01
Buttermilk
10.0best for dessert1/2 tsp : 1 tsp
Mix 1/2 cup buttermilk + 1/4 tsp baking soda to replace 1 tsp baking powder; reduce other liquid
10.0
baking powder substitute
for dessert.
Desserts ask baking powder to lift sugar-heavy, fat-heavy batters where 1.5 cups sugar per 2 cups flour actively tenderizes gluten and suppresses rise by ~20% vs a lean dough. Sweetness carriage matters too: a swap that leaves alkaline residue shifts cocoa toward Dutched-dark and can mute vanilla. This page ranks by how each substitute performs in a batter with >40% sugar by weight and whether it preserves a tender, short crumb instead of a bready one.
top substitutes
adjustment for dessert
1/2 cup buttermilk plus 1/4 tsp baking soda per 1 tsp baking powder, cutting other liquid by 1/2 cup. Lactic acid shortens gluten in sugar-heavy batters (>40% by weight), giving a tighter, more velvety dessert crumb than straight powder — think classic red velvet versus a plain vanilla cake.
02
Cream Of Tartar
5.0best for dessert5/8 tsp : 1 tsp
5/8 tsp cream of tartar + 1/4 tsp baking soda per 1 tsp baking powder
5.0
adjustment for dessert
5/8 tsp cream of tartar with 1/4 tsp baking soda per 1 tsp baking powder. Cream of tartar also stabilizes egg-white foams in angel food and chiffon — a rare swap that helps rather than fights the sugar load by locking in whipped-white structure above 160°F.
03
Baking Soda
10.01/4 tsp : 1 tsp
Use 1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp baking powder; mix fresh each time
10.0
adjustment for dessert
1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp baking powder, mixed fresh. Single-pulse rise can undercook in dense dessert batters (>1.5 cup sugar to 2 cup flour) — reserve for thinner layer cakes under 1 inch or brownie-style bakes where full rise isn't the goal.
show 1 more substitutes
04
Egg
1.73 1/3 tbsp : 1/2 tbsp
Whipped eggs add structure and lift; use 1 egg per tsp baking powder in pancakes and quick breads
1.7
adjustment for this dish
One whole whipped egg per tsp baking powder works best in pancakes and quick breads — beat whole eggs with sugar to ribbon stage (about 5 minutes) to trap air. In a 350°F oven the foam lifts batters with under 30% fat; above that the fat collapses the structure in the first 8 minutes.