I met her in a store where she was an attendant and fell in love with her eyes, the way she spoke to me and how soft-looking she was. Because of her, I went to the store every day to look for something new to fall in love with. With time, she came to know my face, and then my name and then my number. She told me, “I close at 10 p.m. That’s too late to see someone.” At 10 p.m that night, I stood by the shop waiting for her to close. When she saw me she smiled.
Her eyes glowed shyly. She said, “I hope you’re not waiting for me?” I answered, “What would I be doing here if it’s not you I’m waiting for?” She knew from that day that I had love for her. If she didn’t know, I made it obvious by the way I tried to touch her at any given opportunity. It didn’t end that night after seeing her off. Every night I went to wait for her. I did that consistently for about two weeks before she agreed to go on a date with me on her off day. I proposed and she said yes.
Her dream was to go back to school. I promised I would help her go back to school when we marry. She wanted to work in HR. I said, “I will build a business someday and you’ll be the owner and the HR at the same time.” I wasn’t bragging. Maybe I was building castles in the air but they were castles all the same. I had dreams for her, dreams for us and dreams for me.
She bought into it and put her all into the relationship. Because I wasn’t the only one who knew what was beautiful, a lot of men who came to the shop fell in love with her because they also knew what was beautiful and could touch and trace the pattern of whatever was beautiful. She told me about them and we laughed but I was concerned that one day someone rich and handsome would take her away from me.
I became jealous and started working so hard to marry her as soon as possible. Even when she told me she wasn’t going anywhere, I didn’t believe her. I became jealous when she had a friend called Philemon. She called him Phill and that made me more jealous. When a lady cares enough to shorten your name then she might have some love for you. Phill had a car and job I could only dream of. He bought her things that she showed to me. When he wanted to take her out, I stepped in and said, “No, you’re not going anywhere! That’s where it starts.” She called me jealous but I owned my jealousy.
Yes, I’m jealous. If that’s what will take you away from danger, then I will do it multiple times.” It looks like I drove the guy away with my overprotectiveness. He wasn’t the only guy. Other beautiful and rich guys came her way. She hid some from me but I got to know about them eventually. The only reason we fought was because of other men who wouldn’t let her be. She laughed at me. She called me names and asked me to calm down whenever such fights happened.
We got married after two torturous years of dating. Torturous because other men won’t leave her alone. After marriage, I rented a new place, a single room with a shared washroom and detached kitchen. I was hoping to change jobs, earn bigger and take us to where we could belong in peace. Three years later, we are still here. Nothing has changed. No, something has changed and that is, I’ve become poorer than I used to be. I’m earning the same salary, yet I have more to do with the same salary. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
Because of that, I’m not able to provide for my wife the way I want to. If dreams come true, she should be in school by now, pursuing her HR dreams. I should be working in a bigger institution that pays very well but dreams have a way of falling mid-flight and blasting dust into our eyes. My wife works very hard. I see it and I can attest to it. Her work takes a toll on her but she’s always looking for another opportunity to earn extra money. I do too but like I said, they are nothing to write home about.
Recently, I had to utter the most difficult phrase I’ve ever said since we got married; “I don’t have money. Can we wait and do it later?” When she asked, “Later, when?” I couldn’t answer. She gave me a defeatist look and turned away. She gets it that it might take forever or I might not get the money at all. I’ve seen her cry on many nights. Sometimes, I don’t ask why. I just leave her alone to cry.
Sometimes, she sees me and quickly dries her tears and tells me it’s nothing. It’s something. It’s life that’s beating us. We are pregnant. Yes, we don’t learn, tell me. We are five months pregnant. I wish my wife wouldn’t fight for trotro to get to work, looking at her condition.
I wish she wouldn’t be doing so much but she does. In the house we live in, we take turns scrubbing the bathhouse and toilet because we share with other tenants. At first, I was doing it when it got to her turn but she stopped me because people were talking. She’s pregnant now, so I woke up at dawn and did it so no one would know. I was doing it one dawn when the landlord came to see me. He said, “You’re disturbing our sleep. Can’t you do it in the morning? Why are you hiding?” If we lived alone, what’s scrubbing that I can’t do so my wife could rest? I look at her going through all the suffering and I tell myself, “You married her just to make her suffer.”
It reminds me of the story of the beautiful flower. You see it thriving in the garden, blossoming every day into something that catches the eyes of everyone. But because of our selfish nature and desire to enjoy the beauty all by ourselves, we pluck the flower, bring it home to watch it die. I plucked my wife from her stalk and brought her home just to watch her wilt.
