The Best Strawberry Shortcake layers lightly sweetened whipped cream between homemade sweet and buttery biscuits, and top it with sweet, ripe strawberries for a classic summer time dessert.
Happy first day of June, Friends!! Or as I like to call it, happy holy-crap-how-can-it-possibly-be-June-already?! I mean, logically, I know that June is right around the corner from Memorial Day and yet somehow, June is one of those months that always seems to sneak up on me. I blame the spring soccer season and the end of the school year. Oh, and homeschool graduation, and graduation parties, and…
Do ya feel me? June is always a busy month.
But we made it through our spring soccer seasons, largely unscathed. Son #1 was injured and needed to be helped off the field during his first game on Mother’s Day. That kid is a tank on the soccer field, and always bounces back up to “walk it off,” so when he couldn’t stand? I was a tad nervous. The upside is that no one was at the urgent care on Mother’s Day, so we were in and out of there in a jiffy. Fast forward through two orthopedic appointments, and Son #1 is on the mend with only a strained MCL and bruised meniscus. Phew!
I’m in the red tie on the upper left. Son #3 is 6th from the left in the front row. We obviously take team photos very seriously.
My team finished the spring season undefeated, which is a first for me as a coach! The kids did all the work, but still! We had a blast. Sadly for them, I didn’t bake chocolate chip cookies before every game like I usually do. Luckily for me, they still showed up to play. I’ve had the honor of coaching the majority of these kids for the past three years. They amaze me with how much they’ve grown as people, and as athletes in such a small time frame. I am super proud of them for trying so hard and listening to Coach Katie & I when we asked them not to score anymore goals in our games. That’s a tough thing for 9-13 year olds to grasp in the name of sportsmanship, and we couldn’t be prouder of their character in doing so without complaint.
Believe it or not, I was able to cook and photograph a few recipes amidst the chaotic schedule. (Just not for my soccer team…HA!) My favorite of which is The Best Strawberry Shortcake on the planet. I’m not one to gush, but I’m not kidding when I say this recipe makes the BEST Strawberry Shortcakes.
Shortcakes in my house were always of the biscuit variety–usually Bisquick–and never, ever the little sponge cakes sold in the produce aisle. I remember pining for those little sponge-y pillows in the worst way as a kid because I just knew that they’d taste like a Twinkie! I promised myself that when I grew up, I would only serve strawberry shortcake on those store bought sponge cakes for the rest of my life.
Until I actually bought a package and ate one.
I still remember the disappointment in the little sponge cake not tasting like a Twinkie–nor tasting like much of anything, really. File that under childhood nostalgia not living up to the hype. I feel the same way about Hostess cherry pies and Pop Tarts, which led to my favorite cherry hand pies, and toaster pies recipes.
What makes this strawberry shortcake The Best? The secret is in the simplicity. The biscuit is lightly sweet with soft, buttery layers and an extra crunch of raw sugar on the top to make these particular shortcakes something special. It’s what those little sponge cakes aspire to be when they grow up!
The Best Strawberry Shortcake layers lightly sweetened whipped cream between sweet biscuits and tops it with sweet, ripe strawberries to make this version of the classic summer time dessert the best.
Make the Best Strawberry Shortcake today!
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic
Yields 8 to 10 Servings
The Best Strawberry Shortcake layers lightly sweetened whipped cream between homemade sweet and buttery biscuits, and top it with sweet, ripe strawberries for a classic summer time dessert.
1 hr, 40 Prep Time
15 minCook Time
1 hr, 55 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- For the Strawberry Topping:
- 1 lb. fresh, ripe strawberries
- 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
- For the Shortcakes:
- 2 C. all purpose flour
- 1 Tbs. baking powder
- ¼ C. granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 6 Tbs. very cold unsalted butter
- ¾ C. half & half
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted (for topping shortcakes)
- 2 tsp. raw sugar (for topping shortcakes)
- For the Whipped Cream:
- 2 C. (1 pint) heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp. powdered confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Rinse the strawberries in cold water and pat dry. Remove the leafy tops from the strawberries. Slice the berries and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of granulated sugar over the strawberries. Stir and then wrap the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one hour to allow the berries to macerate while preparing the shortcakes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two rimmed half sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats; set them aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour together with the baking powder, sugar, and salt to combine. Run the cold butter through the large holes of a box grater to grate the butter over the dry ingredients. Lightly toss the butter with the dry ingredients to coat. Make a well in the center. Pour the half and half into the well. Gently stir until the mixture comes together to form a wet dough.
- Turn the dough onto a well floured surface. Sprinkle the dough with additional flour. Gently knead the dough by patting into a rectangle, and then alternately folding the edges in thirds, toward the center of the rectangle. Turn the dough one quarter turn. Pat the dough into another rectangle, and repeat the kneading process twice more.
- Pat or roll the dough into ½-inch to ¾-inch thickness. Cut the dough with 2 ½-inch round biscuit cutters, and placing the cut outs onto the prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Piece the dough back together and repeat the process until all of the dough is used. The dough should yield 8 to 10 shortcakes, depending on the thickness of the dough.
- Brush the shortcakes with melted butter and sprinkle the tops with raw sugar. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the shortcakes from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
- While the shortcakes are in the oven, whip the cream with the powdered sugar until it forms soft peaks. Chill the whipped cream until ready to serve.
- To serve, split the shortcakes horizontally in half. Spoon a tablespoon or two of whipped cream over the bottom half of the shortcakes. Spoon a tablespoon or two of the strawberries, including the macerated juices, over the whipped cream. Place the tops of the shortcakes over the strawberries. Top with additional whipped cream and strawberries, if desired.
Notes
Homemade shortcakes can be made a day in advance. Simple seal cooled shortcakes in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Set shortcakes on the counter 30 minutes prior to serving, to allow them to come to room temperature.
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