This homemade easy strawberry shortcake recipe is incredible! Soft and sweet cake piled with strawberries and whipped cream. You'll always get asked for this recipe!
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Best Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite desserts - in any form! I love it when it's made with pound cake, angel food cake, homemade cakes, anything. But my favorite way to make it is with these traditional biscuit-like shortcakes. My easy strawberry shortcake recipe is pillowy and rich and the perfect accompaniment to ripe summer strawberries and fresh whipped cream.
This easy strawberry shortcake recipe has been a favorite I've gradually changed over the years to this current version. I love the tiny addition of almond extract, it gives the cakes a slight twist that's fantastic when paired with the strawberries.
Now, with the dough in this easy strawberry shortcake recipe, I'm going to have to ask you to trust me. You're going to think I'm crazy and that these shortcakes will never bake up right but I promise they will turn out. The dough is going to be very crumbly and it won't come together when you are finished adding all the ingredients, only when you press it together.
It should all be evenly wet and the size of pea gravel after you mix everything together. You'll actually shape it with your hands quickly into a ball {it should stick together mostly in a ball}, and then flatten it to about 1 ½ inches thick on the baking sheet. If you do need to add more liquid, that's fine, just don't overdo it!
Don't skip spreading cream and sprinkling the sugar on top of the shortcakes in this easy strawberry shortcake recipe, it gives them a delicious and beautiful edge that makes them so delicious!
Again, when baking the homemade strawberry shortcakes, I'm going to have to ask you to trust me. You'll question my sanity and wonder if the cakes are even cooked through. But again, I promise they are and it will change your life if you just take them out when the timer beeps!
The homemade shortcakes won't be browned, but the sugar on the top of the cakes will be crisp and the tops of the cakes will be slightly cracked. If you're really concerned about them not being done, just stick a toothpick in one and it should come out clean or with a few crumbs.
Easy Strawberry Shortcake ingredients
For the Shortcakes
-
-
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
- sugar
- butter
- heavy cream
- almond extract
- vanilla extract
- cream
-
For the Strawberries
- strawberries
- sugar
For the Whipped Cream
- heavy whipping cream
- confectioners sugar
- vanilla extract
Homemade Strawberry Shortcake substitutions and additions
- I wouldn’t recommend substituting any of the shortcake ingredients. The ratios make the perfect, soft, sweet biscuit!
- You can substitute peaches for the strawberries and make a peach shortcake.
- You can also substitute the strawberries with blueberries for a blueberry shortcake.
How to make the Best Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
For the Shortcakes
-
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Sift flour and baking powder together. Combine well with sugar and salt.
- Cut in the cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add extracts and ½ cup of the cream. Stir together, a fork works well for this.
- Gradually add more cream until the mixture resembles pea gravel and can be easily pressed together but isn't too wet.
- Shape dough into shortcakes, I find this is most easily done right on your lined or greased sheet pan. The cakes should be about 3 inches across and 1 inch thick, the recipe makes 7-8 shortcakes.
- Avoid over-handling the dough, this will make it tough.
- Brush the tops of the cakes with the remaining cream.
- Sprinkle sugar on the top of each cake.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the sugar, is crisp and the tops start to crack. The cakes will look underdone but trust me! Pull them out so they don't overbake.
How to prepare strawberries for Strawberry Shortcake
To make the strawberries, I just mix in a little bit of sugar and stir - so easy! I do this first before I even make the shortcakes, so they have time to sit and get juicy.
For the Cream
- If time allows, chill the bowl you'll be whipping the cream in for at least 30 minutes. This allows everything to stay cold and come together better.
- Combine cream, sugar, and vanilla extract and whip until soft peaks form.
How to make Strawberry Shortcake topping
I always stick my bowl in the freezer for a bit before I whip cream. It makes the process go faster and the cream whips up better! The thickest, heavy whipping cream you can buy works best for homemade whipped cream.
I mean, how delicious does that look??? It doesn't get much better than that in the summertime!
How to store this Easy Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
Store the shortcakes in an airtight container. I recommend warming them slightly in the microwave for a few seconds before serving if you need to bake them ahead of time.
Best Strawberry Shortcake Recipe FAQs
What makes a shortcake a shortcake?
Shortcake is a small biscuit made crisp and crumbly and tender with the addition of butter.
Is shortcake the same as angel food cake?
No, not in this case. You can use angel food cake to make strawberry shortcakes. However, a traditional shortcake is more similar to this recipe.
What's the difference between shortcake and biscuit dough?
While similar, shortcake is richer due to the cream and sweeter as more sugar is added to the dough.
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Looking for more information on baking?? Check out my post on how to bake homemade bread and cakes for all the details!
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Strawberry Shortcake Recipe (Easy!)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Shortcakes
- 2 cups flour (AP)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter (cold and sliced)
- 1 cup heavy cream (see note)
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cream (for top of cakes)
- sugar (for sprinkling top of cakes)
For the Strawberries
- 1 pint strawberries (hulled and sliced)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
For the Whipped Cream
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Shortcakes
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Sift flour and baking powder together. Combine well with sugar and salt.
- Cut in the cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add extracts and ½ cup of the cream. Stir together, a fork works well for this.
- Gradually add more cream until the mixture resembles pea gravel and can be easily pressed together but isn't too wet.
- Shape dough into shortcakes, I find this is most easily done right on your lined or greased sheet pan. The cakes should be about 3 inches across and 1 inch thick, the recipe makes 7-8 shortcakes.
- Avoid over-handling the dough, this will make it tough.
- Brush the tops of the cakes with the remaining cream.
- Sprinkle sugar on the top of each cake.
- Bake for 10 minutes, until the sugar, is crisp and the tops start to crack. The cakes will look underdone but trust me! Pull them out so they don't overbake.
For the Strawberries
- Combine the sliced strawberries and sugar.
- Mix and set aside to macerate for at least 30 minutes.
For the Cream
- If time allows, chill the bowl you'll be whipping the cream in for at least 30 minutes. This allows everything to stay cold and come together better.
- Combine cream, sugar, and vanilla extract and whip until soft peaks form.
To Assemble the Shortcakes
- Slice shortcake in half.
- Spread a thin layer of whipped cream on the bottom.
- Add a generous amount of strawberries on top.
- Spread with more whipped cream.
- Place top on the cake and add more whipped cream if desired.
Alli
Such a fun presentation for a delicious dessert!
Kim
I knew we were kindred spirits. I, too, LOVE strawberry shortcake in any form. I often choose it for my birthday dessert. This way looks delightful!