The Best Strawberry Shortcake Cake Recipe: A Crowd-Pleasing Summer Dessert
Imagine a dessert that combines the comforting texture of a biscuit with the sweet indulgence of cake, generously layered with vibrant, juicy strawberries and clouds of freshly whipped cream. That’s exactly what this incredible strawberry shortcake cake delivers. Unlike traditional individual shortcakes, this recipe transforms the beloved classic into a show-stopping cake, making it the ideal choice for parties, family gatherings, or any celebration where you want to impress a crowd with minimal fuss. It’s a true taste of summer, designed for sharing.
Why This Strawberry Shortcake Cake Recipe Is a Must-Try
This “from scratch” strawberry shortcake cake recipe is undeniably worth the slight extra effort, proving surprisingly easy to master. What truly sets this recipe apart is its unique cake base. Instead of a traditional spongy cake, we opt for a texture more akin to a tender, flavorful biscuit. This isn’t just a stylistic choice; it’s fundamental to the integrity and enjoyment of the dessert.
The biscuit-like layers provide a sturdy yet delicate foundation that beautifully absorbs the juicy, sweet macerated strawberries without becoming soggy. This robust texture is exactly what a good strawberry shortcake needs – a cake that can stand up to generous amounts of fruit and cream while still offering a delightful chew. It’s a departure from the lighter sponge cakes you might find in other recipes, and it makes all the difference.
Furthermore, presenting strawberry shortcake as a whole cake rather than individual biscuits is a game-changer when entertaining. Serving a single, impressive cake to multiple guests is far more convenient and elegant. No more fiddling with individual components; simply slice and serve this magnificent dessert, allowing everyone to enjoy generous portions of this summer classic. It’s a guaranteed hit for any gathering, from casual barbecues to more formal celebrations, and will undoubtedly become your go-to strawberry shortcake recipe.
The Enduring Charm of Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry shortcake holds a special place in the hearts of many, evoking memories of warm summer days, family picnics, and pure, unadulterated joy. Its simplicity is its genius: fresh, ripe strawberries, a tender cake or biscuit, and a dollop of cream. Yet, achieving the perfect balance of these elements is an art. This recipe aims to elevate that classic experience by focusing on quality ingredients and a specific cake texture that truly enhances the overall dessert.
The magic of strawberry shortcake lies in the contrast of textures and flavors. The slight tang of the macerated strawberries, softened and sweetened, against the rich, slightly salty biscuit-like cake, all brought together by the airy sweetness of whipped cream. It’s a symphony of flavors that is both refreshing and comforting. Making it from scratch allows you to control the quality and freshness of every component, ensuring a superior dessert that store-bought versions simply can’t match. This homemade approach also fills your kitchen with the most delightful aromas, making the entire baking process part of the experience.
Expert Tips and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Perfect Strawberry Shortcake
Before you dive into baking, here are some essential tips and answers to common questions that will help you achieve a flawless strawberry shortcake cake. A comprehensive printable recipe, including all ingredients and measurements, is available at the end of this post.
- Shortening: The Secret to Texture
Regular or butter-flavored shortening works wonderfully in this recipe. Its unique properties contribute to the biscuit-like texture that is crucial for our shortcake, making it tender yet structurally sound enough to hold the juicy strawberries. While it’s common to swap shortening for butter in baking, be aware that substituting butter here might result in a slightly different, perhaps more crumbly or less crisp, cake texture. If you do choose butter, ensure it’s very cold and cut into small pieces to mimic the effect of shortening. - Milk Matters: Choosing the Right Dairy
For the richest flavor and best consistency in your cake, we highly recommend using whole milk. Its higher fat content contributes to a more tender and flavorful crumb. If whole milk isn’t available, 2% milk can be used as a substitute, though the cake might be slightly less rich. We have not tested this particular recipe with dairy-free milks, so we cannot guarantee the same results in terms of texture and rise. - Lemon Zest: A Bright Flavor Boost
Lemon zest adds a beautiful, subtle brightness that cuts through the sweetness of the strawberries and cream. It truly elevates the flavor profile. A handy tip: always zest your lemons before juicing or slicing them for other recipes. If you have extra zest, it freezes beautifully in an airtight container for future baking projects. You can also freeze lemon juice in ice cube trays for later use! - Strawberries: The Star of the Show
Given that strawberries are the centerpiece of this dessert, selecting gorgeous, plump, and ripe berries is paramount. Look for vibrant red berries that are firm and fragrant. For an extra touch of elegance and visual appeal, consider leaving the leaves (hulls) on a few berries reserved for garnish. The green leaves provide a lovely color contrast. When garnishing, use a mix of whole and halved berries, piling them artfully on top for a rustic yet beautiful presentation. You might not need all reserved garnish berries, so choose the prettiest ones! - Heavy Whipping Cream: Fresh is Best
While a tub of Cool Whip can be a convenient shortcut, we strongly advocate for making your own fresh whipped cream whenever possible. The difference in taste and texture is remarkable. Freshly whipped cream is lighter, airier, and boasts a delicate flavor that perfectly complements the strawberries and cake. It’s incredibly easy to make with just heavy cream and a touch of powdered sugar, and it truly takes this shortcake from great to extraordinary.
