Learn. Bake. Repeat.

Everything you need to bake with more confidence, joy, and precision.

Pound Cake SOS: Ten Common Problems (and How to...

At Begin with Butter, we know that pound cake is the grand dame of...

Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

About This Cake This is the kind of bake that turns heads even before it...

Macerated Peaches

Rules for My Daddy's Favorite Fruit This simple technique is rooted in reverence—for ripe fruit,...

Homemade Bourbon Vanilla Extract

I'm aware that it's July, BB. But it's time for us to start getting...

Strawberry Shortcake in a Charlotte Pan

That whipped cream isn’t just a topping-it’s the luxurious bridge back to the full...

Hi! I'm Shani!

Welcome to Begin with Butter! This is my slightly nerdy, beautifully nostalgic corner of the internet, where baking isn’t just about recipes…it’s about finding the rhythm in your hands, learning the skills to improve your baking confidence, finding connection through community and story, and perfecting the techniques that deepen your baking mastery.

At Begin with Butter, we break down the science of baking for the home kitchen, with thoughtful, professional techniques that are designed to make sense, combined with traditions we grew up with. Then we season it all with storytelling, because here, it's about more than technique. It’s about connecting your grandmother’s kitchen to your grandchild’s kitchen, one well-made cake at a time. Welcome!

Kitchen Orientation: This Way to the Good Stuff

Ingredient Science

Flour, sugar, leaveners, and flavor—understood, not just used.

Helpful Techniques

The hows and whys of great baking, that will help you achieve great bakes

Pound Cakes

Rich, reliable, and ready for company—these are the cakes that built this house.

Bake With Me

Join the email circle for weekly tips, recipes, and kitchen stories.
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When You Need a Lil' Something Sweet

Grilled Peaches with Fresh Whipped Cream

Friends, I'm excited today to announce the start of a new initiative at Begin...

My Favorite Baguette

They say that good things come to those who wait. And they are...

Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce

Hey Friends! Valentine's Day is on the horizon, which means that love is...

Readers Currently Crave...

Sweet Potato Pineapple Pound Cake

I *very excitedly* told my children that this Sweet Potato Pineapple Pound Cake was...

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

My brother and sister and I saw the word "cookie" and nearly came to...

Grilled Peaches with Fresh Whipped Cream

Friends, I'm excited today to announce the start of a new initiative at Begin...

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Let me just start by saying that oatmeal raisin cookies usually aren’t my jam....

Tiramisu Pound Cake

Welcome to Day 6 of the Twelve Days of Pound Cake! I am...

Sweet Potato Sock it to Me Cake

Well, I am my mother’s child, and I have the strongest affinity for sock...

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The Statement Collection

Key Lime Pound Cake

Hey Friends! It's Day 2 of the Twelve Days of Pound Cake! ...

Brown Butter Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting

BBs, I was born in the 70s, grew up in the 80s, and came...

Honey Apple Pound Cake

Friends, I'm admittedly a bit weepy as I type this last blog post. ...

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