Cocoa powder question

[jvgymnast]

I've just gotten a new cookbook, and I noticed a recipe that uses Dutch process cocoa powder with baking soda. However, I thought the match-up was supposed to be regular cocoa powder with baking soda and Dutch process with baking powder

Comments

[mavinmaverick]

I haven't had much luck posting this morning, so we'll see if it gets through this time.

Anyway, I'm not really certain what Dutch processing does for cocoa to make it different, but I don't think it matters to what kind of baking product you use. As far as I can tell, baking powder is a rising agent (it makes things like biscuits and cakes, fluffy), while baking soda is a levening agent (it makes things like cookies flatten out). I don't think it has anything to do with the kind of cocoa you want to use, or at least I've never heard of it mattering.

[shirleym]

Actually, that's not what leavening does--leavening makes things rise. Baking powder is baking soda plus a dry acid (usually cream of tartar) to activate it. So both baking powder and baking soda are leavening agents, but baking soda needs acid from some other source, and baking powder doesn't.

[mavinmaverick]

Ah, fair enough. I just knew they did different things and were used to make different kinds of baked goods. I usually rely on the recipes I have to tell me which one to use. LOL

[shirleym]

Baking powder needs an acid to activate it. Natural cocoa is acidic, but so are a lot of other things--buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, vinegar, molasses, most fruits, among other things. If there's another acid, you should be fine with alkalized cocoa, but if not you'll need natural cocoa. (Alkalized and Dutch process cocoa are the same thing; natural is the other kind.)

[leah_tln]

I am sorry, but your first statement is wrong.

Baking SODA needs an acid to be activated. Baking powder contains an acidic agent along with baking soda.

[coendou]

This. And so any of the following combos should work:

Natural cocoa + baking soda
Natural cocoa + baking powder
Dutch cocoa + baking powder
Dutch cocoa + baking soda + another acid (vinegar, buttermilk, lemon juice, cream of tartar, etc)

In the case of that recipe, there doesn't seem to be another acid, so I'd go with baking powder or natural cocoa.

[shirleym]

Yes, of course you're right.