Can I use frozen strawberries for strawberry shortcake?

Yes, you can use frozen strawberries in place of fresh strawberries. Since the thawed strawberries will have juice of their own, it’s not necessary to mix them with the maple syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

Can strawberry shortcake be made in advance?

Yes, you can make every component of this dessert in advance. Make the biscuits up to 2 days in advance, then serve at room temperature. Prep and refrigerate the strawberry mixture up to 2 days in advance, as well. The whipped cream lasts in the fridge for a few hours, but for storage longer than a day, it will need to be re-whipped before serving.

What is the origin of strawberry shortcake?

Shortcake gets its name from the “shortening” or the saturated fat in the recipe, which in this case is butter. Shortcake has a high ratio of fat to flour, forming shortcakes or biscuits that are crumbly, tender, and flakey. The biscuits don’t crumble or fall apart when topped with strawberry sauce and whipped cream, so shortcakes are the perfect vessel for this dessert. Strawberry shortcake dessert first appeared in cookbooks in the mid 18th century. The dish got a resurgence in popularity in America in the mid 19th century as a way to celebrate the abundance of berries on strawberry plants. In some versions, scoops of vanilla ice cream or even cream cheese frosting replace the whipped cream.

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Servings: 8 servings 1x

Scale

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Shortcake:

1 batch of Sweet Cream Biscuits or 8 store-bought shortcakes or slices of pound cake
2 lbs fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Optional for garnish: fresh mint leaves

For the Whipped Cream:

8 ounces heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

If making homemade biscuits, start by following the step-by-step directions in this sweet cream biscuits recipe card. The biscuits can be made up to 2 days in advance. If using store-bought biscuits, move on to step 2.
In a medium bowl, combine the sliced strawberries, maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt.
Use a fork or masher to partially crush the strawberries and mix the ingredients together.
Use the strawberries immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
To make the whipped cream, in a medium mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Using a hand mixer, beat on high speed until peaks form; about 2 to 3 minutes.
To assemble a serving of strawberry shortcake, split open one of the biscuits. Top the bottom half with a spoonful of the strawberries and liquid and a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Top with the top half of the biscuit and spoon more strawberries over top. If desired, garnish with fresh mint.

Notes

To make strawberry shortcake that is gluten free, substitute gluten-free 1:1 baking flour for all-purpose flour in the Sweet Cream Biscuits recipe, or use store-bought gluten-free pound cake or a gluten-free cake mix.

This recipe makes 8 biscuits, 3 ½ cups strawberry mixture, and 2 cups of whipped cream. Use up any leftover whipped cream by adding it to coffee or serving over pancakes or waffles the next day.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1 biscuit with ⅓ cup strawberry sauce and 2 tablespoons whipped cream
Calories: 316
Fat: 15 g
(Sat Fat: 9 g)
Sodium: 591 mg
Carbohydrate: 42 g
(Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 16 g)
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 45 mg

Dietary

Egg-Free Gluten-free Nut-free Vegetarian

Recipe By: Jessica Beacom