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

Easy Pizza Sauce (With Fresh Tomatoes!)

I recently published The Anytime Pizza Dough, which is a Friday staple in my...

Peach Hand Pies

Friends, my daughter has been waiting for this one since the top of 2023....

Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce

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

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Butter Rum Pound Cake

Welcome to Day Two of the Twelve Days of Pound Cake Holiday Event! Today's cake...

Sour Cream Pound Cake

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

Blood Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Cake

Sometimes, I get really wrapped up in the process of cake development--looking for perfectly...

THE BwB Snickerdoodle Cookie

Friends. Today is the day and I am beyond thrilled. While I...

Hummingbird Pound Cake (Without Nuts!)

Hello, My Friends! And welcome to Day 9 of the Twelve Days of...

Southern Rice Pudding

In 2023, the theme of Black History Month is Black Resistance. Eat the...

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Get baking content wrapped in soul, story, and a whole lot of butter.

Sign up for the email list and get my Pound Cake Perfection e-book, a resource that will help you go from "I hope this turns out" to "OMG it worked!"

The Statement Collection

Bananas Foster Pound Cake

Friends, welcome to Day 11 of the Twelve Days of Pound Cake! And...

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

Happy National Pumpkin Day, Friends! It's not often that I will participate in...

Toffee Crunch Cake, Charcuterie Style

Luckily, my business mentor assigned me one hour a day of "staring out the...

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