If you ever wonder what is the difference between baking powder and baking soda, and if you can substitute one for the other, I'll answer these questions here. Baking powder and baking soda are both leaveners, meaning they are both ingredients that will make your baked goods rise. But they are not the same thing. Let's get sciency - baking soda (or sodium bicarbonate) is naturally alkaline or basic. When a recipe calls for baking soda, it usually calls for an acidic ingredient to