Question

A person found that the cake prepared by him is hard and small in size. Which ingredient has he forgotten to add that would have caused the cake to rise and become light? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

The person has forgotten to add baking powder (or baking soda with a suitable acid). Baking powder releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas when the cake batter is heated. The bubbles of CO₂ get trapped in the batter, causing the cake to rise, become soft, porous, and light. Without baking powder, the cake remains hard and small.