers Girl. But they are not as popular these days since they both contain aluminum.

 

[Sharzi]

There should be a thread called D’uh... so you wanna call yourself a baker... I’ll be the biggest contributor.

Bought a new baking powder to use. Freaked out when my bake went wrong.
amazon primed the old one. Royal.
Both are double acting. After 5 mins. The one on the right will be a cleaning agent. Damn thing doesn’t dissolve. Maybe it is made for chiffon cakes or whatever.

@Norcalbaker59


View attachment 3506

I have had the same issue and now I mix my baking powder or baking soda in with the wet ingredients to dissolve it first before adding dry ingredients. Also, it helps to sift it.

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I have had the same issue and now I mix my baking powder or baking soda in with the wet ingredients to dissolve it first before adding dry ingredients. Also, it helps to sift it.

That’s interesting that it doesn’t dissolve. I add it to the butter and sugar when I cream it. If I use a different mixing method other than creaming, I shift it into the flour. I’m old school, I sift 3x—-that’s how I was taught in home economics class, and still to it that way.

 

[Sharzi]

That’s interesting that it doesn’t dissolve. I add it to the butter and sugar when I cream it. If I use a different mixing method other than creaming, I shift it into the flour. I’m old school, I sift 3x—-that’s how I was taught in home economics class, and still to it that way.

I mix mine into eggs, water, milk (whatever wet ingredients there are in the recipe). I have tried to mix it into the butter/sugar... didn't work. I've tried sifting it into the flour... nope, didn't work. I have never had this issue until maybe the last year. And I've tried a few different kinds and still having the issue. My guess is, whatever brands are being sold in our stores are most likely all done by the same company and then marketed under different store names. One thing I absolutely abhor is biting into a cookie and you can taste the powder/soda. I'm a cookie artist and cannot risk that happening.

 

[ShuBunny]

@Sharzi i love how u described yourself as a cookie artist! I'm just a cookie monster.

 

[Sharzi]

@Sharzi i love how u described yourself as a cookie artist! I'm just a cookie monster.

It's because I literally do art on cookies...

 

[Emmie]

It's because I literally do art on cookies...

Wow, these are amazing! My eyes could not cope with painting on such a small canvas!

I've never even thought to look at my baking powder! Mine contains: Disodium Diphosphate, Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, Rice Flour.

Just those three things. Though I'm in the UK so we probably tend to use different ingredients.

 

[Mona]

It sounds like you had quite the baking adventure! It’s frustrating when a new ingredient doesn’t perform as expected, especially when it comes to something as crucial as baking powder.

Different brands can definitely have variations in formulation, even if they're both labeled as double acting. It might be worth checking the expiration date or how the baking powder was stored, as that can affect performance too. Some brands also react differently based on the recipes or ingredients used. If it didn’t dissolve well, it might not have been the best fit for your recipe.

I’ve had my fair share of baking mishaps, so you’re definitely not alone! What kind of recipe were you trying? Hopefully, the Royal baking powder will work out better for your next bake!