How to Make the Perfect Strawberry Shortcake
American · Easy · 35 min · 8 servings
Strawberry Shortcake is a timeless kid friendly summer dessert featuring fluffy biscuit cakes layered with fresh juicy strawberries and pillowy whipped cream. Kids love assembling their own individual shortcakes making it one of the most interactive and fun classic cake recipes to make together.
Why this recipe works
This Strawberry Shortcake recipe has been crafted to deliver restaurant-quality results in your home kitchen. At just 35 minutes from start to finish, it fits perfectly into a busy schedule without sacrificing flavor. Each serving comes in at 340 calories with 5g of protein, making it a balanced choice for any meal.
What you will need
This recipe uses 7 simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 0.25 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup cold unsalted butter cubed
- 0.75 cup heavy cream
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar for berries
- 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Macerate the Strawberries
Toss the sliced strawberries with 3 tablespoons of sugar in a bowl and let sit for at least 20 minutes until the berries release their juices and become syrupy. This makes them extra sweet and kid friendly.
Step 2: Make the Shortcake Biscuits
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix flour sugar baking powder and salt together. Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in heavy cream until just combined. Pat out on a floured surface and cut into 8 rounds.
Step 3: Bake the Shortcakes
Place the shortcake rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with a little cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees F for 13 to 15 minutes until golden brown on top.
Step 4: Whip Cream and Assemble
Beat heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Slice each shortcake in half horizontally. Layer whipped cream and strawberries on the bottom half then replace the top and add more of each.
Easy substitutions
Missing an ingredient? Here are some swaps that work perfectly:
- heavy cream in biscuits → whole milk for a slightly less rich but still tender shortcake
- fresh strawberries → fresh peaches or mixed berries for a fun seasonal variation
Common mistakes to avoid
Watch out for these pitfalls that can affect your results:
- Not chilling the butter before cutting it into the flour which prevents the shortcakes from being light and flaky
- Skipping the maceration step which results in plain dry strawberries without the delicious syrupy juices
Nutrition facts
Per serving: 340 calories, 5g protein, 42g carbs, 17g fat, 2g fiber.
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