Strawberry Shortcake with Strawberry Whipped Cream: Strawberry Shortcake with Strawberry Whipped Cream

The Heart of a Shortcake

This cake is not like others. It is a biscuit cake. That means it is tender and a little crumbly. It soaks up all the sweet strawberry juice perfectly. I learned this from my own grandma. She called it “short” because of the butter. It makes the dough rich.

Using cold butter is the big secret. You rub it into the flour. This makes little pockets of fat. In the oven, they melt and create steam. That steam makes the cake light and flaky. Isn’t that clever? It matters because texture is just as important as taste.

A Berry Good Story

I remember my first strawberry patch. The berries were small and warm from the sun. I ate more than I put in my basket. I still laugh at that. For this cake, you need two pints. We will use them in two ways.

Half get mashed into the cream. The other half we save for the top. This gives you two kinds of strawberry flavor. You get the bold berry punch and the fresh juicy bites. What is your favorite summer fruit memory? Tell me about it.

Whipping Up Joy

Now for the magic. We make strawberry whipped cream. You whip the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. It goes from liquid to fluffy clouds. Doesn’t that smell amazing? Then you fold in the mashed berries.

Fun fact: The cold bowl helps the cream whip faster. I sometimes chill my mixer bowl first. This cream is the glue and the frosting. It holds the cake together and makes it special. This matters because homemade cream is a gift of love. It tastes so much better than anything from a tub.

Putting It All Together

Let the cake cool completely. This is the hard part. You must be patient. Then, slice it in half like a sandwich. Spread most of the pink cream on the bottom half. Place the top back on.

Finally, add more cream and those saved berries on top. Cut it into big wedges. It is messy and beautiful. Do you like your shortcake with more berries or more cream? I am always team extra berries.

Why We Make This

This dessert is about sharing. It is not fancy or perfect. It is meant to be eaten with friends outside. The juice will run down your chin. That is the best part.

Making it teaches you about simple, good ingredients. Flour, butter, berries, and cream. When you taste them together, it is pure happiness. What is the first dessert you ever learned to make? I would love to hear your story.

Ingredients:

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
All purpose flour	2 cups	For Cake
Granulated sugar	4 tablespoons	For Cake
Baking powder	3 teaspoons	For Cake
Baking soda	1/2 teaspoon	For Cake
Salt	1/2 teaspoon	For Cake
Unsalted butter	6 tablespoons	For Cake; cold and sliced
Solid all-vegetable shortening	2 tablespoons	For Cake; cold
Buttermilk	3/4 cup	For Cake
Fresh strawberries	2 pints	For Strawberry Whipped Cream
Heavy whipping cream	2 cups	For Strawberry Whipped Cream
Granulated sugar	2 tablespoons	For Strawberry Whipped Cream

My Favorite Summer Shortcake

Hello, my dear! It’s Anna. Let’s make my favorite strawberry shortcake. This one is special. I learned it from my own grandma. We would pick berries in the hot sun. My fingers would be stained pink for days. I still laugh at that.

The secret is in the cake. It’s not too sweet. It’s a biscuit-like cake, really. It soaks up all the lovely strawberry juice. And the whipped cream! We mix real berries right into it. Doesn’t that smell amazing? It tastes like a perfect June afternoon.

Here is how we make it. Follow these steps. I’ll tell you a little story as we go.