I love her so much but I regret marrying her to make her suffer. She deserves her time in the sun but currently, she lives in the dark with me. We live on the barest minimum but life doesn’t end here. We still have our dreams and our fighting spirit. After writing this story, I will get out there and make things happen. I don’t know what these things are but every little thing that would bring a change in our life,
I’m the man of this home. My wife looks up to me. Our unborn child deserves the best of sustenance from me. I was the one who made the promise to make her life better. She believed me and let all the better men that came her way go. Now, it’s my turn to deliver on my promise. If you see a man standing in the rain selling, or braving the storm to make ends meet, don’t ask his name. That’s me.
Police in Ohio have released grisly footage of a crazed woman who allegedly stomped on a cat’s head before feasting on the feline in full view of horrified witnesses.
Allexis Ferrell, 27, was found with ‘fur on her lips and blood on her hands’ when police were called by shocked neighbors in the town of Canton on August 16.
‘Officers were able to determine that Allexis had smashed the cat’s head with her foot and then began to eat the cat,’ police wrote in their report.
The GOP candidate platformed rumors that Haitian newcomers in the town of Springfield have been feasting on its domestic animals. The claim electrified the presidential debate on Tuesday.
However, Ferrell – the only person known to have eaten a cat in the state recently – was identified as an American born woman in Canton, a town 170 miles away.
Allexis Ferrell, 27, was found with ‘fur on her lips and blood on her hands’ when police were called by horrified neighbors in the Ohio town of Canton on August 16
Ferrell is being held in the Stark County Jail on a charge of cruelty to companion animals, a fifth-degree felony, She has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity
The bizarre footage opens seconds after police arrived to find a ‘female squatting on a cat which appeared to have its head smashed in and the female with her hands on it’.
Officers confronted Ferrell and ordered her to put her hands behind her back before one remarked: ‘Someone got rubber gloves? She’s covered in blood.’
She makes no response as she is asked her address and read her Miranda rights, before the grossed out officer warns a colleague to put a blanket on the back seat of their squad car.
‘Smile for me. Go like this,’ he says as he holds up a camera, ‘Did you eat that cat? Did you eat it?’
She bares her teeth for the picture and shakes her head slightly but says nothing.
‘Why d’you kill it?’ he demands.
A Springfield resident last month claimed that Haitian migrants were decapitating ducks in public parks and eating them last month
‘I don’t know,’ she pipes in a small voice.
‘Get in there. It’s ridiculous,’ he says as he shoves her into the car.
The first claims about pets being eaten over in Springfield were raised at a city commission meeting on July 30.
Furious locals used the forum to voice their feelings about the 15,000 Haitians who have arrived on Temporary Protected Status since 2020.
‘I really challenge you guys to get out here and do something,’ one angry resident told the meeting.
‘These Haitians are running into trash cans, running into buildings, they’re flipping cars in the middle of the streets.’
‘They’re in the park, grabbing up ducks by their neck, and cutting their head off and walking off with them. They’re eating them.’
One anonymous poster to a Springfield residents’ Facebook group claimed that her ‘neighbor’s daughter’s friend’ had lost her cat.
‘One day she came home from work, as soon as she stepped out of her car, looked towards a neighbor’s house, where Haitians live, and saw her cat hanging from a branch, like you’d do a deer for butchering, and they were carving it up to eat,’ she explained. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
Police and city officials in the town have been at pains to insist that there have been no credible reports of any migrants harming any pets.
But the rumors were amplified by Trump’s running mate JD Vance before the ex-president himself wielded them in his debate with Kamala Harris.
‘In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs,’ he told her. ‘The people that came in. They’re eating the cats.
‘They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.
‘And this is what’s happening in our country.’
Told by ABC moderator David Muir that there had been no credible reports to the authorities, the ex-president insisted that had ‘seen people on television’.
‘The people on television say my dog was taken and used for food,’ he added.
A spokesperson for Springfield police was among those denying the claims.
‘In response to recent rumors alleging criminal activity by the immigrant population in our city, we wish to clarify that there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community,’ he said on Tuesday.
Officers confronted Ferrell and ordered her to put her hands behind her back before one remarked: ‘Someone got rubber gloves? She’s covered in blood.’
Horrified witnesses had called police to a welfare check at the 1100 block of 13th Street South East in Canton shortly before 11pm on August 16
The Vice President dismissed Trump’s claims that migrants were eating pets during the debate as ‘unbelievable and extreme’
The Canton PD footage continues with an officer turning to a group of onlookers after Ferrell is placed in the squad car.
‘Did you guys see all this?’ he inquires.
‘No we pulled up and she was just laying there with..’ one replies.
‘Did you see her eating it?’ he asks.
