No, alum is not the same as baking powder. Baking powder is a leavening agent that is used to produce carbon dioxide gas to help baked goods rise. It is a combination of an acid and a base, and when it is combined with moisture it creates a chemical reaction that releases carbon dioxide gas. Alum is a type of salt that is used as a food preservative. It is also used in some baking recipes as a leavening agent, but it does not produce carbon dioxide gas like baking powder does.