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

Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

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

Strawberry Shortcake in a Charlotte Pan

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

Vanilla Pound Cake

How do I know that it can come together that quickly? Because that's...

Readers Currently Crave...

My Favorite Summer Pound Cakes

Summer is the perfect time to celebrate the season's bounty with an amazing selection...

Homemade Bourbon Vanilla Extract

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

Technique Tips for the Best Pound Cakes (& Big...

Friends, it's time. The holidays are peeking around the corner, and it's time for us...

Sour Cream Pound Cake

Every year for the Twelve Days of Pound Cake, I want to shout out...

42 Must-Make Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Hi Friends! Love is in the air and romance is on the horizon...

Simple, Classic Apple Pie

Hello, BBs, and welcome to fall at Begin with Butter! When fall rolls around,...

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The Statement Collection

Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake

The weather in Maryland has been all over the place lately. Up and...

Honey Apple Pound Cake

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

Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

My mother, Ms. Gloria, was known for making some *ahem* showy desserts. She was...

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