‘Yeah,’ says one, ‘It was gross,’ added another.
‘She said with the blood on her shoes she stomped it out. She stomped the head out.’
‘Well you don’t kill a cat and go to the hospital, you go to jail,’ the officer remarks.
Social media has been flooded with AI-generated images of Donald Trump protecting animals since his claims in the presidential debate on Tuesday
‘Will you call the humane society and see if they will come pick this cat up,’ he then mutters into his radio. ‘It’s deceased.’
Ferrell is being held in the Stark County Jail on a charge of cruelty to companion animals, a fifth-degree felony.
She graduated from Canton McKinley High School in 2015 and has a lengthy criminal history, with previous charges including cocaine possession, receiving stolen property and endangering children.
‘The suspect in this case is not a Haitian immigrant,’ Canton police spokesperson Dennis Garren said. ‘She is a lifelong Canton resident.’
Her bond has been set at $100,000 and she is due to face a competency hearing in front of Stark County Common Pleas Judge Frank G. Forchione on October 15.
She has entered a plea of not guilty due to insanity.
South African Police Service members arrested a young mother for the alleged murder of her child in Kutloanong (Free State Province).
According to reports, a young mother allegedly put her child inside a fridge than left home for 3 days while the child was inside the fridge, the child was found inside a fridge by a family member who alerted the South African Police Service and emergency medical services.…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>
Upon arrival, the was declared dead by paramedics after showing no signs of life and a case of murder and child negligence was opened by the South African Police Service. A manhunt for the mother was launched and she was arrested shortly after.
The suspect is currently detained in jail and she will soon make an appearance in court to face the charges mentioned above, the motive behind the actions of the suspect are unknown at this stage. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
Baking powder is a staple in many kitchens. It plays a crucial role in creating fluffy pancakes, light cakes, and airy muffins. However, there are times when you might find yourself without this essential ingredient. Don’t worry! There are several effective substitutes you can use to save the day. In this article, we’ll explore the 18 best baking powder substitutes. In addition, we will also discuss some useful insights, and tips, to enhance your baking experience.
What is Baking Powder?
Before we dive into the substitutes, let’s take a quick look at what baking powder is. Baking powder is a leavening agent that contains a combination of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). This is an acidifying agent and a drying agent like cornstarch
When combined with moisture and heat, the chemical reaction between the baking soda and acid produces carbon dioxide bubbles. This can cause baked goods to rise and achieve that light, airy texture we all love.
Baking Powder Substitutes
18 Best Baking Powder Substitutes
1. Baking Soda and Cream of Tartar
Cream of tartar is an acidic byproduct of winemaking that helps stabilize whipped egg whites and prevent sugar crystallization. When combined with baking soda, it creates a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas, similar to baking powder.
This substitute works best in recipes that don’t already contain an acidic ingredient. Because the cream of tartar provides the necessary acidity.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: For every 1 teaspoon of baking powder, use 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.
Note: This combination will provide the necessary acidity for the reaction.
Best For
Cakes, cookies, and quick breads where a light texture is desired.
2. Buttermilk and Baking Soda
Buttermilk is a fermented dairy product with a slightly tangy flavor. Its acidity reacts with baking soda to produce carbon dioxide gas, which helps baked goods rise.
When using this substitute, be sure to reduce other liquids in the recipe to maintain the proper consistency. You can also use plain yogurt instead of buttermilk, using the same substitution ratio.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: For every 1 teaspoon of baking powder, use 1/2 cup of buttermilk and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.
Note: Reduce the amount of other liquids in the recipe to compensate for the added buttermilk.
Best For
Pancakes, muffins, and quick breads.
3. Yogurt and Baking Soda
Like buttermilk, yogurt is an acidic dairy product that can activate baking soda to create a leavening effect.
Plain yogurt, whether regular or Greek, can be used as a baking powder substitute due to its acidic nature. The tanginess of the yogurt can also add depth of flavor to your baked goods.
When using yogurt, be sure to adjust the other liquid ingredients in the recipe to maintain the proper consistency.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: For every 1 teaspoon of baking powder, use 1/2 cup of plain yogurt and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.
Note: Adjust the amount of other liquids in the recipe accordingly.
Best For
Cakes, muffins, and quick breads.
Lemon Juice
4. Lemon Juice or Vinegar and Baking Soda
Lemon juice and vinegar are both highly acidic liquids that can react with baking soda to produce carbon dioxide gas. White vinegar has the most neutral flavor, making it a good choice for most recipes.
However, apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar can also be used. Lemon juice adds a bright, citrusy note that can complement many baked goods. Keep in mind that using these acidic liquids may alter the flavor profile of your recipe.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: For every 1 teaspoon of baking powder, use 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.