The Art of Macerating Strawberries for Peak Flavor
One of the most crucial steps to achieving an authentic and flavorful strawberry shortcake filling is macerating the strawberries. Maceration is a simple technique where you toss fresh fruit with sugar (and sometimes a touch of acid like lemon juice) and let it sit. This process draws out the natural juices from the fruit, creating a delicious, syrupy sauce while also softening the berries and intensifying their flavor.
For this recipe, we sprinkle sliced strawberries with sugar and allow them to macerate slightly. As the sugar dissolves, it creates a glistening, sweet liquid that becomes an integral part of the filling, soaking into the cake layers and imparting incredible moisture and flavor. Don’t skip this step! It transforms firm, fresh berries into a luscious, sweet, and perfectly tender component that truly defines strawberry shortcake.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make This Incredible Strawberry Shortcake Cake
This section provides detailed, visual instructions to guide you through making this delicious strawberry shortcake. Remember, a convenient printable version of the full recipe with all ingredient quantities is located further down in this post. Follow these steps for a perfect summer dessert!
1. Prepare Your Cake Batter
- First, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and prepare a 9-inch round cake pan by buttering or spraying it with non-stick spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, shortening, milk, large egg, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt.
- Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the mixture thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined and a soft, cohesive dough forms. The consistency will be quite thick, not pourable.
2. Bake the Shortcake & Prepare the Strawberries and Cream
- Evenly spread the thick dough into your prepared cake pan. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the top is beautifully golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare your strawberries. Select 6-8 of the nicest-looking berries and set them aside to use as garnish. (Refer to the expert tip above for ideas on leaving leaves for presentation!)
- Wash and hull the remaining strawberries, then cut them into quarters.
- In a separate bowl, sprinkle the quartered strawberries with the specified amount of granulated sugar to macerate. Gently mash them slightly with a fork or potato masher to help release their juices and create that essential syrupy filling. This step is vital for a truly juicy strawberry shortcake.
- Next, prepare your whipped cream. In a clean, chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar together until medium-soft peaks form. The cream should be firm enough to hold its shape but still soft and airy, not stiff or curdled. Set this aside.
3. Assemble Your Stunning Strawberry Shortcake Cake
- Once baked, carefully remove the cake from the oven and invert it onto a plate or cutting board. Allow it to cool for approximately 15 minutes. It’s important to split it while still warm to prevent crumbling.
- Using a long, serrated bread knife, carefully split the warm shortcake horizontally into two even layers. A helpful trick if you don’t have a bread knife, or prefer a super clean cut, is to use unflavored dental floss!
- Spread both halves of the cake evenly with softened butter. This step adds moisture, flavor, and a rich mouthfeel to the cake layers.
- Spoon half of the delicious macerated strawberry mixture onto the bottom half of the buttered cake.
- Carefully spread half of your freshly whipped cream on top of the berry layer.
- Gently place the other cake half on top of the cream.
- Spoon the remaining macerated strawberry mixture over the top of the cake.
- Finally, spread the remaining whipped cream evenly over the top layer of strawberries.
- To complete your masterpiece, artfully garnish with the reserved whole and halved strawberries.
TIP: For a visual guide to making this cake, be sure to watch the video in this blog post!
Serving Suggestions and Delicious Variations
This strawberry shortcake cake is a showstopper on its own, but here are a few ideas to make it even more special or to adapt it to your preferences:
- Chill for Best Results: While it can be served immediately, allowing the assembled shortcake to chill for at least 30 minutes to an hour lets the flavors meld beautifully and the cake layers absorb some of the strawberry juices.
- Individual Portions: If you love the idea of this recipe but prefer individual servings, you can easily bake the shortcake dough in a muffin tin to create biscuit-sized portions. Then, split them and fill with strawberries and cream just before serving.
