Cupcake Lab

• In your own words, describe what a “leavening agent” is and why we use them while baking.

• a) Based on the information given in the Instruction sheet, which cupcake do you expect to be the best? Why?

b) Based on your observations in the data table above, which leavening agent produced the best quality cupcake?

c) Was this result expected or unexpected? If unexpected, why do you think this leavening agent was better than the one you predicted?

• a) Which cupcake do you expect to come out the worst? Why?

b) Which cupcake(s) did not raise properly? 

c) Was this result expected or unexpected? If unexpected, why do you think this cupcake did not raise properly.

• If you were making a cake recipe using buttermilk, what kind of leavening agent would you use (baking soda or baking powder)? Why?

• a) What is the chemical name (not the common name) for NaHCO3? _________________

b) What is the formula for sodium carbonate? ___________________

c) What is the formula for carbonic acid? _________________

d) What does carbonic acid decompose into? _________________________

• a) What is the formula for acetic acid? _______________________

b) HA is commonly used to denote a generic formula for acid. For acetic acid, what formula does “A” correspond to? Hint: write the chemical formula for acetic acid and compare to HA (it may be easiest if you circle the part of the formula that correspond to A). Please include it’s charge too. ________________