Note: This combination may alter the flavor of your baked goods slightly.
Best For
Cakes, muffins, and quick breads where a slight tang can enhance the flavor.
5. Molasses and Baking Soda
Molasses is not as acidic as some other substitutes, but its slight acidity can still react with baking soda to produce a leavening effect.
However, molasses is a very strong flavoring agent. So it’s best used in recipes where its flavor is welcome, such as gingerbread or molasses cookies. Be sure to adjust the amount of sugar in your recipe to account for the sweetness of the molasses.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: For every 1 teaspoon of baking powder, use 1 tablespoon of molasses and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.
Note: Molasses is a strong flavoring agent, so use it sparingly and adjust the amount of sugar in your recipe accordingly.
Best For
Gingerbread, molasses cookies, and other recipes where the flavor of molasses is desirable.
6. Whipped Egg Whites
Whipped egg whites can add air and structure to baked goods, acting as a leavening agent. This method works particularly well in recipes that rely on whipped egg whites for structure, such as angel food cakes, soufflés, and meringues. Be sure to whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks for the best results.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: Use 2 egg whites, whipped to stiff peaks, for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Note: Adjust other liquid ingredients in the recipe to compensate for the added moisture from the egg whites.
Best For
Cakes, soufflés, and meringues.
7. Self-Rising Flour
Self-rising flour is a time-saving ingredient that eliminates the need to add baking powder separately. It’s particularly useful in recipes that call for a small amount of flour. Note that self-rising flour also contains salt, so you may need to adjust the amount of salt in your recipe.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: Replace the regular flour in your recipe with self-rising flour, and omit the baking powder. Adjust the other ingredients accordingly.
Note: Each cup of self-rising flour contains about 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder.
Best For
Quick breads, pancakes, and muffins.
8. Club Soda
Club soda is carbonated water that contains sodium bicarbonate. This makes it a handy substitute in some recipes.
This soda can provide a subtle leavening effect due to the carbon dioxide bubbles it contains. It works best in recipes where a light, airy texture is desired, such as pancakes or waffles. Note that the carbonation may dissipate quickly, so it’s best to work quickly when adding club soda to your batter.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: Replace the liquid in your recipe with an equal amount of club soda.
Note: This works best in recipes where a light texture is desired, such as waffles or pancakes.
Best For
Pancakes, waffles, and light batters.
9. Potassium Bicarbonate
Potassium bicarbonate is a sodium-free alternative to baking powder that can be used as a 1:1 substitute. It’s a great option for those on low-sodium diets or anyone looking to reduce their sodium intake.
Keep in mind that potassium bicarbonate doesn’t contain the same flavor-enhancing properties as sodium. So you may need to add a pinch of salt to your recipe to balance the flavors.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: Use 1 teaspoon of potassium bicarbonate for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Note: You may want to add a pinch of salt to your recipe to enhance flavor since potassium bicarbonate doesn’t contain sodium.
Best For
Any recipe that calls for baking powder, especially for those monitoring sodium levels.
10. Baker’s Ammonia (Ammonium Carbonate)
Baker’s ammonia is also known as ammonium carbonate. This is a traditional leavening agent that was commonly used before the invention of baking powder. It produces a light, crisp texture that is ideal for thin cookies and crackers.
However, it can leave behind a slight ammonia smell while baking, which dissipates as the baked goods cool. Baker’s ammonia is less commonly used today but can still be found in some specialty baking stores. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: Use 1 teaspoon of baker’s ammonia for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Note: It may leave a slight ammonia smell while baking, but this dissipates during cooking.
Best For
Thin, crisp cookies and crackers.
11. Whipped Cream
Whipped cream can add moisture and lightness to baked goods. This makes it a suitable substitute for baking powder in some recipes.
It works best in simple recipes like pancakes or cookies, where the added fat from the cream won’t significantly alter the texture. Be sure to adjust other liquid ingredients in the recipe to maintain the proper consistency.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: Use 2 tablespoons of whipped cream for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Note: Adjust other liquid ingredients in the recipe to compensate for the added moisture from the whipped cream.
Best For
Simple baked goods like pancakes or cookies.
12. Sparkling Water
Sparkling water, like club soda, contains carbon dioxide bubbles that can provide a subtle leavening effect in baked goods. It works best in recipes where a light texture is desired, such as pancakes or waffles.
Keep in mind that the carbonation may dissipate quickly. So it’s important to work quickly when adding sparkling water to your batter.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: Replace the liquid in your recipe with an equal amount of sparkling water.
