Baking powder is a ready to use raising agent combining mineral salts and corn starch that can take the place of a sodium bicarbonate and cream of tartar mixture in baking recipes. You can use this aluminium-free baking powder to convert plain flour when a recipe needs self raising flour. When baking powder is combined with wet ingredients it produces carbon dioxide, giving the lift to pancake and waffle batters or cake, muffin, pudding and biscuit mixes.