Strawberry Shortcake (Printable)

Golden biscuits layered with macerated berries and vanilla cream

# What You'll Need:

→ Strawberries

01 - 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
02 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar

→ Shortcakes

03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
09 - 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Whipped Cream

11 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream
12 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How To Cook:

01 - Combine sliced strawberries and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir thoroughly and let rest for at least 20 minutes to allow the berries to release their natural juices.
02 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - Add the cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Work it in using your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
05 - Pour in the cold buttermilk and vanilla extract, stirring gently just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix.
06 - Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a 1-inch thick round. Using a biscuit cutter, cut out 6 rounds and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
07 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer or whisk until soft peaks form.
09 - Split each cooled shortcake in half horizontally. Spoon the macerated strawberries and their juices generously over the bottom half. Add a dollop of whipped cream, then place the top half of the shortcake. Finish with additional berries and whipped cream as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The biscuit style shortcakes soak up strawberry juices without turning into soggy mush, which is the real secret nobody talks about.
  • It comes together in under an hour with ingredients you probably already have sitting in your fridge right now.
  • The contrast of warm crumbly cake, cold juicy berries, and pillowy cream hits every texture and temperature note at once.
02 -
  • If you twist the biscuit cutter while cutting the dough, the shortcakes will lean sideways as they bake because the layers get sealed shut on one side.
  • Macerating the berries for less than twenty minutes leaves you with dry fruit and no syrup, so patience here actually matters.
03 -
  • Grate frozen butter on the large holes of a box grater instead of cubing it for faster, more even distribution and lighter shortcakes.
  • Place the assembled shortcakes in the refrigerator for ten minutes before baking so the butter firms up again, which creates maximum flakiness.

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