It doesn’t get more classic than strawberry shortcake. Fresh strawberries, layered biscuits, and homemade whipped cream. Are you drooling yet?!
Growing up strawberry shortcake was one of my brother’s favorite desserts. However, the version I remember at family celebrations or birthday parties included more of a sponge cake or angel food cake rather than a flakey biscuit.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with that version. It’s so good and very simple. It’s also super easy to make using a box mix or with premade ingredients.
However, making strawberry shortcake the proper way with biscuits takes the dessert to the next level, and let me tell you, it is SO worth it. The biscuits are super flakey and the perfect vehicle for the strawberries. The butter from the biscuits just melts in your mouth alongside the stewed strawberries for the ultimate bite.
So let’s talk about those layers. The first layer is all about the biscuits. Like I mentioned, super flakey and buttery. Next is the strawberries. I prefer to use fresh strawberries over frozen in order to maximize the flavor. In order to get those berries stewed, they are cut and tossed with some sugar and left to sit. See? Super simple!
Finally is the layer of whipped cream. Again, store-bought whipped cream is totally acceptable, but if you want the real deal go with that homemade batch. The fresh cream accentuates the sweetness of the berries. There’s a reason they call it a classic combo!
Find the full recipe below! This recipe can easily be adapted for whatever fruit is in season too!
Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
- 2 pints ripe strawberries
- 1/2 cup, plus 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 cups flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/4 cup cold butter
- 3 cups whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prep the strawberries by washing them and discarding any pieces that look off. Once they are dry, cut them into small pieces. Slices or halved pieces will do depending on what size you want. Place the berries in a medium-sized bowl and toss with the 1/2 cup of sugar. Once they are fully tossed, crush some of the berries with a fork to mash them up a bit. This will let the juices stew. Cover the berries and let them sit while you are making the biscuits.
- Preheat the oven to 450° and prepare a medium-sized baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, remaining sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in 3/4 cups of the butter using a fork or a pastry cutter. You want the mixture to look a little sandy when fully together.
- Next, add 1 1/4 cups of the cream to the flour and butter mixture. Mix until combined. When combined, roll of the dough out on a floured surface and knead for about 1 minute. Then, roll the dough flat to about 1/2 inch.
- Use a biscuit cutter (or the top of a glass when you don't have a biscuit cutter!) to form even circles. Try and cut out an even number of biscuits as they are severed in a pair.
- Place the biscuits on a baking sheet and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let the biscuits completely cool.
- While the biscuits are cooling, whip the remaining cream until it thickens to whipped cream. Fold in the powdered sugar and vanilla when the desired consistency is reached.
- Now for the layers! Place one biscuit on a plate, followed by a heaping spoonful of berries, and then whipped cream. Repeat the process with the remaining berries and whipped cream. Serve as soon as possible as they tend to get a little soggy and fall over!
This recipe was adapted from NYTimes Cooking.