The Reason for the Rise
Quick breads rely on the standard baking ingredients—flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. But what makes a quick bread a quick bread is the inclusion of baking powder and/or baking soda to ensure a quick rise.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a leavener that provides browning and lift to quick breads. When baking soda, which is alkaline, encounters an acidic ingredient (such as buttermilk), the baking soda breaks down to form carbon dioxide and water, plus a salt of the acid. The tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide then lift up the dough.
Baking Powder
Baking powder's two active ingredients are baking soda and a dry acid, such as cream of tartar.
There are two types of baking powder: Single-acting and double-acting. We recommend using double-acting in all recipes because it produces baked goods with a higher rise. That's because unlike single-acting baking powder, double-acting has two acids; the second acid begins to work when the dish is put in the oven, after the temperature has climbed above 120 degrees.