Note: The carbonation may dissipate quickly, so work quickly when adding it to the batter.
Best For
Pancakes, waffles, and light batters.
13. Whipped Coconut Cream
For a vegan alternative to whipped cream, you can use whipped coconut cream as a substitute for baking powder.
To make whipped coconut cream, chill a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight, then scoop out the solidified cream from the top. Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks, then fold it into your batter. This substitute works well in vegan baking, pancakes, and cookies.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: Use 2 tablespoons of whipped coconut cream for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Note: Chill a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight, then scoop out the solidified cream from the top.
Best For
Vegan baking, pancakes, and cookies.
14. Sour Milk or Buttermilk Powder
Sour milk or buttermilk powder can be used as a baking powder substitute by providing the acidic component needed to activate baking soda. This substitute works well in quick breads, pancakes, and muffins.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: For every 1 teaspoon of baking powder, use 1 teaspoon of sour milk or buttermilk powder plus 1/2 cup of water.
Note: Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes before adding it to the recipe.
Best For
Quick breads, pancakes, and muffins.
Baking Soda vs Baking Powder
15. Baking Soda and Acid
If you have baking soda but no baking powder, you can create a substitute by combining it with an acidic ingredient like lemon juice, vinegar, or buttermilk.
The acid will react with the baking soda to produce carbon dioxide gas, providing a leavening effect. This substitute works best in recipes that already contain an acidic ingredient.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: For every 1 teaspoon of baking powder, use 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1 teaspoon of an acidic ingredient like lemon juice, vinegar, or buttermilk.
Note: The acid will activate the baking soda, creating a leavening effect.
Best For
Recipes that already contain an acidic ingredient.
16. Aquafaba
Aquafaba is a fantastic vegan substitute because it mimics the properties of egg whites. This can provide both moisture and structure to baked goods.
To use aquafaba, simply drain a can of chickpeas and reserve the liquid. Whip the aquafaba using a hand mixer or a stand mixer until it reaches stiff peaks, similar to whipped egg whites. This makes it an excellent choice for recipes like meringues, and mousses.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: Use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba for every 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Note: This is a great vegan substitute that adds moisture and structure.
Best For
Vegan baking, meringues, and cakes.
17. Skip It
For inherently dense recipes, you can often skip the baking powder without significantly affecting the outcome. This approach works well for recipes that rely on other leavening agents or methods.
Just be aware that the final texture may be denser than if baking powder were used, but it can still be delicious.
How to Use
Note: This may result in a denser final product, but it’s not the end of the world. Recipes that rely on other leavening methods, like whipped egg whites or creaming butter and sugar, may still turn out well.
Best For
Dense cookies, brownies, and some cakes.
18. Baking Soda and Cream of Tartar (Homemade Baking Powder)
Making your baking powder is a simple and effective way to ensure you have a leavening agent on hand. This homemade version works just as well as store-bought baking powder. Plus, it allows you to control the ingredients.
The combination of baking soda and cream of tartar creates the same chemical reaction that occurs in commercial baking powder. This substitute is particularly useful in recipes where you need to avoid additives found in some commercial baking powders.
How to Use
Substitution Ratio: For every 1 teaspoon of baking powder, use 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.
Note: This combination will provide the necessary acidity for the reaction.
Best For
Any recipe that calls for baking powder.
FAQs
1. Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder?
Yes, you can use baking soda as a substitute for baking powder, but you will need to add an acid to activate it. For every teaspoon of baking powder, use 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of an acidic ingredient like vinegar, lemon juice, or cream of tartar.
2. What happens if I don’t have any baking powder?
If you don’t have baking powder, you can use one of the substitutes mentioned in this guide, such as baking soda with an acid, yogurt, or buttermilk. Alternatively, you can skip it in recipes that don’t rely heavily on leavening, but the final product may be denser.
3. Can I use self-rising flour instead of baking powder?
Yes, self-rising flour contains baking powder and salt, so you can use it as a substitute. Replace the all-purpose flour in your recipe with self-rising flour and omit the baking powder. Each cup of self-rising flour contains about 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder.
4. How do I know if my baking powder is still good?
To test the freshness of your baking powder, add a teaspoon of it to a small bowl of hot water. If it bubbles vigorously, it’s still active. If there’s little to no reaction, it’s time to replace it.
5. Can I use expired baking powder?
It’s not recommended to use expired baking powder, as it may not provide the necessary leavening power. Always check the expiration date and perform a freshness test if you’re unsure.
6. How do I know which substitute to use?
The best substitute depends on the recipe and the other ingredients involved. Some substitutes work better in certain types of baked goods than others.
