The sweetness of fresh strawberries poured over flaky, old fashioned shortcake and topped with whipped cream. Made in less than 30 minutes, with simple ingredients. This dessert is a wonderfully rich and refreshing spring or summer treat!
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You will love this homemade old fashioned strawberry shortcake!
I got this recipe from my dad years ago. He is a great cook and baker. When I asked him where he got the recipe he smiled and said “Betty Crocker“. All I know is that it’s absolutely delicious!
What makes this recipe so good?
- Fresh Strawberries: It’s strawberry season where I live and I love indulging in them while they are so cheap! Who can pass them up! I encourage everyone to support their local farmers market or even better yet, grow your own! I am a purest when it comes to fruit. I never add sugar to fresh fruit. Okay, I should never say “never”. I’m sure at some point I have or will. Anyway if you prefer adding sugar that’s fine but I find that it’s really not necessary.
- Flaky sweet shortcake: A lot of people use pound cake or sponge cake for strawberry shortcake but my favorite way is using the old fashioned method of shortcake biscuits. The flaky, buttery, sweet, warm biscuit is so rich it pairs nicely with the cold sweet strawberries.
- Sweet Cream: The sweet cream really seems to blend all the flavors together nicely. It gives just the right amount of richness to compliment the strawberries and moisture to offset the flaky shortcakes. This recipe can also be made non-dairy, by using non-dairy alternatives. I have used riches whip, a non-dairy alternative. No one knew it was non-dairy!
Tips for making this recipe great:
There is a trick for this shortcake that I’m going to share with you. It took me years of making this recipe with the shortcakes coming out like dense hockey pucks while my dad’s would be beautifully raised, flaky biscuits before I learned this trick.
Granted I’m a novice baker. I’m not familiar with common tricks of the trade so this tip may not be new to all of you. For me, it made all the difference in the world!
The trick, my dad said, was DO NOT over work the dough. Once you put the liquid portion of the recipe into the mix, only mix until the dough clings together. Do NOT knead it. The less you handle it, the better it turns out. If you overwork your biscuit dough you WILL get hockey pucks! Trust me! I’ve done it many times.
Mine were seriously so bad, I used to buy strawberries and ask my dad to make the shortcakes. I remember on numerous occasions where he would have a good chuckle over my little bricks! Finally he shared with me that I was overworking the dough!
Voila! My shortcakes rose!
I’ve been enjoying making my own shortcakes ever since! Hopefully you will too!
Tools you’ll need:
Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
Shortcake
- 4 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 T Baking Powder
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Butter Can use earthbalance for non-dairy alternative
- 1 cup Milk Can use non-dairy milk
- 1 Egg Can use egg substitute
Strawberries
- 2 lbs Strawberries
Sweet Cream
- 1 cup Heavy Cream Can use non-dairy alternative
- 2-3 T Sugar
Instructions
Shortcake
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.In a bowl stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in the butter till the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center, add milk and egg that have been pre-beaten together. Stir just until the dough clings together. Place on floured surface and roll out until about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
Strawberries
- Wash and slice strawberries. I have found that sugar really isn't needed. But, if you like you can add sugar to taste.
Sweet Cream
- mix the heavy cream and sugar together in a bowl until sugar dissolves. Once the sugar is dissolved, whip with mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
I love eating mine in a bowl while the shortcakes are still hot from the oven with half and half, or coconut creamer! Yum! I learned this from my Grandma, who is the worlds greatest self taught cook! Not that I’m bias!
Have you tried this recipe? If not, try it, take a picture, post and tag @birdandpoppy2016 or leave a comment below and tell me what you think! I’d love to hear from you.
Do you have any other tips for shortcakes? Please share!
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