Eli5: why do so many baking recipes require milk and butter are they not essentially the same thing chemically?

Question

Eli5: why do so many baking recipes require milk and butter are they not essentially the same thing chemically?

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Answer 1

Butter is concentrated dairy fat with most of the other elements such as water and milk solids removed. Milk is mostly water with a network of proteins and fats which include what could be extracted for butter. Often milk is used to add water and a light mix of proteins and such, while butter is strictly about adding fat.