- Add a Citrus Twist: For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding a hint of orange zest along with the lemon zest in the cake batter, or a tiny splash of Grand Marnier or Cointreau to the macerating strawberries (for adult palates, of course!).
- Seasonal Fruit: While strawberries are classic, don’t limit yourself! This shortcake base would be absolutely divine with other summer fruits like peaches, blueberries, raspberries, or a medley of mixed berries. Adjust the sugar content for maceration based on the sweetness of your chosen fruit.
- Ice Cream Pairing: For an ultimate indulgence, serve slices of this shortcake with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on the side. The cold, creamy ice cream contrasts wonderfully with the shortcake and berries.
More Delightful Strawberry Recipes You’ll Adore
Strawberries truly are one of the most beloved fruits, and their versatility in desserts is endless. If you’ve fallen in love with this shortcake recipe, you’re sure to enjoy these other fantastic strawberry recipes that highlight this delicious berry in various forms:
- Strawberry Shortcakes – Our delightful mini version, perfect for individual servings!
- Strawberry Dream Dessert – A light and creamy no-bake treat.
- Strawberry Shortcake Trifle – Layers of goodness in a beautiful presentation.
- Strawberry Lasagna – Another no-bake wonder with creamy layers and fresh strawberries.
- Strawberry Bundt Cake – A moist and flavorful cake perfect for any occasion.
My Go-To Cookbook & Recipe Inspiration
This phenomenal shortcake recipe finds its roots in my all-time favorite cookbook: the Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook. It’s a culinary treasure trove that has never let me down. I’ve made a few minor but impactful adjustments to the original, most notably adding a layer of whipped cream to the interior to enhance its luxurious feel and making a couple of other tweaks to perfect the texture and flavor. If I could only keep one cookbook from my extensive collection, this would undoubtedly be the one. Its reliable recipes and clear instructions make it an invaluable resource for any home cook or baker.
I absolutely love sharing my passion for baking and cooking with you through these recipes! I know it can be challenging to remember to revisit specific posts, so I’ve made it simple to stay updated. You can subscribe for free to my weekly newsletter, and I’ll deliver delicious new recipes straight to your email inbox every week. Never miss another delectable creation!
Strawberry Shortcake Cake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Ingredients
Shortcake
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup shortening
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Toppings/Filling
- 2 pounds strawberries divided
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter or margarine softened
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Things You’ll Need
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Mixing bowls
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Hand mixer
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Bread knife
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Measuring cups and spoons
Before You Begin
- Shortening – Regular or butter flavored should be fine. You can substitute butter if you prefer but the cake texture may be a little different. We are going for biscuit texture, not sponge cake texture.
- Milk – For the best cake we recommend whole milk, but you can use 2% instead. We have not tested this recipe with dairy free milks.
- Lemon zest – Zest lemons before juicing and slicing and store zest in the freezer. You can do it the other way too! Zest your lemon, then juice it and freeze the juice in ice cube trays.
- Strawberries – Being that these are the star of the show, be sure to find gorgeous, plump, ripe berries! For a pretty presentation, do not hull the garnish berries. The leaves add a nice pop of green. Leave some berries whole and cut others in half. Pile randomly on top. You might not use all of the garnish berries.
- Heavy whipping cream – If you prefer, you can use a tub of Cool Whip. We prefer to make our own when we can!
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 450° F. Butter or spray a 9-inch round cake pan.
Prepping
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Remove 6-8 nice looking berries and set aside for garnish.
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Wash and hull the remaining berries. Cut into fourths and sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar to macerate, mash slightly.1/3 cup granulated sugar
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Beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar until medium-soft peaks form. It should be firm but not stiff. Set aside.2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
To Make the Shortcake
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In a medium bowl, measure 1/4 cup sugar, flour, shortening, milk, egg, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt.1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup shortening, 1/3 cup milk, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 3/4 teaspoon salt
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With mixer at medium speed, beat mixture until well combined and a soft dough forms. Spread the dough evenly into the prepared cake pan. Bake 15 minutes or until golden on top.
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Remove cake from the oven and invert onto a plate. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Using a bread knife, carefully split warm shortcake horizontally. You can also use plain (no flavorings) dental floss!
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Spread both halves of the cake evenly with softened butter.4 tablespoons butter or margarine
Topping and Filling the Shortcake
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Spoon the macerated strawberry mixture onto the bottom half of the cake. Spread half of the whipped cream on top of the berry layer.
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Place other cake half on top and spread the remaining whipped cream across the top.
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To decorate, garnish with the reserved strawberries.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.