Also known as bicarbonate of soda, bicarb soda, bicarb.
Pure sodium bicarbonate. Requires an acid in the recipe to activate.
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, a strong alkaline leavener that needs an acid and heat to release carbon dioxide. It works roughly four times harder than baking powder by weight, which is why even a quarter-teaspoon nudges browning, spread, and the open, lacy crumb of cookies and quick breads.
Use Use 3x the amount of baking powder (1 tsp soda = 1 tbsp powder)
Won't create the same browning. May need to remove other acids from recipe.
1 cup = 216g
Reverse the most common baking lookup.
Useful for small-batch adjustments and spoon measures.
High-volume cup-to-ounce lookup with ingredient density.
For metric volume recipes that need US cup equivalents.
Useful when small spoon measures need weight scaling.
Use Use 3x the amount of baking powder (1 tsp soda = 1 tbsp powder) for the closest starting point.
| cups | grams |
|---|---|
| 1/4 cups | 54.0 grams |
| 1/3 cups | 71.0 grams |
| 1/2 cups | 108 grams |
| 1 cups | 216 grams |
| 1.50 cups | 324 grams |
| 2 cups | 432 grams |
| 3 cups | 648 grams |
| 4 cups | 864 grams |
Ingredient-specific, density-based conversions for baking
Published values, quoted at the exact measure each source lists. Sources round differently and assume different fill techniques — which is why they rarely agree to the gram.
| Source | Listed measure | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| USDA FoodData Central | 1 tsp | 4.6 g |
| King Arthur Baking | 1/2 tsp | 3 g |
CupOrGram standardizes on 216 g per cup (14 g per tablespoon, 5 g per teaspoon) and uses that single value on every page — how we reconcile the sources.
Gram-first recipes built on the same measured densities as this page — weigh straight from the recipe, no conversion needed.
A deeply chocolatey single-layer cake where full-fat sour cream does the work of butter. One bowl, a whisk, and a scale — every measurement given in grams first.
A tender, naturally wheat-free banana bread made entirely with oat flour. Weighed, tested, and written in grams first — because oat flour is one of the most inconsistently scooped flours there is.
The classic no-flour peanut butter cookie — crackly edges, fudgy center — with the one ratio that actually matters given in grams: equal weights peanut butter and sugar.
Optional shopping references for bakers who want to compare tools and pantry options related to baking soda.
Essential for cup-to-gram accuracy and repeatable bakes.
Shop scales ↗Useful for quick volume checks before converting to weight.
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Cool, dry place. Replace every 6 months for baking use.
4x stronger than baking powder. Reacts immediately with acids (buttermilk, brown sugar, cocoa, vinegar). Promotes browning and creates a more open crumb.
Most recipes call for 1 teaspoon soda per 2 cups flour, paired with brown sugar's molasses for the acid. Skip the soda and you get pale, cakey rounds; double it and the cookies spread thin, brown too fast, and turn brittle at the edges before the centers set.
Combine 1/4 teaspoon soda with 2 teaspoons baking powder per 2 cups flour — the soda neutralizes buttermilk's tang and adds tenderness, while the powder handles the bulk of the rise. Soda alone leaves a soapy aftertaste; powder alone gives a tight, less tender crumb.
Use 1 teaspoon soda with natural cocoa (which is acidic) — the reaction shifts cocoa toward that reddish-brown, almost rust color the cake is named for. With Dutch-process cocoa, you'll need to add an acid like buttermilk or coffee, or the cake reads dull brown and tastes faintly metallic.
Baseline reference: 1 cup baking soda = 216g. In real kitchens, a practical range is usually 203g-229g per cup (6% band).
Why this happens: fine powders and leaveners settle during storage, changing cup density.
Figures use the US cup (236.6 ml).Soda doesn't expire so much as absorb moisture and odors from the cupboard, which dulls its reactivity. Drop a half-teaspoon in a tablespoon of vinegar — if it doesn't fizz violently within a second, replace the box.
Yes, and many recipes do — the soda neutralizes acid and boosts browning, while the powder provides the bulk of the lift through its built-in acid. They aren't redundant; they're tuned to different jobs in the same batter.
Pure sodium bicarbonate shouldn't smell of anything — a faint ammonia note usually means it's absorbed odors from the fridge or pantry. Store it sealed away from strong smells, and replace it every six months for the best results.
1 cup of baking soda weighs 216 grams.
Cup, tablespoon, and teaspoon weights for all ingredients, sourced and cross-checked.