Step 1: First, heat your oven to 425°F. Grease an 8-inch cake pan. Now, sift the dry ingredients into a big bowl. That’s flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sifting makes the cake light and fluffy. My grandma always said, “Don’t skip the sift!” Step 2: Add the cold, sliced butter to the bowl. Blend it on low until the pieces are pea-sized. Then add the cold shortening. Blend until it looks like coarse sand. (A hard-learned tip: Your butter must be cold! Warm butter makes a tough cake.) Step 3: Slowly pour in the buttermilk. Use the dough hook on low. Mix until a soft dough forms. It will pull away from the bowl sides. Let it mix one minute more. The dough will be very soft and lovely. Step 4: Pat the dough into your greased pan. Make the top as even as you can. No rolling pin needed! Just use your fingers. Bake for 15-18 minutes. It’s done when the top is golden. Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Step 5: Turn the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. Keep the bottom facing up. This is the flattest side. It will be easier to slice later. Why do we let it cool completely before adding cream? Share below! Step 6: Now, the fun part! Hull and slice two pints of strawberries. Split them into two bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with one tablespoon of sugar. This draws out the sweet, red juice. Let them sit while you whip the cream. Step 7: Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Take one bowl of berries. Puree them in a food processor. You’ll get a beautiful pink “mess.” Gently fold this into the whipped cream. Chill it for 15 minutes. It will firm up nicely. Step 8: Finally, assemble! Slice the cooled cake in half. Spread the strawberry cream on both cut sides. Put the halves back together. Cut into wedges. Top with more cream and the second bowl of juicy berries. Serve right away. It’s pure happiness.

Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings
Category: Dessert, Baking

Three Tasty Twists to Try

This recipe is like a good friend. It welcomes little changes. Here are three fun twists my family loves.

Peach & Basil Dream: Use ripe peaches instead of strawberries. Add two finely chopped basil leaves to the cream. It’s a surprising, fresh taste.

Lemon Berry Sparkle: Add the zest of one lemon to the cake dough. Use a mix of blueberries and raspberries. The lemon makes everything brighter.

Chocolate-Dipped Berry: Dip half of your strawberry slices in melted dark chocolate. Let them harden. Use these for the topping. It feels so fancy.

Which one would you try first? Comment below!

Serving It Up Sweet

This shortcake is a star all by itself. But you can make it extra special. For a pretty plate, add a whole strawberry and a mint leaf on top. Serve it on your grandmother’s china if you have some. It just tastes better that way.

What to drink with it? For the grown-ups, a small glass of sweet Moscato wine is lovely. For everyone, I love homemade pink lemonade. The tartness balances the sweet berries perfectly. Which would you choose tonight?

Keeping Your Shortcake Fresh

This shortcake is best eaten the day you make it. But I know life gets busy. You can store the plain, unfilled cake for two days. Just wrap it tightly at room temperature.

The strawberry whipped cream is a different story. It must stay in the fridge. Keep it in a sealed container for up to a day. I once tried keeping it longer. It got a bit sad and watery.

You can freeze the plain cake for a month. Thaw it on the counter. Batch cooking is easy. Make a double batch of the cake rounds. Freeze them separately for a sweet surprise later.

This matters because good food shouldn’t go to waste. A little planning means sweet treats anytime. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!

Shortcake Troubleshooting

Sometimes baking doesn’t go as planned. That’s okay. First, a tough cake. This happens if you mix the dough too much. Stop as soon as it holds together. A light touch makes a tender cake.

Second, runny whipped cream. Your bowl and cream must be very cold. I remember my cream wouldn’t whip on a hot summer day. I chilled the bowl first. It worked perfectly.

Third, soggy cake. Always let the cake cool completely before adding cream. This keeps the layers nice and sturdy. Getting this right builds your kitchen confidence. It also makes every bite taste perfect. Which of these problems have you run into before?

Your Shortcake Questions, Answered

Q: Can I make this gluten-free? A: Yes. Use a good gluten-free flour blend made for baking.

Q: Can I make parts ahead? A: Absolutely. Bake the cake a few hours early. Make the cream an hour before serving.

Q: I don’t have buttermilk. A: No problem. Put 2 teaspoons of lemon juice in a cup. Add milk to fill it. Wait 5 minutes.

Q: Can I make a smaller cake? A: You can halve the recipe. Use a small pan. Just watch the baking time.

Q: Any fun extras? A: A tiny splash of vanilla in the cream is lovely. *Fun fact: The first shortcakes were more like biscuits!* Which tip will you try first?

From My Kitchen to Yours

I hope you love making this strawberry shortcake. It holds so many happy memories for me. I can almost hear my own grandma’s voice when I make it.

Nothing makes me happier than seeing your creations. Please share your baking stories with me. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! I would love to see your beautiful cakes.

Thank you for spending time in my kitchen today. Happy cooking!

—Anna Whitmore.