Citric Acid

A cake I want to bake, calls for citric acid. I have no idea where to find this ingredient.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Jyoti

The Spice House!

16 oz. for ~$6.99

I picked some up for canning at Lincolnwood market (I don't remember where in the market, sorry) and I've seen it at Marketplace on Oakton.

Or you could stop by my house: I have a pressure canner and don't need it any longer, though it is sometimes useful to sprinkle on apples when I can't find lemon juice.

Jyoti,

Do you have an ingredient like bananas in your cake that oxidizes really quick? Or is baking soda levening ingredient? How is the citric acid being used in your recipe?

Regards,

Cathy,

It's a lime cake and the citric acid is, I believe, meant to intensify the citrus taste.

Jyoti

Citric Acid is also known as Sour Salt and it can be purchased at the Home Economist.

Sour salt is called for in some kosher recipes (Eastern European Jews didn't have much access to fresh citrus), so you can find it often in the kosher aisle. Rokeach makes it, and I have a big shaker jar I bought once for some long-forgotten recipe. I have probably used 1 teaspoon out of the 5.5 ounces.

To amplify on MHays and EvA's posts, I was just at Lincolnwood Produce this afternoon: it's in the "Middle Eastern" aisle.

Pixy Stix and Lik 'M Aid are mostly sugar and citric acid, so in a pinch....

I use sour salt to make Jewish or Eastern European Dishes such as sweet and sour meatballs, cabage borsht, and stuffed cabbage. This is what my mother used and this is what my daughter now uses. I get it in the kosher section of most supermarkets including Dominicks and Jewel.
Paulette

Last time I used it on apples, I hit one piece too hard - and was instantly transported back to childhood. You could make homemade candy with a little fruit juice, a lot of sugar, and a pinch or two of it.

Of course, that would be silly.

Not sure where you live, but it's at most of the grocers on Devon.

Thanks everyone!

Jyoti

Every grocer with significant Middle Eastern clientele carries citric acid. Even HarvesTime carries the Ziyad brand.

Hi,

Is Citric Acid also referred to as sour salt? If yes, is it ever referred to as sour salt on the label? I was at a grocery store recently when someone was looking for sour salt. I supposed it was citric acid, but wasn't 100% sure.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

Is Citric Acid also referred to as sour salt? If yes, is it ever referred to as sour salt on the label? I was at a grocery store recently when someone was looking for sour salt. I supposed it was citric acid, but wasn't 100% sure.

Cathy,

My jar is labeled "Sour Salt." The words "citric acid" only appear in small letters under Ingredients.

Sour salt is an old common name for citric acid. Either or both names may appear depending upon the ethnic orientation of the packager. This is the same situation as baking soda versus sodium bicarbonate.

The Pita Inn market on Dempster in Skokie sells citric acid.

does anyone know where to buy this? I looked on line at Penzeys. I am thinking maybe whole foods might have it. Pls advise.

Looks like The Spice House has it, at least on line.

Citric acid is also known as sour salt. Here is a thread.

We carry citric acid at The Spice House, and you can get as little as an ounce for 69 cents, if you are just making one cake recipe, that would be a couple of tablespoons worth.

It is also a nice ingredient to stock if you like to tinker with creating your own seasonings. We also use it in some of our salt free seasonings, it kind of mimics the salivating effect that salt gives to the taste buds.

thanks. I will have to get out to the spice house. I am actually cleaning a coffee pot with it.

For many uses, you can also use Fruit Fresh, which is a mixture of citric and ascorbic acids. For cleaning a coffeepot, I'd think you could use white vinegar.

LAZ wrote:For cleaning a coffeepot, I'd think you could use white vinegar.

This is what I use.

Thanks I was thinking vinegar but directions for pot states not to use it. So off to find citric acid.

I found the citric acid at the spice house in geneva. very nice place with lots of interesting spices.