Since all store-bought baking powder that I’ve come across either contains corn starch or potato starch, both of which I’m allergic to, I make my own baking powder at home.  It works the same as the store-bought stuff, you just use a little more of it.  All you need is baking soda, cream of tartar, and arrowroot powder.  The arrowroot powder takes the place of the corn starch or potato starch in order to absorb moisture and prevent the baking powder from activating until you’ve added it to a liquid in a recipe.  In addition to your local natural food store, you can also generally find arrowroot powder in either the the natural foods section or the cake decorating section of your local supermarket.  If all else fails, you can purchase it online.  An added bonus to this recipe is that it is aluminum-free because cream of tartar is used as the acid salt, rather than sodium aluminum sulfate.  

All you do is thoroughly mix all the ingredients together, making sure to break up any clumps with the back of a spoon or a pestle…

And store in an airtight container.  Pretty simple, huh?  Just remember when you are using it in your favorite recipes, use 1-1/2 times the amount of baking powder called for in the recipe, of your homemade baking powder.  (Multiply the amount called for by 3/2 or 1.5).   I’ve included conversions below if you need them.

Homemade Baking Powder

from the kitchen of: myallergenfreelifestylemanual.com 

C, CD, D, E, G, N, P, R, S, SF, WF, W

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons arrowroot powder

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Directions:

Thoroughly mix all ingredients together, breaking up any clumps with a spoon or pestle and store in an airtight container. 

1 teaspoon storebought = 1 ½ teaspoons homemade

Conversions:

1/8 teaspoon storebought = 1/8 + 1/16 teaspoon homemade (if you don’t have a 1/16 teaspoon, just use a 1/8 and swipe out half of the powder with a butterknife)

1/4 teaspoon storebought = 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon homemade

1/3 teaspoon storebought = 1/3 + 1/6 teaspoon homemade (again, since you don’t have a 1/6 teaspoon, use the 1/3 and swipe out half of the powder with a butterknife)

1/2 teaspoon storebought = 1/2 + 1/4 teaspoon homemade

2/3 teaspoon storebought = 1 teaspoon homemade

3/4 teaspoon storebought = 1 + 1/8  teaspoons homemade

1 teaspoon storebought = 1 + 1/2 teaspoons homemade

1/2 Tablespoon storebought = 3/4 Tablespoon homemade  (2 + 1/4 teaspoons)

1 Tablespoon storebought = 1 + 1/2 Tablespoons homemade (1 Tablespoon + 1-1/2 teaspoons)