Welcome! My name is Dani. I’m so happy you’re here!

The most valuable thing a person can offer another human being…

Is their time.

It means a lot to me that you’ve chosen to spend your valuable time visiting my blog! It’ll mean even more to whoever you intend to bake for. I created Bantam Bakes as a way to practice hospitality in the overly me-centric world we live in today. After giving birth to my daughter, I was filled with a deep sense of gratitude for what God had given me. I wanted that gratefulness to overflow onto others. Post recovery, I got back to splashing buttercream on my face and burning my hands on piping hot baking trays. I was excited to prepare beautiful bakes for all the guests I couldn’t wait to invite back into our home. And now I’m excited to share my knowledge and recipes with you!

Why bantam bakes?

Several reasons! Smaller desserts, breads, and pastries are much easier to have on hand and store in the fridge, making it ever so convenient to plop on the table after dinner. You can also package them up (depending on the bake) nice and pretty to give away as a gift. And there’s just something really cute and endearing about smaller sized things!

I have found…

That food, particularly desserts, make the best gifts. They work for absolutely any occasion, whether it be as a present, or as a way of saying thank you. In many cases, freshly baked goods tend to go a lot farther than regular gifts. People remember taste. More than they remember a lot of things. The number of times I’ve found gift cards hidden in my drawers are a testament to that. But, somehow, I do remember the first wedding cake I ever had, the first time I tried firecracker salmon, gelato, lemon meringue pie…

When I hand someone a box of macarons, a pretty little cake, or a personal tart, the result is always the same. Their eyes light right up. I see the excitement blooming on their faces without them ever having to say a word. And that brings me so much joy!

I want you to experience that too.

That’s why everything on this blog, from the recipes to the pictures, are designed to help you practice hospitality in your own life. Hopefully, you find the information helpful, the pictures, inspiring, and the recipes downright delicious.