Do you need baking soda and baking powder in same recipe?

Answer 1

Sorry but if the recipe calls for it you need both

Baking powder is composed of:

baking soda + two dry acids

When exposed to heat it will react ONLY with itself to create gas to help the baked product rise.

Baking soda is just baking soda:

It reacts with an acid ingredient in your recipe when exposed to moisture which produces gas. Without the acidic ingredient the baked product will taste soapy or bitter, and without the baking soda your baked product will taste sour.

Acid Ingredients include (but are not limited to):

buttermilk

vanilla

lemon juice

Answer 2

Baking powder is activated in the presence of moisture and heat. Baking soda is activated in the presence of acid. Baking soda is often used in recipes which include fruit or fruit products (stewed apple for example) because these are acidic (sour).

In recipes which include normal cake ingredients (butter, eggs, sugar, flour) and also some fruit you may find that the volume of baking powder is reduced and replaced with some baking soda. Since baking soda is already added to baking powder it is not strictly necessary to do this, but failing to do so may effect the height to which the cake will rise.

Other recipes - like sticky toffee pudding, hokey pokey, or brandy snaps require you to add baking soda to wet ingredients you have previously heated in a pot before adding this to the other dry ingredients. The mixture will froth up in the pot releasing carbon dioxide - but more will be released during the cooking process. It is important that you follow this step and do not replace the baking soda with baking powder.