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The Curious Bag
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<h4 class="dechead">On One Hand: Using Baking Soda as a Leavener
Since baking soda and yeast are both leavening agents in baking, it seems sensible to believe that you could substitute one for the other. Baking soda works to neutralize acids in ingredients, help a product rise and add tenderness to the final texture. To work, it needs to combine with an acidic ingredient to release carbon-dioxide bubbles that will result in a rise.
On the Other: Using Yeast as a Leavener
Yeast is a living fungus that produces carbon-dioxide bubbles by converting natural sugars and starches in a baked good. These bubbles cause the baked item to rise and make its texture light. Since yeast feeds on natural sugars, it does not need an acidic ingredient to work.
Bottom Line
The answer is no. Most dough and bread recipes that call for yeast do not have any acidic ingredients such as yogurt, vinegar, buttermilk or sour cream. Therefore, baking soda would not work as a leavener in these recipes, and it is not an adequate substitute for yeast.
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