From Scratch Strawberry Shortcake Recipe! The Perfect Summer Dessert
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This attractive and rustic Strawberry Shortcake Recipe will add a colorful summer vibe to your table. Your strawberries, soaked in orange juice or orange liqueur for a boozy version, are nestled between layers of sweet biscuit and whipped cream. Be sure to make plenty, as these will disappear fast!
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Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading all the way through for any tips or substitute suggestions, to ensure that you have any specialized ingredients and equipment required and that you understand the steps and timings involved.
I love this time of year when the strawberries are just ripe enough to be picked! This recipe is perfect for pickin’ while they’re in season. It’s also a great way to use up some fresh berries if you have an overabundance that can’t all get eaten before they go bad.
This strawberry shortcake recipe is a classic summer dessert. It has been around for years and it’s still as delicious today as it was back then – it is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth (and tummy)!
There are many ways to prepare this classic dessert, including Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes!
Depending on the region, the cake layers may be comprised of basic yellow cake, sponge cake, angel food cake, or the more traditional sweet biscuits, as shown here.
The crispy outer crust of these sweet biscuits holds up well to the whipped cream and the juicy, sweetened strawberries, while the soft, buttery interiors absorb just the right amount of these incredible flavors without becoming too soggy.
If you want to make this strawberry dessert but are pressed for time, you can always use biscuit dough, or ready-made sweet biscuits (in the UK scones) to make strawberry shortcakes.
Or if you prefer your strawberry shortcake to use sponge cake, how about buying some cupcakes (for individual desserts) or a larger sponge cake to feed a crowd? Follow the recipe as directed for the strawberries and cream.
Finally, I actually have a cake version of this dessert, which is a Disney copycat from the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue show at Disney’s Fort Wilderness, check out the Disney Strawberry Shortcake recipe here.
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients (and equipment) needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.
It does not include staple ingredients such as oil, salt, and pepper, as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen already. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
- Fresh Produce – Strawberries, Mint
- Dairy – Buttermilk, Unsalted Butter, Heavy Cream (Double Cream)
- Orange Liqueur – such as Cointreu, or orange juice can be used for a non-alcoholic dessert.
- All-Purpose Flour – also known as Plain Flour.
- Trubinado Sugar – also known as Raw Cane Sugar, or Demerara Sugar in the UK.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – always buy good vanilla as it really does make a flavor difference.
- Powdered Sugar – also known as Icing Sugar or Confectioners Sugar.
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Strawberries
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is strawberries, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
- Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes with Strawberries & Cream Filling!
- Frozen Strawberry Margaritas Are Perfect For Summer!
More Dessert Recipes
Looking for more desserts to make? Check these recipes out next:
- Creamy Banana Frozen Yogurt – A Yummy Summer Dessert Idea!
- Unicorn Cotton Candy Fudge for Unicorn-Themed Parties!
- Classic Banana Cream Pie Recipe (From Scratch!)
Recipe Tips
- The old biscuit-making adage of “Cold Ingredients, Hot Oven” is very true here. You’ll want to start with very cold ingredients and not handle them too much before popping the biscuits into a very hot 220°C/500°F/Gas 9 oven to bake.
- The biscuits can be cut into 2¾” – 3” rounds using traditional biscuit cutters or an appropriately sized empty can with both ends cut off (in case the dough gets stuck inside). Be sure to dip the cutter or can rim into flour before pressing straight down into the dough. Don’t twist while cutting out the biscuits or they won’t rise appropriately.
- An easier (and more rustic-looking) alternative is to shape the dough into an even rectangle and cut it into squares, as shown here. There is much less waste with this method and it limits the amount of time spent handling the dough – and warming it up – before baking.
How Do I Make Strawberry Shortcake?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
For the Strawberries
- 4-5 cups fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp orange liqueur or orange juice
For the Sweet Biscuits
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plain flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ cup cold buttermilk divided
- ¾ cup very cold unsalted butter grated or chopped small
- 2 Tbsp turbinado sugar demerara Sugar
For the Whipped Cream
- 2 cup cold heavy cream double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar icing sugar
- Sprigs of fresh mint for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare the strawberries, place the hulled strawberries top side down and slice from the tip to the base to create pointed slices, as shown.
Combine the sliced strawberries, sugar, and orange liqueur or orange juice in a large glass bowl and gently toss to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or overnight, stirring once or twice while they soak. - Preheat the oven to 220°C/500°F/Gas9 (the hottest your oven will go).
- To prepare the dough, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl or food processor container. Stir or pulse briefly to combine.
- Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients and cut it in with a pastry cutter or pulse with the food processor until the mixture is just combined and crumbly. (Or add the pre-grated or chopped frozen butter to the dry ingredients and work it into the dry ingredients with your fingers until evenly distributed).
- Add one and a quarter cups cold buttermilk to the mixture and pulse or stir until just combined. Do not overwork the dough. It should be a little wet, but still a bit crumbly.
- Spread a sheet of parchment paper onto a clean work surface and sprinkle with a little flour. Dump the dough onto the prepared surface and roll into a rectangle shape approximately 3/4” thick.
- With a sharp chef’s knife, trim the edges of the dough to make an even rectangle. Reserve the scraps to make extra biscuits, if desired.
*Use caution while cutting to avoid tearing the parchment paper. If you have a gas oven, use aluminum foil instead of parchment paper. Line the baking sheet with another layer of foil in case the one you are working on tears while cutting. - Use the sharp knife to cut straight down into the dough to create 12 equal-sized squares, as shown. Lightly brush the remaining buttermilk on top with a pastry brush and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
- Dust excess flour off the parchment paper (or aluminum foil) and transfer the sheet to a large, rimmed baking sheet. Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 14-15 minutes or just until the biscuits are golden brown. (Check after 10 minutes and adjust final cook time accordingly).
- While the biscuits are baking, prepare the whipped cream by beating all 3 ingredients in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Once golden brown, remove the biscuits from the oven and cool for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Once cool, assemble the shortcakes by cutting the biscuits in half and applying a generous scoop of whipped cream to the bottom half of each biscuit.
Top with some of the macerated strawberries.
Add the top half of the biscuit and finish off each shortcake with another dollop of whipped cream and some more strawberries. - Add a small sprig of fresh mint for garnish and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Full Meal
You’ve made the dessert, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal for a dinner party or special occasion:
- Appetizer: Classic Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Glaze
- Soup: Instant Pot Garden Vegetable Soup for Spring & Summer
- Salad: Fig and Roasted Fennel Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
- Main Dish: Crispy Salmon with Herb Butter and Summer Vegetables
- Side Dish: Butter Parsley Baby Potatoes in the Instant Pot
- Beverage: Lemon Herb Vodka Spritzer – A Herbaceous Cocktail for Summer
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.