Our Story…
It’s a love story, really.
Bringing the medicine & magic of botanicals into your everyday celebrations.
And it’s never really been totally about the cake.
It all started with a garden, a cake, and an island wedding in the Pacific Northwest in 2013. Soon after, a botanical cupcake company was born and in between… a whole lot of magic. Thousands of cupcakes, ten years, cross-country moves, and many lives later, that small botanical cupcake company was reborn as Botany Bakeshop in the middle of the sunshine-y state of Florida.
It’s a love story at its bones… and it’s always been about bringing the beauty, the food and medicine, and the magic of the plants and this planet into your every day celebrations.
In that place where passion meets purpose…
Botany Bakeshop is fueled by a passion to help people reimagine food in ways that are healthier and that ultimately help them reconnect with the earth… even if in the subtlest, gentlest, simplest of ways… even if it’s through cake.
We believe
that it’s our responsibility to contribute to a better, safer, more nourishing, & more equitable food system & healthier planet wherever & whenever we can AND that indulgence can be healthier, wholesome, delicious, & fun without compromising the health, wellness, & welfare of People & Planet.
Here’s how we do it:
Ingredient Integrity
A safer, more nourishing, & more equitable food system one little sweet treat at a time.
We honor this value by using the highest quality ingredients we can find knowing that we can always do more & always do better.
Organic whenever & wherever possible.
Always fair-trade when applicable.
Big focus on whole & lower processed ingredients.
Completely free of genetically modified foods.
Nothing artificial ever. Like EVER!
Local & seasonal when possible.
And as for our packaging, if it’s not biodegradable, compostable, or at a very minimum recyclable and/or reusable, we don’t use it.
Fun
That’s it… Have fun. Enjoy the eye candy. Try new things. Eat flowers.
Pretty foods… it’s kind of our thing.
One of the most frequent comments we get is “it’s just too pretty to eat!” And to that we say: Good! But we hope you’ll eat it anyway!
We would love nothing more than to succeed in making too-pretty-to-eat products if only to make you stop, slow down, & think before you enjoy. It’s all about presence & mindfulness, fun with flavor & flowers, & trying new things all while nourishing your mind & body & honoring the earth.
Plant Magic & Medicine Every Damn Day
Adding therapeutic herbs & spices back into your every day in beautiful & delicious ways.
We love the concept of tonic herbalism, using gentle, safe, & nourishing herbs in small amounts every day to help balance & strengthen our bodies.
There’s no “cure” in our cookies. Our botanically-infused products aren’t intended to be medicine. However, we believe the experience of eating can very much be medicinal in ways far beyond the reach of conventional medicine.
Food is comfort, nostalgia, pleasure, fun, social, cultural, ancestral, & so much more. Add a touch of therapeutic botanicals… we think that’s the fool-proof recipe for big magic.
Community & Reciprocity
Inspiring connection with each other, (re)connection with this planet, & giving back.
No small business would survive without the support of community & we’re so grateful for all the support we’ve been shown over the years.
One day, we’d like to be able to funnel a percentage of our revenue back into the community, local and/or global.
For now, if we can spark conversations & friendships and inspire sweet reconnections with the planet through our botanical products & accessible herbal education… we’ll be grateful for that.
Meet the Maker
Hey sweet pal! I’m Sass.
Maker & Baker, Food & Medicine Educator, Health & Wellness (& Happiness) Advocate, Herbalist, Earth Lover, & Chronic Mover & Shaker making things happen since the 80s.
Insider info…
My first love was the ocean. I worked as a marine biologist for many years before finding my way back to the land & down a path that lead me to nutrition, culinary arts, gardening, & a great BIG love for this planet.
In 2013, while working on a master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition at Bastyr University, I started a botanical cupcake company as a way to combine my work in the gardens growing food & medicine, my newfound love/obsession with herbalism, and my work in the kitchen as a sous chef at a fine dining vegan restaurant in Seattle.
I’m a self-taught baker. I actively blog at Botany Culture where I share easy plant-based recipes & DIY herbal remedies to fuel your herbal wellness.
And while I do grow as many of the flowers & herbs we use at the bakeshop as I can, I have a dream of having a full-on organic, edible flower & medicinal herb farm one day. It’ll happen. You heard it here first!
Thanks for being here with me!
Founder, Owner, Slinger of Botanical Sweets
Learn More About the Botanicals in Our Sweet Treats!
What Our Sweet Pals Are Saying
Sass is creative, educated, genuine & professional. She’s a true gem to work with. Her dessert profiles & flavor combinations are unique & undeniably delicious… they’re one of a kind to say the least. They’ll make your taste buds explode with excitement! Sass has a beautiful gift.
Our wedding cake was made by Sass & it was beyond anything we could have dreamt of. Everyone at the wedding mentioned it being the best cake they’d ever had. Hands down, the best cake ever! We’ve had the pleasure of trying a bunch of desserts made by Sass & they’re one of a kind. She uses unique ingredients & flavor combinations that are so delicious & the presentation is always so beautiful & whimsical. She’s a true artist.
Sam & Gordy Dana
Let’s Connect
Location
(~25 mins east of downtown Tampa)
Contact
heythere@botanybakeshop.com
Pick-Up Days & Times
Wednesday 10am – 4pm
Thursday 10am – 4pm
Friday 10am – 4pm
Saturday 10am – 1pm
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