Half the Sugar Baker
There’s no better way to celebrate summer than with strawberry shortcake. This simple yet elegant dessert showcases the amazing flavor of fresh strawberries. The whole wheat biscuit is buttery and tender while the cream is light and airy. Every element of this strawberry shortcake works together to create the best treat summer has to offer.
What is Strawberry Shortcake?
Despite its name, strawberry shortcake isn’t really a traditional cake. It is made of 3 elements: a biscuit, macerated strawberries, and whipped cream. These three components compliment each other and create a magical dessert that everyone will love.
The biscuit: I like to make my strawberry shortcake with whole wheat flour because it adds and extra layer of flavor and texture. Although they don’t rise quite as high as biscuits made with all purpose flour, they are perfect for strawberry shortcake. If you don’t have whole wheat flour, feel free to use all purpose flour instead.
The strawberries: Strawberry shortcake is all about the strawberries so I recommend using the best strawberries you can find. The berries are mixed with sugar to bring out their juices and natural flavor. I like desserts that aren’t tooth achingly sweet so I only add a little bit of sugar to my strawberries, but feel free to add more if you like it sweeter or if you have tart berries. Also, this shortcake would taste amazing with other fruits as well. I recommend blueberries, raspberries, and peaches.
The whipped cream: The whipped cream is light and airy, which balances out the richness of the biscuit. It truly elevates this strawberry shortcake to another level. You can add sugar to your liking while you whip the cream until it reaches your preferred sweetness. I also like to fold in some greek yogurt which adds a subtle tangy flavor and extra creaminess. If you plan on serving the shortcake later, you should add the yogurt right before you serve because it likes to separate from the cream.
Tips and notes for making strawberry shortcake:
For the biscuit:
- The biscuit calls for 2 tablespoons of baking powder which may seem like a lot, but it’s the perfect amount to create a tall rise. You shouldn’t be able to taste the baking powder at all in the final biscuit. Double check that you are using aluminum free baking powder to prevent tasting a metallic flavor.
- I like to use a blend of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour in these biscuits for extra flavor, but feel free to just use all purpose flour.
- When shaping the biscuits, you can either make them circular or square. I recommend using a sharp biscuit cutter or knife to cut out the biscuits. Do not twist the biscuit cutter because this can smush the edges of the dough together, preventing the biscuit from rising.
For the strawberries:
- You can add as much or as little sugar as you would like to the strawberry mixture. For a less sweet shortcake, I recommend starting at 2 tablespoons of sugar. For a much sweeter shortcake, increase the sugar to 1/3 cup.
- I like to add some lemon juice to the strawberries for some acidity, but this is totally optional.
- It’s important that you let the strawberry mixture sit for at least 30 minutes to really draw out the juices and flavor.
For the whipped cream:
- When beating the whipped cream, be careful not to over whip because it can quickly turn into butter. I recommend stopping at medium peaks as strawberry shortcake does not require stiff peaks.
- I like to fold some greek yogurt into the whipped cream for a little bit of tanginess. It also gives the whipped cream a silky texture. This is completely optional. If you do choose to add some greek yogurt, fold it in right before you serve the shortcake as the yogurt likes to separate from the cream.
- If you are having trouble getting your cream to whip up, try putting the cream, bowl, and beaters into the fridge. It is much easier to whip cream when everything is cold.
Strawberry shortcake trifle:
If you want a version of strawberry shortcake that is easier to serve and eat, I recommend making these strawberry shortcake trifles. The trifle is made out of the same three elements as strawberry shortcake, but in a cup! Simply cut the biscuits into small cubes and add it to a cup in alternating layers with the whipped cream and strawberries. I recommend assembling the trifles and letting them rest in the fridge for 4 hours which allows the juices from the fruit to infuse into the biscuit pieces. These trifles are so delicious and simple to make. I almost like them more than normal strawberry shortcakes!
This is also a great way to use up any leftovers you may have. When I have extra biscuits and cream but no strawberries, I like to make these trifles with a little bit of jam instead.
If you like this strawberry shortcake recipe, you might also like…
- Jammy Strawberry Cake
- Strawberries and Cream Castella Cake
- Healthy One-Bowl Berry Cake
- Healthy Berry Clafoutis
- Healthier Blueberry Cobbler
Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
For the strawberry mixture:
- 1 1/2 cups strawberries rinsed and hulled
- 2 tablespoons – 1/3 cup granulated sugar add to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice optional
For the biscuits:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour or substitute all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 6-8 pieces
- 1 cup milk whole or 2%
For the whipped cream:
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the strawberry mixture:
- Slice the strawberries into halves or quarters, depending on the size. Add around 1/4 of the strawberries into a bowl and smush with a fork. Add the rest of the sliced strawberries along with the sugar and lemon juice. Stir to combine and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
Make the biscuits:
- Preheat oven to 425º F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Transfer to a food processor along with the pieces of butter. Pulse a couple of times until the mixture has small to medium sized crumbs. (See notes for alternatives if you do not have a food processor.) Add the mixture back into the large bowl and add the milk. Stir until a rough dough forms.
- Flour a work surface and dump out the dough. Pat it into a rectangle shape, around an inch thick. Then fold it in half and repeat three more times. Then pat the dough out one last time until the rectangle is roughly 9 inches by 6 inches and 1 inch thick. Use a sharp biscuit cutter to cut out 6 biscuits, around 3 inches across. (Do not twist the biscuit cutter.) If you do not have a biscuit cutter, use a sharp knife and cut the dough into 6 even squares, 3 inches by 3 inches.
- Transfer the biscuits to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Once done baking, remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack.
Make the whipped cream:
- In a large bowl, add the whipping cream and beat on medium-high speed until slightly thickened. Then add the sugar and vanilla extract and continue beating until medium peaks.
Assemble:
- Once the biscuits have cooled slightly, split them in half like a hamburger bun. Add a scoop of whipped cream followed by a spoonful of the strawberries. Then cover with the top half and add another scoop of cream followed by another spoonful of the strawberries. Serve immediately and enjoy!
