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Our go-to low-lift summer dessert, strawberry shortcake will never go out of style. In our easy recipe, tender, fresh shortcakes get topped with juicy, sweet strawberries and fluffy whipped cream to make this iconic, crowd-pleasing dessert. The beauty of strawberry shortcake is in the balance. We used a shortcake that's lightly sweetened so that the sweetness of the macerated strawberries can shine through, but if you prefer this dessert on the sweeter side, try this sour cream pound cake or super easy sponge cake. Read on for all of our other top tips for making this staple summer recipe:
All about the strawberries.
Because they take center stage in this dessert, you're going to want to use fresh, sweet strawberries. To amplify their natural sweetness, combine your strawberries with sugar, and let them sit for 30 minutes at least in the fridge, or up to an hour. The rest time will give the sugar a chance to break down the strawberries and create a juicy strawberry syrup.
What exactly is shortcake?
The "short" in shortcake refers to the texture of the crumb. Rather than the long, chewy strands you might see in a yeasted dough, shortcakes have a tender, crumbly texture and a high fat-to-flour ratio. This cake falls neatly in that category. It's fluffy and tender but sturdy enough to support a big ol' spoonful of fresh strawberry. Tip: Allow the shortcake to cool to room temperature before topping with whipped cream to avoid a runny mess.
Can I use store-bought shortcake?
Absolutely! Try slices of store-bought pound cake, angel food cake, your favorite scones, or our Bisquick strawberry shortcakes for a quicker (get it?) variation on this recipe.
Variations.
It wouldn't exactly be a strawberry shortcake anymore (obviously) without strawberries, but you can give the shortcake treatment to almost any fresh fruit if you're making this out of strawberry season. For other summer fruit shortcakes, check out this lemon blueberry shortcake. Break out the apples, pears, and brown sugar in the fall, and when winter rolls around, try pomegranate and grapefruit shortcake.
Have you made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
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- Yields:
- 6 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 20 mins
- Total Time:
- 1 hr 10 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 706
Ingredients
For The Shortcake
- 2 pt.
fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1/4 c.
plus 3 tbsp. sugar, divided
Cooking spray, for pan
- 2 1/4 c.
all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp.
baking powder
- 1/2 tsp.
baking soda
- 1/4 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1 1/2 c.
heavy cream
For The Whipped Cream
- 1 1/2 c.
heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tsp.
pure vanilla extract
- Nutrition Information
- Per Serving (Serves 6)
- Calories706 Fat47 gSaturated fat28 gTrans fat1 gCholesterol134 mgSodium341 mgCarbohydrates61 gFiber4 gSugar24 gProtein9 gVitamin D2 mcgCalcium218 mgIron3 mgPotassium347 mg
- Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.Powered by
Directions
- Step 1In a large bowl, combine strawberries and 3 tablespoons sugar and toss until coated. Refrigerate, 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour.
- Step 2Preheat oven to 400° and spray an 8”-x-8” baking pan with cooking spray. Stir together flour, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in heavy cream and stir until just combined.
- Step 3Drop dough into prepared pan and press down evenly. Bake until edges are golden and a toothpick comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool.
- Step 4Meanwhile, make whipped cream topping: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat heavy cream and vanilla until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
- Step 5To serve, slice cake into 12 pieces. Top bottom shortcake with sugared strawberries, then a second shortcake. Dollop with whipped cream.
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