When my friends and family ask me questions about baking homemade bread, one of the most frequently asked questions is, “How do you know what type of yeast to use?”

With many different types of yeast available – active dry yeast, instant yeast, bread machine yeast, and cake yeast – it is easy to see why new bread bakers get confused. Adding to the confusion is the fact that each yeast manufacturer uses a different name. Hopefully, my list below will help decipher the differences in the types of yeast on the market.

Active Dry Yeast – Active dry yeast is easily found in the supermarket, usually sold in foil packets of three. This yeast is okay for home baking, but will require the extra step of activating the yeast in liquid before using. To activate active dry yeast, simply pour the yeast into the the water or liquid called for in the recipe.

Unless the recipe says otherwise, the water temperature should be warm, but not hot. If it is too hot, it will kill the yeast.

You can also add a pinch of sugar to the liquid to provide the yeast with “food.” Stir the water and yeast mixture until combined and let it sit for about ten minutes. The surface of the water should be bubbly, as shown in this picture. Active dry yeast is usually printed with an expiration date, though I never use an active dry yeast beyond six months old. Store in the freezer for best results.

Instant Yeast – Instant yeast seems to be the most popular yeast among avid home bakers. As the name implies, this yeast works instantly. There is no need to activate the instant yeast as with active dry yeast. It is just added to the recipe when called for without any further steps. That said, using the activation method described above will allow you to check and make sure that the yeast is viable and alive. Instant yeast has a fairly long shelf life, usually about one year, when stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Instant yeast is also available by the pound, which is how I buy it.

Cake Yeast – Cake yeast, sometimes called “fresh yeast” or “compressed yeast” is popular amongst professional bakers, mostly because they learned to bake with it. I don’t recommend cake yeast for a novice baker. Not because it is strange or difficult, it isn’t, but because it dies so quickly. Cake yeast has a shelf life of only a few weeks, even when stored properly.

Other Notes About Yeast -

• Bread Machine Yeast is the same as Instant Yeast. They can be used interchangeably.
• Active Dry Yeast can be substituted for dry yeast.
• Rapid Rise yeast is like Instant Yeast, but is fortified with dough enhancers to make the bread rise in less time than most other yeasts.
• When needing to substitute one type of yeast for another in a recipe, use this handy yeast conversion chart to determine how much to use.