Question about baking powder

[phoenyxstarr]

I have some baking powder in my cabinet. My mom uses alot of cornstarch so she buys it at Sam's Club, but one day she grabbed the wrong jug & got the big thing of baking powder instead. Well she doesn't use it that much, so we split it. I've had it for just over 10 months now... Well I went to make biscuits the other night because I was craving them but they didn't fluff up like they should have. They looked almost exactly like the blobs of dough I put on the cookie sheet. I have a tendency to over knead my dough so I make drop biscuits, hence the blob-like look.

Well now that you know the back story, here's my question... Is there a way to test the baking powder to see if it's still good without having to bake something? I know my grandma used to add some baking soda to water to see if it was still good, would that work for baking powder too?

 

[phoenyxstarr]

I made some brownies with the baking powder and they puffed up like they should have... they almost made it to the top of the pan, and the batter barely hit the halfway mark. They're a little dry though, I accidentally baked them a little too long because I was busy chasing down and fighting with my daughter about wiping her nose and changing her diaper.

 

[muslgrl]

i have never heard if anyway to test bakiing powder

 

[TexasRose]

I don't know how you can test it, but baking powder does lose its potency after a time. The only way to really test it is to use it. I would guess you may be out of luck.

 

[Mama Mangia]

Place baking powder in warm water and stir - if it fizzes it is still good - if it doesn't fizz - toss it - it's useless.

 

[deelip]

Testing is not good i think.
You better to do like mama said.

 

[phoenyxstarr]

Thanks Mama for the test, my baking powder is still good, but I think it's beginning to lose its potency. It didn't fizz as well as I thought it would.

 

[Mama Mangia]

Well the way I see it - if it's starting to go - get rid of it - what's cheaper - replacing the baking powder or losing all the ingredients, time and effort having something not turn out???

I hope it helps you so that you only lose the baking powder and nothing else!

 

[phoenyxstarr]

Yeah, I'll probably be picking some up payday. I'm going to keep it in the cabinet until then, just in case.

 

[Kaabi]

I'm more of a fan of baking soda, ha ha. Arm and hammer, there's definately a story behind that.

 

[phoenyxstarr]

When I was growing up, my mom never used baking soda. Always substituted baking powder for baking soda. She said they do the same thing, and she never did tell me why she hated baking soda so much.

 

[expatgirl]

Mama is right--the fizzing in the water is a good test--but your can should have an expiration date on it------even if it fizzes after 3 months past the expiration date I would consider investing in a new can----that's why I don't buy the large cans-----I never am able to use up the amount and the frugal tendency is to ceep (sorry in case you haven't heard Mr. C's cousin has scipped town on my computer and I no longer have that letter to use so he's being the substitute). Also bacing powder with time will give off a bitter taste. Always checc your cace mixes for the expiration date because they contain bacing powder as well. It's not worth a flat, bitter tasting cace for a special occasion to ceep on hand. One year is a pretty good indicator of its shelf life from purchase.

 

[phoenyxstarr]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I did go ahead and throw out the old baking powder & got some new when we went shopping. After all that though, I still haven't opened it. I haven't felt much like baking these past couple weeks, plus I've been stuck in bed. on the dr for ordering bedrest while hubby was there. If he hadn't been there, I could have told him everything's fine & wouldn't have been stuck in bed.