topic Re: Baking Powder Question in Recipes

Baking Powder Question

coffee drinker — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 23:16:55 GMT

Does baking powder go bad? I made Christmas cookies that called for bp only, no baking soda. The cookies had an "off" taste sort of bitter and left a funny taste in your mouth. I decided to check my recipes to see if they called for BP, BS or both. These recipes in particular called for only BP only. Checked another recipe I often make and that too called for BP only. I don't think it's the flour either since I'm using a relatively new bag. It's not the first time trying these particular recipes and I believe the BP is the culprit. I am going to throw out the BP and buy new, but wondered if it does go bad. What a shame because these cookies are so dang good.

Re: Baking Powder Question

Desertdi — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 23:24:19 GMT

Yes. There should be an exp date on the can. Believe it!

Re: Baking Powder Question

fthunt — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 23:42:42 GMT

I believe BP and BS absorbs moisture like crazy .....especially if it's been opened and just sits on a shelf.

Fresh is best...............

Re: Baking Powder Question

Love my grandkids — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 23:43:15 GMT

@coffee drinker Yes it can. Look for the expiration date! I found out the hard way eons ago.

Re: Baking Powder Question

retiredatlast — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 23:44:50 GMT

If baking powder is too old, it will not act as a leavening agent in your baked goods. You can test the baking powder by puting some in some warm water and see if it bubbles up. If not, toss it. It should also have an expiration date on the can, as noted in the post above.

Re: Baking Powder Question

Mindy D — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 23:46:26 GMT

@coffee drinker @Yes, yes, yes.

Re: Baking Powder Question

ECBG — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 23:47:42 GMT

I don't even freeze bp. I buy it fresh.

Re: Baking Powder Question

Sooner — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 23:53:49 GMT

I pitch the baking powder every 6 months. I am not going to skimp on that to save a dollar or two and have something not rise. Just not worth it!

So BP and BS get replaced.

Re: Baking Powder Question

coffee drinker — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 00:05:07 GMT

Thank you all so much for your quick replies. I have the bad habit of transferring any item in a box or tin to a "better" container. The expiration date on the BP container is 2019, but I'm sure it's a plastic PB container that I've be using/reusing. It will get tossed and NEW will be bought as soon as I get to the grocery store. Tough way to learn a lesson. Thank you again.

Edited to add -- any products I've baked using this BP came out fine, everything rose as usual. The only problem was the off taste. Thought it was me. Maybe it is.

Re: Baking Powder Question

jackthebear — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 00:10:27 GMT

@coffee drinker wrote:
Does baking powder go bad? I made Christmas cookies that called for bp only, no baking soda. The cookies had an "off" taste sort of bitter and left a funny taste in your mouth. I decided to check my recipes to see if they called for BP, BS or both. These recipes in particular called for only BP only. Checked another recipe I often make and that too called for BP only. I don't think it's the flour either since I'm using a relatively new bag. It's not the first time trying these particular recipes and I believe the BP is the culprit. I am going to throw out the BP and buy new, but wondered if it does go bad. What a shame because these cookies are so dang good.

it loses it's power after a while, I date mine

Re: Baking Powder Question

River Song — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 01:03:18 GMT

Flour that has gone bad (rancid) will have a sour or musty flavor that transfers to the food, so the "off" flavor may be from the flour.

Re: Baking Powder Question

software — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 14:32:28 GMT

@fthunt wrote:
I believe BP and BS absorbs moisture like crazy .....especially if it's been opened and just sits on a shelf.

Fresh is best...............

I live on the Gulf Coast, I can attest to the impact of humidity on baking powder.

I only buy the smallest can possible

Re: Baking Powder Question

ceekay — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 14:56:48 GMT

You can test baking powder by mixing some with really hot water. If it fizzes it should still be good. Sorry your cookies were not quite up to par, a shame to spend the time and effort and have a flop.

Re: Baking Powder Question

candys mine — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 16:07:25 GMT

Other thoughts, was the butter previously fozen in your freezer, it could have pcked up flavours from aother things. was Hot water from the tap used? minerals from the pipes can be present. Just thinking way outside the box here.

ETA IODIZED salt can lend a mineraly flavor to delicately flavored food too.

Re: Baking Powder Question

aprilskies — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 21:08:16 GMT

This just happened to me recently. I made a cake that didnt taste good. I still cant figure out what it was - I think it was the flour. My bp was expired but not by much and my cake did rise so. I normally buy fresh ingredients when I start baking but totally forgot to check things before I got started and I wasnt about to run to the store at the last minute. By that time, I was committed to finish the process.

Re: Baking Powder Question

ECBG — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 22:25:04 GMT

@aprilskies wrote:
This just happened to me recently. I made a cake that didnt taste good. I still cant figure out what it was - I think it was the flour. My bp was expired but not by much and my cake did rise so. I normally buy fresh ingredients when I start baking but totally forgot to check things before I got started and I wasnt about to run to the store at the last minute. By that time, I was committed to finish the process.

@aprilskies

Plain flour can be kept for a while. I keep mine in the freezer. You might check your shortening or oil's age.

Re: Baking Powder Question

coffee drinker — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 17:37:33 GMT

I still don't know what the culprit was.

The Bp's expiration date is 12/3/21 so I don't think that was too past date. I will toss the flour, baking soda, and baking powder, buy new and try again. All the cookies were tossed last night. Broke my heart tossing them.

My husband thought the cookies tasted "off", but my brother said they tasted OK. He dunked them in coffee-- don't know if that makes a difference.

And the butter I used is what we use everyday and tastes fine to me.

Re: Baking Powder Question

aprilskies — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 20:27:12 GMT

@ECBG wrote:
@aprilskies wrote:
This just happened to me recently. I made a cake that didnt taste good. I still cant figure out what it was - I think it was the flour. My bp was expired but not by much and my cake did rise so. I normally buy fresh ingredients when I start baking but totally forgot to check things before I got started and I wasnt about to run to the store at the last minute. By that time, I was committed to finish the process.

@aprilskies

Plain flour can be kept for a while. I keep mine in the freezer. You might check your shortening or oil's age.

@ECBG, thanks. This recipe called for butter and that was recently purchased so it was good. It was the flour or bp all of which has been replaced.

Re: Baking Powder Question

ECBG — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 20:34:19 GMT

@aprilskies wrote:
@ECBG wrote:
@aprilskies wrote:
This just happened to me recently. I made a cake that didnt taste good. I still cant figure out what it was - I think it was the flour. My bp was expired but not by much and my cake did rise so. I normally buy fresh ingredients when I start baking but totally forgot to check things before I got started and I wasnt about to run to the store at the last minute. By that time, I was committed to finish the process.

@aprilskies

Plain flour can be kept for a while. I keep mine in the freezer. You might check your shortening or oil's age.

@ECBG, thanks. This recipe called for butter and that was recently purchased so it was good. It was the flour or bp all of which has been replaced.

@aprilskies

Glad you figured the issue out. You won't have a repeat and hopefully have success in the years forward.

Re: Baking Powder Question

Duckncover — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 22:33:57 GMT

I don't bake that often during the warmer months, so I always toss both after a few months anyway before starting to bake anything again, usually around Labor Day. Wish they sold baking powder in smaller containers. It is almost never used more than a few of tbsp in a recipe, so small pkgs would be so much better and less wasteful.