Classic Strawberry Shortcake Recipe (With Fresh Strawberries)

Classic Strawberry Shortcake is a fresh and fruity dessert recipe that everyone will love! It features real sliced strawberries piled onto tender biscuit-like mini cakes with a dollop of sweet, fluffy homemade whipped cream. Follow my step-by-step photos and instructions to make this easy, rich strawberry shortcake recipe as a delicious summery treat anytime of the year.

About Strawberry Shortcake

The most common question asked about this Strawberry Shortcake recipe is what exactly is a shortcake? Simple! A shortcake is tender, slightly crumbly biscuit-like rustic cake.

It includes baking powder as a leavening agent so you get a flaky sponge with just the right consistency and biscuit/cake crossover density.

Shortcakes tend to be a bit on the drier side, which is perfect to enjoy with juicy strawberries and luscious whipped cream.

Speaking of, the strawberry filling is really the star here that you will love! It’s a simple blend of fresh strawberries macerated with sugar, no cooking necessary.

To make this classic and popular dessert, you have to bake the shortcake biscuits. You could also make them a few days ahead and store in air-tight containers.

Further, macerate the strawberries with sugar and whip the cream with castor sugar. Assemble by topping the halved biscuits with a filling of the lightly sweetened whipped cream and macerated strawberries.

With my stepwise photos and loads of tips, you will be able to make the perfect Strawberry Shortcake during the strawberry season.

How to make Strawberry Shortcake

Macerate Strawberries

1. The first step is to make the filling, as the strawberries will need to sit for a while together before being used. Slice or chop the strawberries – 350 to 400 grams.

Prep the strawberries before slicing. Soak them in water or in a bowl full of water to which some baking soda and vinegar has been added for 8 to 10 minutes.

This helps in getting rid of pesticide residues if any and destroys any harmful bacteria or microorganism spores on them.

Later rinse thoroughly in fresh water for a couple of times. Drain extra water and let the strawberries dry naturally or you can pat them dry.

2. Add the chopped strawberries to a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons castor sugar.

Tip: Opt for raw sugar, white sugar, brown sugar or powdered sugar in place of castor sugar.

3. Mix very well so that the berries are coated in the sugar.

4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and place in the fridge. Let the strawberries macerate for 30 minutes while you make the shortcake.

Below you see the photo of strawberries with their juices in a sweet thin syrupy base.

Make Shortcake Dough

5. Meanwhile, combine the dry shortcake ingredients in a large bowl.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (220 grams)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 pinch salt

6. Add ¼ cup castor sugar (40 grams) or you use confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar.

7. Mix thoroughly.

8. Now cut cold butter (50 grams) into cubes and add to the bowl. It is essential to use cold butter to create a perfectly flaky and tender strawberry shortcake biscuit.

9. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture. If you do not have a pastry cutter, mix the cold butter into the flour with clean hands or use a stand mixer if you have one.

When mixing with fingers, if the butter melts, refrigerate this mixture for 10 to 15 minutes before moving on to the next step.

10. You should wind up with pea sized clumps of butter and flour in a breadcrumb like textured mixture.

11. Then add ½ cup whipping cream in two parts (while mixing), along with the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. 

12. Gently mix.

13. Don’t actually knead the dough. You want the ingredients just combined to form a rough pastry dough. If too dry or firm you can add a splash more cream. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Make the Biscuits

14. When the dough is ready to work with, flour a clean work surface and remove the dough from the plastic wrap. Sprinkle some flour on the dough.

Do remember to preheat your oven at 200 degrees Celsius (395 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes.

15. Roll the dough out into a rough rectangle.

16. Fold the dough over and lightly flour if needed.

17. Roll the dough out again in to a rough rectangle shape.

18. Sprinkle with flour as needed and fold again.

19. Roll the dough again. The dough should be ½ to ¾ inch thick.

20. Repeat the same process one more time, and roll again into neat rectangle that’s about ½ to ¾ inch thick.

21. Then use a cookie cutter or a small steel bowl to make round circles in the dough. Press down firmly and try not to twist too much so that the biscuits rise properly.

As you cut the shortcakes, gather the scrap dough and roll again to continue cutting cakes.

Alternatively, you can also simply cut the dough into 6 squares.

Bake Shortcake

22. Place the cut pieces of dough on a tray or baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

23. After 10 minutes, remove from the fridge and lightly brush a bit of cream on top of each. Sprinkle with a bit more castor sugar, if you prefer.

24. Bake at 200 degrees celsius (395 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden.

25. They should be golden, like in the photo below.

26. Transfer the shortcakes to a wire rack and let them cool. These shortcakes do taste nice as they are.

Whip the Cream

27. While the shortcakes cool, make the homemade whipped cream. In the bowl of a standing mixer add ½ cup of whipping cream and 2 tablespoons castor sugar.

28. Whip at high speed.

29. After a minute or two the whipped cream should become thick and start to form soft peaks. Set aside.

Make Strawberry Shortcake

30. Once the shortcakes are cool to the touch, you can pull them gently apart and you will easily get two halves or you can cut them in half width-wise.

31. Put the lower half on a plate. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the whipped cream on it. Top with a generous serving of the macerated strawberries and a drizzle of the strawberry juice.

32. Stack the second top half of the shortcake onto the strawberries, and layer with more whipped cream and strawberries.

33. Serve immediately. You can garnish with a whole strawberry or fresh mint leaves for extra flavor.

Expert Tips

• Strawberries: Prefer to include sweet tasting strawberries. If the strawberries are a bit tart or sour, then add more sugar when macerating them. If fresh strawberries are not in season, make the recipe with frozen strawberries.
• Cream: Both whipping cream and heavy cream works well. You can choose to use light cream (low-fat cream) for a lighter version of this dessert.
• Sugar: In place of castor sugar, use raw sugar, white sugar or powdered sugar for macerating strawberries. For the shortcake dough, use confectioner’s sugar, icing sugar or powdered sugar. For the cream topping, use confectioner’s sugar, icing sugar or powdered sugar.
• Butter: Unsalted butter is best here. But if you plan to use salted butter, omit adding the pinch of salt to the shortcake dough. 
• Flour: I recommend to use unbleached flour or organic flour for the dough. Pastry flour also works well in the recipe.
• Baking time: Each oven works differently. Thus the baking time will vary. If your oven bakes too fast, then check your shortcakes after 10 minutes. The tops of the shortcake should have a beautiful golden sheen and color.
• Vegan options: Consider vegan butter or a neutral oil to add to the pastry dough. Make the cream filling with cashew cream or coconut cream.

FAQs

This Strawberry Shortcake recipe from the archives was first published on January 2013. It has been updated on December 2024.