PSA: Don't bake a cake with expired baking powder

I was at my mom's house last Saturday making a birthday cake from scratch... I grabbed her baking powder without checking the date. The cake came out flat as a pancake, like barely an inch tall. Turns out it expired 8 months ago and just sat there in the cabinet. Has anyone else had a whole batch ruined by old leavener?

3 comments

3 Comments

carr.elliot3d ago

Oh man, does expired baking powder RUIN things or what? I learned this the hard way making banana bread last year, used some that was probably a YEAR past date and it came out more like a banana hockey puck. Now I check the date every time and toss it if it's more than a few months old because that flat, dense texture is just SO disappointing after all that mixing effort.

rileyb613d ago

I started testing my baking powder in a cup of hot water before I even use it - if it fizzes strong, it's good, and if it barely bubbles I just go grab a new can from the store. Have you ever tried that trick or do you just check the date?

the_nathan3d ago

That's more about old baking soda losing its umph than active baking powder which has its own acid built in.