Potassium bicarbonate

Potassium bicarbonate is a powdery leavening agent used in baking.

Potassium bicarbonate (KHCO₃), also called potash and bicarbonate of potash, is a powdery leavening agent used in baking. When mixed with acids, potash creates carbon dioxide bubbles to rise baked goods. The name is a combination of the words pot and ash which originate from a method of making potash by soaking wood ashes in a large pot then allowing the solution to evaporate into the powder.

Substitutions

Some older Eastern European recipes use potash as an ingredient. If potash needs to be replaced in a recipe, substituted 1 teaspoon (5 ml) potash with:

• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda.