This Strawberry Shortcake is the perfect dessert for showcasing summer’s beautiful berries topped with a dollop of freshly whipped cream!
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Not Your Average Strawberry Shortcake
I know some folks think that strawberry shortcake has to be made either with a sweet biscuit or angel food cake but I have to say that my version makes the best strawberry shortcake. It’s the perfect, slightly-but-not-overly sweet cake for showcasing summer’s beautiful strawberries topped with freshly whipped cream. The cake has a light with a tender crumb that is perfect for soaking up strawberry juice without turning to mush.
Growing up, my mom would make this recipe for “best two egg cake” from her vintage Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. It was a stained and battered copy that we used all the time and we made that simple, white cake over and over for strawberry shortcake. That vintage Better Homes & Gardens cookbook got so tattered and destroyed that it had to be thrown away years ago and was replaced by a clean, updated version with the red gingham cover, but not before I made sure to copy down the recipe for this cake, which is absolutely a family favorite.
The process for making this cake is simple. You cream shortening (yes, shortening, I know some people have this thing against shortening, but whatevs) and sugar in a bowl, then add eggs (two of them) and vanilla, and then alternate between milk and dry ingredients.
Then the batter gets poured into a large rectangular pan and baked until it is golden and begging to be drenched in mashed strawberries and freshly whipped cream. It’s heavenly and an iconic American dessert.
Summer is the perfect season for fresh fruit desserts. Some of our other favorites are Fresh Peach Cobbler à la Mode, Fresh Fruit Pizza, Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding, and Grilled Peaches with Ice Cream.
Strawberry Shortcake Ingredients
- Strawberries: Look for strawberries that are red and ripe with a fragrant, sweet smell.
- Heavy Cream: There is such a difference between a cartoon of Cool Whip and homemade whipped cream. In a dessert like this where the whipped cream plays such an important role, it’s worth it to make the real stuff for the best flavor.
- All-purpose Flour: I like to use unbleached all-purpose flour for this cake. Cake flour tends to make the cake too light to hold up as well under the weight of the strawberries.
- Sugar: You will need granulated sugar for both the cake base and the strawberry topping, as well as a little powdered sugar for the sweetened whipped cream.
- Eggs: Two large eggs are all you need for this easy white sheet cake.
- Shortening: Yes, you can use butter in place of shortening for this cake, but I actually prefer the results of shortening in this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: I always use my homemade vanilla extract in my baking for the best flavor.
- Baking Powder: This leavening agent helps the cake to rise and have the perfect crumb.
- Salt: Always important in baking so your desserts don’t taste flat or bland.
- Milk: Whole milk gives the best results and adds flavor to the cake itself.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake!
- Minimal prep: Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with baking spray and set it to the side.
- Cream sugar and shortening: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the shortening and the sugar until it’s very light.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time until they are combined, then add in the vanilla extract.
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. This helps to make sure you don’t end up with any pockets of batter that have more baking powder than other areas.
- Alternate adding wet and dry ingredients: Add about ½ of the dry ingredients to the cake batter by mixing on low speed just until mostly combined. Then add half of the milk and mix again, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk to make a nice smooth batter.
- Bake: Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. It should be golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean with just a few crumbs attached.
Be careful not to overbake the cake. Although to be honest, this is one of those cakes that won’t suffer if you accidentally overbake slightly because the mashed strawberry topping and whipped cream add plenty of moisture even if the cake ends up slightly on the dry side if you do happen to overbake. So it’s a great one for novice bakers and kids to learn on!
- Prep the strawberries: Wash and hull the strawberries, then transfer them to a large dish and mash them with a potato masher. Add the sugar, starting with the smallest amount and continuing to add more to get them to the level of sweetness you prefer. Set aside until ready to use.
I like to leave plenty of chunks of strawberries rather than mashing them down too much. If you prefer to just slice the strawberries, that works too.
The sugar will draw out even more juice from the strawberries, creating a syrupy liquid. This is called “macerating” the strawberries.
- Make the whipped cream: In another bowl, whip your cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form, about 2-4 minutes. Be sure not to overwhip the cream – it should just be soft and holding shape, without being firm or thick.
- Assemble: Plate individual slices of cake and top them with as much of the strawberries as you like, followed by a generous dollop or two of whipped cream. Serve immediately.
Lemon Shortcake Variation
If you want to really switch things up, you can do lemon shortcake instead of strawberry. It’s wonderful and all you have to do is make a warm lemon pudding (just a box of cook & serve Jell-O lemon pudding made according to package directions) or my homemade lemon curd recipe and use it in place of the strawberries, along with the whipped cream on top. It’s ridiculously good and I can’t honestly say which I like best – strawberry or lemon.
Peaches & Cream Shortcake Variation
This one is exactly the same as strawberry shortcake except replace the strawberries with peeled and sliced peaches.
Recipe FAQ’s
You can make the whipped cream, strawberry mixture and the cake ahead of time and wait until serving time to assemble them all together. Assembling too soon can result in a soggy cake.
The unassembled cake portion can be left at room temperature if covered, but the whipped cream and strawberry mix should be kept in covered containers in the fridge until ready to use.
Yes, you can use frozen strawberries that have been thawed in the fridge to make the strawberry topping for your strawberry shortcake. There is a slight difference in taste between the fresh and frozen strawberries and you might need slightly more sugar for the frozen strawberries, but they will work in a pinch when fresh strawberries aren’t available.
A True Family Favorite
I think of this as one of my dad’s (Grandpa Russ) favorite desserts (along with apple pie, strawberry rhubarb crisp, and chocolate cake with seven minute frosting), but truly every single person from my husband to my kids have all claimed it as one of their favorites as well. We make this at least 3-4 times every summer.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Best Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 2/3 cup shortening
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar (350g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (313g)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
Strawberries & Whipped Cream
- 2 pints strawberries
- ¼ to 1/2 cups granulated sugar, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the shortening and sugar till very light, about 2-3 minutes.2/3 cup shortening, 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Beat in eggs one at a time, and then add the vanilla extract.2 large eggs,, 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients alternately with milk, mixing in about ½ the flour mixture on low speed just until mostly incorporated, then adding half the milk and mixing well to combine, then repeating with the remaining flour mixture and milk. Stop the mixer to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl once or twice during the process and do not overmix.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ¼ cups whole milk,
- Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, making sure to check the cake with a toothpick for doneness. It should come out mostly clean with just a few crumbs sticking to it. Be careful not to overbake the cake.
Strawberries
- Wash and hull the strawberries, then transfer to a pan for easier mashing. Use a potato masher to mash the strawberries a bit but be sure to leave some larger pieces of fruit.
- Add sugar, to taste. If your berries are really sweet, then they may not need much sugar at all. Set aside to allow the sugar to draw out the juices of the strawberries for 15-20 minutes before serving so that the strawberry topping is somewhat syrupy.2 pints strawberries, ¼ to ½ cups granulated sugar,
Whipped Cream
- In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2-4 minutes. Be sure not to overwhip the cream – it should just be soft and holding it's shape without being firm or thick.1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, ¼ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Top each slice of cake with a generous spoonful or two of mashed strawberries and a nice dollop of whipped cream just before serving.
Notes
- Storage: Store everything separately. The cake is really best the day it is made but will keep for 2-3 days covered in an airtight container on the counter. Leftover strawberries and whipped cream can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Nutrition
This post was originally shared on August 3, 2016 but has been updated with new photos and additional information to be more helpful.
More Strawberry Recipes You’ll Love
- Strawberry Pretzel Icebox Pie
- Homemade Strawberry Milk
- Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake
- Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars
This looks amazing and I am totally drooling over this recipe! I love how pretty this serves up and how tasty it looks. Thank you for sharing. Yummy! Luci’s Morsels | fashion. food. frivolity.
Oh my I love strawberry shortcake so much! This looks sensational
This is such a great recipe to have on standby – simple yet utterly delicious and stylish. As for what I like to do with strawberries – pick them fresh and add them to scones, strawberry jam and clotted cream for an almighty Cream Tea.
Oh my gawd I’m literally drooling. This is the ultimate summer dessert!
This recipe looks amazing! I love strawberry shortcake and will be making this once we go strawberry picking with the kids. I’m sure they will love it too!
I really like your version of a strawberry shortcake! It looks pretty and yummy!
This looks absolutely amazing! Fingers crossed we get a good summer this year to enjoy it in!
One of my mom’s favorite desserts is strawberry shortcake. She just loves it. I will certainly have to make this for her. Looks delicious!
YUM!!!
I remember my gran using shortening in her cakes. It always made them lighter and fluffier. All her friends used those big tubs baking margarine (YUCK!) but she refused. And her cakes were the best!
When strawberries are in season we get so many that I end up having to make jam…..now I have a new recipe to use them in.
Pinning 😀
This cake looks absolutely STUNNING!
Strawberry shortcake is such a classic and you have me craving it with this delightful recipe. Yum!
Can the cake be frozen for future use?
Yes, just wrap it in a couple of layers of plastic wrap to protect it in the freezer. I would use it within 2 months of freezing.