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Last Updated on March 30, 2021 by Diane Hoffmaster
Looking for an easy summer dessert recipe? This homemade strawberry shortcake is made from scratch! From homemade shortcake and fresh sliced strawberries to homemade whipped cream, this is the perfect strawberry dessert for your family!
For my family, food usually changes with the seasons. Since I try to choose produce that is grown as locally as possible, the types of fruits and vegetables we eat depends on what can actually be grown here in any given month.
I am lucky to live close to Florida where I can get fresh strawberries starting in late March! Last week I picked up tons of fresh strawberries since we were having company and I wanted to make strawberry shortcake for desert.
I know you can use frozen strawberries for strawberry shortcake but that just seems wrong somehow!
Here is a recipe for homemade strawberry shortcake that is incredibly easy...and YES, you should make your shortcake from scratch but I have been known to use Bisquick biscuits if I am in a huge hurry.
You should NOT skimp on the homemade whipped cream, however. Nothing in a can or plastic tub can compare to the flavor of homemade whipped cream on your strawberry shortcake!
Table of Contents
Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
Step One: Prepare the strawberries
Fresh strawberries are the most important part of strawberry shortcake. Wash and slice 2 quarts of strawberries.
Remove stems and place sliced strawberries in a bowl with ½ cup sugar. Mix well and let sit at room temperature for a few hours.
I used Driscoll's strawberries. I love Driscoll's because they are one of the few that I can actually find organic on occasion!
Step Two: Make Homemade Shortcake
Making shortcake is easy to do from scratch!
- 2 cups flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 TBSP sugar
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup milk
Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (I use my Kitchenaid mixer!). Add milk. Mix just until combined.
Spread in greased 8 inch square baking pan and bake 15 to 18 minutes at 450 degrees or until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool in pan and divide into 9 pieces.
Step Three: Make the whipped cream
Into a large bowl (again I use my Kitchenaid mixer!) add 2 cups heavy cream. Beat on high until it resembles whipped cream (only a few minutes!
Keep an eye on it or you will end up with butter!) Add ¼ cup (or so) of powdered sugar as it is whipping to sweeten it. Chill until you need it.
Strawberry shortcake is an incredibly easy summer desert to make and everyone will be impressed if you make your biscuits and whipped cream from scratch.
You don't have to tell them how easy it really is!
Why is it called shortcake?
Why is this type of recipe called a shortcake? "Short" is an English word from a REALLY long time ago. It means 'crisp', specifically, something made crisp with the addition of fat.
Traditionally either butter or lard was used. A great homemade shortcake is like a biscuit in texture. So, this shortcake is not going to taste like CAKE. It is going to taste like a BISCUIT.
Love strawberry shortcake? Make these fruit dessert recipes, too!
- Healthy Halloween Dessert: Candy Corn Fruit Parfait
- Easy Summer Dessert Recipe: Simple Fruit Tart
- Whipped Ricotta Cheese Tart with Honey and Fresh Blackberries
Can Strawberry Shortcake be made in advance?
Yes, you absolutely CAN make homemade strawberry shortcake ahead of time. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- The shortcake will be just fine if you make it a day ahead. Just cover it with foil.
- Put the strawberries in the refrigerator once they have a fair amount of juice forming and cover the bowl.
- The whipped cream is the tricky party. You may want to leave this step until right before you serve if possible. If not, make sure to beat it well, cover, and refrigerate. I have had homemade whipped cream settle out a bit on me if it is left too 'thin' when you refrigerate it.
- Assemble all the bits right before serving.
As the "official dessert of summer" strawberry shortcake is a crowd-pleaser. Skip store-bought and make homemade strawberry shortcake instead.
You'll be surprised how simple it is to make! Old-fashioned Strawberry Shortcake will be on your summer menu time after time!
Strawberry Shortcake: 3 Steps To a Delicious Summer Desert Recipe
Yield: 9 servings
Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
Want to make homemade strawberry shortcake from scratch? This strawberry shortcake recipe is incredibly easy and uses no prepared ingredients. It's a simple summer dessert recipe your family will love.
Prep Time2 hours
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 TBSP sugar
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup milk
Instructions
TO MAKE THE STRAWBERRIES:
Sprinkle strawberries with sugar; let stand 2 hours.
TO MAKE THE SHORTCAKE:
Heat oven to 450°F. Grease bottom and side of round pan, 8x1 ½ inches.
Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together.
Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs
Add milk. Mix just until combined.
Spread in greased 8 inch square baking pan
Bake 15 to 18 minutes at 450 degrees or until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Let cool in pan and divide into 9 pieces.
TO MAKE WHIPPED CREAM:
Beat whipped cream and powdered sugar in a bowl
TO SERVE:
Top shortcake with berries and whipped cream right before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
9
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 219Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 513mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information is not always accurate
Diane Hoffmaster
Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy. She has two college aged kids, one husband and more pets than she will admit to. She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire but left her career in science to become a stay at home mom. Years of playing with LEGO and coloring with crayons had her craving a more grown up purpose to her life and she began blogging and freelance writing full time. You can learn more about her HERE.
