Can you please explain when to use baking powder vs. baking soda? Some very similar recipes from different authors will use only one or both leaveners. In this Mandlebrot recipe baking powder is used and then the dough is refrigerated for 3 hours or overnight. Doesn't this take the power out of the baking powder? Thanks, Priscilla Hi Priscilla - Very generally speaking, baking soda is used when there's a significant presence of acidic ingredients: yogurt/buttermilk/sour cream; brown sugar; natural cocoa, or other acidic ingredients. This is because baking soda is a base, and needs an acid (plus liquid) to spark its reaction. Baking powder, on the other hand, includes both acid and base; and needs just liquid to get it going. Double-acting baking powder, which is what we all use, needs both liquid and heat; thus it's fine to store batters or doughs with baking powder for awhile without baking, as they'll react first to the liquid, then to the oven heat - that's why they're called double-acting. Hope this helps - PJH

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