Everything You Need to Know About Strawberry Shortcake and Some Best Sweet Recipes to Make at Home

Spring is the time that strawberries redden and burst from their runners and carry well into summer and spring. Naturally, shortcakes are also made in peak summer if not spring, to celebrate the vividness of nature during the hot weather. Combined with the shortcake, which is more akin to a biscuit than cake, it makes for a beautiful dessert that is visually striking and finger-licking good. Here’s a little info about the dessert that inspired a famous TV show before we share the recipe, so you can celebrate by eating the dessert and sharing the love.

The Origin of Strawberry Shortcake

Shortcakes are anything but spongy and were named “short” cake because the word short meant crisp, which was made so using fats that hardened the shortcake. It's an American invention, possibly coming from the residential pockets of the early English settlers in the country. It's possible that it was popularized during the 1800s when the baking spree happening in the country churned our prints of cookbooks.

Where did this come from? This deduction is from the fact that the 1821 short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving mentions shortcakes somewhere. It's hardly a surprise that whipped cream met strawberries and paired with shortcake. There are apparently debates as to what makes the perfect shortcake, whether it should be more cakey or more biscuit-like. The Northern part of the US is said to learn more towards biscuits and the southern towards sponge cake. Whichever the kind of shortcake, other versions exist too with different fruits that also have recipes for them, but that's for another article.

This aside, it is said that in the yellowed pages of an English cookbook, dating to 1588, a recipe for shortcake was said to be published and a few years ahead, this dessert earned famed thanks to the existential William Shakespeare, whose play “The Merry Wives of Windsor”, featured a character with Shortcake in her name.

Summer is the peak time to celebrate this cute dessert because strawberries are at their repeat and reddest and the dessert just hits differently, perhaps because of the extra warm sun? Without further ado, here’s an indulgent recipe for the strawberry shortcake in all of its glory.

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Ingredients

For Macerating the Strawberries

• 1 kg fresh sliced strawberries
• 30 gm granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Whipped Cream

• 475 ml heavy whipping cream
• 30 gm powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Shortcake

• 106 gm granulated sugar
• 85 gm butter, softened
• 1 big egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 215 gm all-purpose flour
• 10 gm baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 120 ml full fat milk

Instructions

1. Take a block of butter and grease a baking pan, preferably 8 or 9 inches square one. Keep aside then set the oven temperature to 180°C, and let it heat.
2. Now, to macerate the strawberries, add the washed, the tops offed and sliced strawberries in a bowl, add the sugar and vanilla extract to them. Mix, mix, mix cover with plastic film and pop it in the fridge to chill. Keep inside for a minimum of 1 hour.
3. To make the whipped cream, take a hand mixer or set up the stand mixer. Take a mixing bowl, and add the heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until it thickens. Clean the electronics, put aside and pop the whipped cream in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Now, to make the shortcake, take another bowl and use the electric whisk, cream butter and sugar until pale. Crack in the egg, pour in vanilla and whisk again.
5. Take another bowl and mix flour, baking powder and salt. Divide this into three parts
6. Add one part dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in three parts. Mix and add half of the milk and mix again. Add the second third of the flour mixture and mix and pour in the rest of the milk and mix. Now add the remaining dry ingredients and mix again.
7. Take the greased baking pan and scrape this mixture into it, smoothen the top to even. Set the timer for 20 minutes and bake. Check with a toothpick to see if it's done.
8. Cool the shortcake, then cut into squares and slice horizontally like you would burger buns.
9. Take out the chilling whipped cream and macerating strawberries. Uncover and get to assembly.
10. Take the bottom halves of the shortcakes on a plate. Spoon a tablespoon of strawberry and lather and equal amount of whipped cream. Gently press down the shortcake tops. Top with whipped cream and a berry or two.