Cocoa

• Cocoa is made by pressing chocolate liquor and removing three-quarters of its cocoa butter. Solids in the cocoa are then processed into fine, unsweetened cocoa powder. The cocoa is then either left as is or alkali is added to produce the two different types of cocoa.
  
  

Unsweetened Cocoa

• Unsweetened cocoa has not been treated with alkali and is best used in recipes that call for baking soda. Natural cocoa is an acid, while baking soda is an alkali and when paired, they cause batter to rise when placed in the oven.
  
  

Dutch Processed Cocoa

• Dutch processed cocoa has been treated with alkali, making its natural acidity neutralized compared to unsweetened cocoa. It will not react with baking soda, so it is called for in recipes that use baking powder or recipes that do not have a sufficient amount of acid.