How to make Strawberry Shortcake

He is literally wearing the same set of underwear that I bought when I POTTY TRAINED him, when he was 3 years old. I bought him a couple packs of super cool Star Wars underwear (that I remember hoping would motivate him to make it to the toilet).

And here we are. FIVE YEARS LATER. Now, he is small for an 8-year-old for sure, but still. Five YEARS?? Should anyone wear the same underwear for 5 years in a row?? (Don’t answer that. And please do not ask how old my underwear is. I HAVE NO IDEA.)

He even mentioned it the other day. “Mom, I think I need new underwear.” You know it’s bad when an 8-year-old boy notices something about his clothes. They usually don’t notice anything at all unless there is a pocket knife, dragons, or Pokemon involved.

I took a look at his underwear and he was right, they barely cover his booty. Then I checked the tag and was utterly horrified when I was finally able to discern the mostly-faded 2T/3T markings. Are you kidding me??

Why am I so bad at this? My ineptitude when it comes to supplying my children with appropriate clothing shocks even me sometimes. FIVE YEARS???

The problem is that the management of children’s wardrobes is so overwhelming to me that I often push it to the back of my head. Charlotte may say something like, “I need new pants” and then I add it to my shopping list. What a smart person would do is say, “Hm, seems like Char is growing, I better take inventory and buy all kinds of new stuff.”

Nope. That’s way too overwhelming. I usually end up thinking to myself, well, they are wearing clothes today. Probably they can wear them again tomorrow. And it will be fine. You guys! What is wrong with me!

People probably look at my kids with their high waters and think we are really poor. Nope. Just in denial over here. Just failing at LITERALLY one of my most basic tasks as a mother, making sure my children do not go naked. Please don’t call the police.

In my defense, I do the exact same thing with my own wardrobe. I definitely still have clothes from high school. (But probably not any underwear. LET’S HOPE.)

Strawberry Shortcake: classic summer treat

Is it just me, or is Strawberry Shortcake basically the dessert of summer’s dreams? It is just a perfectly light treat for a hot and sticky day.

Have you seen those sad little round yellow cakes they sell in the deli at the grocery store? The weird, spongey things? Sometimes they display them over into the produce section next to the strawberries, trying to entice you. Like, yum, don’t you want to eat this questionable squishy thing with these strawberries?

NO. No I don’t. Every time I see those sad imposter cakes (that are disturbingly called “Dessert Shells” apparently),  I give them the finger and curse them for ruining the reputation of real, actual strawberry shortcake, and all its flaky crispy glory. THE WORLD DOESN’T KNOW WHAT IT’S MISSING.

Will the real strawberry shortcake please stand up

But we do. We know. We, the bakers of the internet, can come together today and rejoice that we are no longer subject to such offenses as dyed prepackaged sponges passing for strawberry shortcake. Let’s go over this:

What’s the difference between cake and shortcake?

REAL Strawberry Shortcake, your grandma’s strawberry shortcake, is made just like biscuits. Have you tried my Ultra Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits? Today’s shortcake is almost the same recipe, with a bit less salt and a little more sugar. But then we go and dump a huge amount of sweet juicy strawberries on top, and then top it off with a mountain of homemade whipped cream. A mountain, I say! THAT’S what makes it strawberry shortcake.

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe Ingredients

This is an overview! All amounts given in the recipe below.

How to make Strawberry Shortcake

If you can make biscuits, you can make strawberry shortcake. And guess what, even if you can’t make biscuits, I’m here to confound all your previous baking insecurities, because it’s really just not that hard.

How to make Shortcake

Start out by adding some flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. Whisk it together.

Chop up some COLD COLD butter. You can even use frozen butter. Cold butter makes for flaky biscuits and don’t you forget it.

Then get out your trusty pastry cutter and cut it in. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, you can use a fork or a butter knife. (You can even use a cheese grater to incorporate the butter; see my biscuit post for details on that method.) You don’t want to blend the butter into the flour; you want to CUT the butter into small chunks. By the time you’re done, it should look like a bunch of small, pea-sized pieces of butter with flour stuck to them.

Now it’s time for cold buttermilk. I love the tart flavor that buttermilk brings, but you can use heavy cream or even half and half will do. See notes for how to make “cheater” buttermilk with vinegar or lemon juice.

Use a rubber spatula to mix the buttermilk into the flour mixture. When it forms a shaggy dough, cover your hands with flour and start kneading with your hands. Don’t overwork the dough.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 9×13 inches. Fold it in half.

