Basic ingredients are all you need to put together these buttery shortcakes—and of course a good helping of sweet, early summer strawberries.
What You’ll Need:
For the macerated strawberries:
6 cups strawberries, quartered
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (orange or lime juice is OK too)
For the shortcakes:
2 cups cake flour
½ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 stick (½ cup) cold butter
1 egg, beaten
⅓ cup heavy cream
For the homemade whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1–2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
What To Do:
Combine quartered strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Let sit for 1–2 hours to release their juices, mashing halfway through but keeping them chunky.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine the cake flour, salt, baking powder, cream of tartar, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut butter into small bits and add to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or fork, work butter in until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg and heavy cream and mix with a fork until the mixture just holds together.
Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead by folding over 8–10 times, rotating as you go. Pat into a ½-inch thick rectangle. Cut into 6 larger or 8 smaller equal squares.
Place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet (do not grease). Separate biscuits slightly for crispier edges, or place touching for softer sides. Bake until light golden brown, 15–20 minutes. Let cool before serving.
In the meantime, add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to a clean bowl. Whip with a hand or stand mixer until soft peaks form.
Slice cooled shortcakes in half horizontally. Spoon a generous helping of macerated strawberries onto the bottom half, top with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, place the top half on, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
About the Recipe
“Summer strawberry shortcakes are deeply nostalgic, totally delicious, and surprisingly simple to make. This recipe comes from my mom, who’s been making her famous strawberry shortcakes every summer for as long as I can remember. They’re the first thing I crave when the weather warms up. I even added a handful of blueberries to this batch to really bring together the red, white, and blue Fourth of July vibe.
I had never actually attempted this recipe because it always seemed kind of complicated, but once my mom sent it to me, and I gave it a try for myself, I was shocked at how actually easy it was! ” —Sam
Sam is a FreshDirect Brand Ambassador and full-time recipe developer, food photographer, and content creator. An expert on gluten- and dairy-free cooking, her recipes are designed to help everyone feel their best. View more of her creations at samdoesherbest.com and follow her on Instagram and Pinterest.
