Baking powder stands as an indispensable ally in the realm of cooking, a humble yet matchless chemical that turns mere ingredients into aerated deliciousness. Let’s stroll back through time to see where it all started.
Bakers in America experimented with alternatives to yeast, including pearlash, a labour-intensive option.
Baking soda was introduced in 1846, simplifying the process, but it still required mixing with an acid like sour milk.
Baking powder industry growth spawned more companies worth millions of dollars who released cookbooks with recipes utilising baking powder for marketing and instruction.
Baking powder is a ubiquitous ingredient used worldwide which reflects the impact of chemistry and modern science on simplifying the baking process.
Making cakes was a complex process and leavening was mainly achieved through the use of yeast, requiring a time-consuming process of fermentation.
English chemist Alfred Bird created a baking powder by combining cream of tartar and baking soda, preventing premature reactions but was too expensive for regular consumers.
Chemist Eben Norton Horsford patented the first modern baking powder, using monocalcium phosphate extracted from boiled-down animal bones.
Horsford's company switched to mining monocalcium phosphate, making the baking powder more cost-effective.
After intense competition in the industry, one company successfully lobbied the Missouri legislature to ban alum baking powders in the state.
Despite the ban's repeal, the baking powder industry continued to witness intense competition, advertising battles, and price wars.