Then in half again, and again.

Then pat the dough into a thick rectangle. Use a rolling pin if you need to, or just your hands is fine if the top is smooth enough. You want your final dough to be about 1 and 1/4 inch thick. We want nice and tall shortcakes!

Brush with cream, sprinkle with a bit of sugar and bake. Look at all those flaky layers!

How to make Strawberry Shortcake Topping

Here is my secret for the BEST strawberry shortcake. It’s all about the Fresh Strawberry Topping.

We are not just sprinkling a little sugar on sliced strawberries and calling it a day. That’s the traditional method. As the sugar dissolves into the strawberries, it makes the fruit release its juices and you end up with a nice thin syrupy situation.

But a minimal amount of thin syrupy juice is not enough for me. So after we’ve added the sugar, we’re going to cook down some strawberry jam for the ultimate thick and juicy strawberry shortcake topping! A little lemon and vanilla bring out all the tart sweetness of these beautiful berries.

I posted this Fresh Strawberry Topping recipe on the blog years ago, and I love using it as a topping for ice cream, pancakes, french toast, basically anything! It’s so good.

You don’t have to take these extra steps. Plain ol’ strawberries sprinkled with sugar is still going to taste amazing! But I love that the extra strawberry syrup that this recipe makes means that every shortcake gets completely soaked in strawberry goodness. Who can say no to that??

How to make whipped cream

Whipped cream is so easy to make if you have a stand mixer or electric mixer. Just beat the cream with a little bit of powdered sugar and vanilla and that’s IT. Eventually it will start to thicken and peak. When it starts to look like a dreamy creamy cloud that is perfect for dolloping, it’s done!

Then assemble: Split each shortcake in half. Top with strawberries, whipped cream, the other half of the shortcake, and more whipped cream and strawberries! You really can’t go wrong no matter what order you go in. It’s going to taste delicious no matter what!

Strawberry Shortcake Tips for Success:

• Use cold butter! Cold butter is the key to light, flaky biscuits.
• Spoon and level the flour. I recommend scooping the flour into your measuring cup with a spoon, then gently leveling it off with your finger or a knife. The goal is to not pack it in too tightly. Too much flour makes for dry, crumbly biscuits. 
• Don’t overwork the dough. Over-handled dough can become tough and dry. Remember, the goal is light and flaky! 
• To cut in the butter, you can use a pastry cutter, fork, or butter knife. Don’t overdo it! It should look shaggy and pebbly.
• Milk substitutes: I love the tart flavor that buttermilk brings, but you can use heavy cream or even half-and-half instead.

Storing Strawberry Short Cake

The key to storing strawberry shortcake is to store the strawberry sauce and the short cake separately. If you store them together, you’ll just end up with soggy cake. 

On its own, the shortcake will last on the countertop (well covered) for 2-3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. They can also be stored in the freezer for 2-3 months.  To enjoy again, thaw on the counter in the sealed container if frozen, then serve with strawberry sauce. 

The strawberry sauce will last in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw in the fridge, then serve cold or warm on the stove or in the microwave.

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe FAQ

More summer desserts you will love!

Any of these desserts would be perfect for your Easter celebration!

• Strawberry Lemon Shortcake << Who doesn’t want a little lemon with their shortcake?
• Rhubarb Shortbread Bars << these are my absolute favorite spring dessert!
• Strawberry Truffle Cake << this recipe involves smashing a cake. Always a win.
• Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Maple Pecan Frosting << who could say no to this??
• Strawberry Pineapple Meringue Cake << this really unique recipe is worth the effort! Perfect for Easter.
• Coconut Frosted Sugar Cookies with Strawberry Hearts << I love these easy sugar cookies!
• Strawberry Glace Pie << these photos need a serious update but this recipe is legit.
• Fresh Blackberry Glace Pie << same as the strawberry version, but using fresh blackberries!
• Easy Homemade Cherry Pie Bars << I LOVE these shortbread bars in the summer!
• The Best Zesty Key Lime Pie << It’s so tart! I love it!
• Rhubarb Custard Pie << my favorite pie. Maybe ever. Also the ugliest. You can’t have everything, can you?
• Strawberry Lemonade Cake from Miss in the Kitchen
• Strawberry Crumb Bars from Tastes of Lizzy T
• Strawberry Pretzel Salad from Spaceships and Laser Beams