Ginger Date Loaf (Botswana): Question

[averybird]

Hi there- I have a recipe for a Ginger Date Loaf that comes from a cookbook about Botswana (it's actually a companion book to the Alexander McCall Smith "No 1. Ladies Detective Agency" books, so I don't know how authentic it is). Anyway, this recipe calls for 1 ounce of 'Bicarbonate of Soda'. My questions:

1.) I'm assuming Bicarbonate of Soda and Baking Soda are equivalents, is this correct?

2.) I did the conversion online and found that 1 ounce equals 2 Tbsp. This recipe is for a single loaf of bread. Does this number sound at all feasible? To me it sounds very high. Or maybe I'm converting this wrong? (other ingredients for this bread include 2 cups flour, 3/4 cups sugar, 8oz chopped dates, 1 egg, 3 oz butter)

3. As I said this recipe is from Botswana. Does anyone know if this is typical amount of B.S. of an African recipe for a fruit bread? Or am I looking at a typo here.


I appreciate any feedback you've got. Thank you!

[Leggy Peggy]

averybird wrote:
Hi there- I have a recipe for a Ginger Date Loaf that comes from a cookbook about Botswana (it's actually a companion book to the Alexander McCall Smith "No 1. Ladies Detective Agency" books, so I don't know how authentic it is). Anyway, this recipe calls for 1 ounce of 'Bicarbonate of Soda'. My questions:

1.) I'm assuming Bicarbonate of Soda and Baking Soda are equivalents, is this correct?

2.) I did the conversion online and found that 1 ounce equals 2 Tbsp. This recipe is for a single loaf of bread. Does this number sound at all feasible? To me it sounds very high. Or maybe I'm converting this wrong? (other ingredients for this bread include 2 cups flour, 3/4 cups sugar, 8oz chopped dates, 1 egg, 3 oz butter)

3. As I said this recipe is from Botswana. Does anyone know if this is typical amount of B.S. of an African recipe for a fruit bread? Or am I looking at a typo here.

Hi averybird

1) Yes, bicarb of soda and baking soda are the same thing.
2) Yes, 1 ounce equals 2 tablespoons (or 6 teaspoons).
3) I think you might be looking at a typo. It seems a huge amount of baking
soda for that amount of flour. Maybe 1–2 teaspoons?

I've never known baking soda to be measured by weight—always level spoons.
Maybe Zurie will have a better idea.

[averybird]

Thanks for your reply, Peggy! I noticed the previous recipe in the book measures the B.S. in teaspoons and only calls for 1 teaspoon for a banana cake. So I think I'll definitely cut it back.

[Leggy Peggy]

averybird wrote:
Thanks for your reply, Peggy! I noticed the previous recipe in the book measures the B.S. in teaspoons and only calls for 1 teaspoon for a banana cake. So I think I'll definitely cut it back.

A very strong argument that you are seeing a typo. Go with your instinct.
Use 1–2 teaspoons and let us know what you did and how it turns out.

Any way to alert the author to the mistake?

[averybird]

Thanks, I think I will. I'll just looked up the publisher and alerted them by email. That way if it's incorrect that can change it for future editions.

[Zurie]

Leggy Peggy wrote:

averybird wrote:
Hi there- I have a recipe for a Ginger Date Loaf that comes from a cookbook about Botswana (it's actually a companion book to the Alexander McCall Smith "No 1. Ladies Detective Agency" books, so I don't know how authentic it is). Anyway, this recipe calls for 1 ounce of 'Bicarbonate of Soda'. My questions:

1.) I'm assuming Bicarbonate of Soda and Baking Soda are equivalents, is this correct?

2.) I did the conversion online and found that 1 ounce equals 2 Tbsp. This recipe is for a single loaf of bread. Does this number sound at all feasible? To me it sounds very high. Or maybe I'm converting this wrong? (other ingredients for this bread include 2 cups flour, 3/4 cups sugar, 8oz chopped dates, 1 egg, 3 oz butter)

3. As I said this recipe is from Botswana. Does anyone know if this is typical amount of B.S. of an African recipe for a fruit bread? Or am I looking at a typo here.

Hi averybird

1) Yes, bicarb of soda and baking soda are the same thing.
2) Yes, 1 ounce equals 2 tablespoons (or 6 teaspoons).
3) I think you might be looking at a typo. It seems a huge amount of baking
soda for that amount of flour. Maybe 1–2 teaspoons?

I've never known baking soda to be measured by weight—always level spoons.
Maybe Zurie will have a better idea.

Wow, that is wayyy too much bicarb of soda!! Soda needs an acid ingredient to actually work well, and I see no acidic ingredient in the recipe!!

I think what was meant was baking powder, but the maximum which is used is 2 teaspoons per cup of flour. So that still means only 20 ml baking powder (4 teaspoons) for the 2 cups of flour.

I think -- take this recipe with a pinch of salt ... and look for a high-scoring ginger-date loaf recipe on this site!!

[averybird]

Thanks for weighing in, Zurie! I see no acid at all in the recipe. Perhaps they did mean baking powder. I might just have to find a different recipe after all (the only thing I've measured so far are the chopped dates).