Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake

Sometimes when I make a dessert that turns out as pretty as my old fashioned strawberry shortcake, I have to set one up on the model stand and paint a picture of it. The fluffy dollops of whipped cream, the glittery jewel like highlights on the strawberries and the golden crust are textures that intrigue me as a painter!

You might think of strawberry shortcake as fluffy sponge cake with layers of whipped cream and gooey strawberries. But did you know that the old fashioned version of this tempting confection is quite different?

What Makes A Strawberry Shortcake Old Fashioned?

The “cake” part of this classic American dessert gives away its namesake. Old fashioned shortcake typically consists of a sweet biscuit like “cake.” I quote cake because it’s not really a cake at all, but more a scone. This is contrary to the more familiar British version, which uses sponge cake. It’s typically a large 2 layer cake with strawberries, jam and whipped cream sandwiched in the center.

This is basically a recipe for a sweet biscuit or a scone. They are buttery, slightly sweet and the combination of sweetened whipped cream and berries is plain heavenly! If you wanted a slightly healthier version, you might want to try using my Leftover Oatmeal Biscuit recipe as your cake instead.

If you don’t want to make individual shortcakes, you can make one large cake and split it across the middle. I have also made 2 medium sized shortcakes and used them as my 2 layers. Because they are naturally larger, they may need a few more minutes of baking. As long as they are puffed and a little golden on top, they are ready!

Not Just Strawberries

You don’t have to restrict these shortcakes to just strawberries. Try a mixture of different berries: raspberries, blueberries and blackberries are all fine choices. And with peach season around the corner here in southwestern Ontario, you can bet your last paintbrush I will be whipping up a batch of these again to serve up with some fresh whipped cream.

So make these as I did today or whip up a large one filled with blueberries and peaches. Add a drizzle of melted chocolate on top for the chocoholics in your life, or create something entirely different that I’ve yet to mention. Let me know how my recipe worked out for you and tell all about YOUR masterpiece!

Print Recipe

Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake

Flaky, buttery biscuit style shortcake with layers of sweet strawberries and whipped cream. This is the classic old fashioned strawberry shortcake.

Cuisine

American

Keyword

Cakes

Prep Time

20 Minutes

Cook Time

15 Minutes

Servings

Servings

Ingredients

• 2 Cups All purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar Plus more for sprinkling
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 6 Tablespoons butter Chilled
• 3/4 Cup milk Plus more for brushing
• 4 Cups Strawberries Washed and hulled
• 1/2 Cup Strawberry jam Optional
• 2 Cups Whipping cream
• 1/4 Cup Confectioner’s sugar
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla

Cuisine American Keyword Cakes Prep Time 20 Minutes Cook Time 15 Minutes Servings Servings Ingredients 2 Cups All purpose flour 2 Tablespoons sugar Plus more for sprinkling 1 Tablespoon baking powder 1/2 Teaspoon salt 6 Tablespoons butter Chilled 3/4 Cup milk Plus more for brushing 4 Cups Strawberries Washed and hulled 1/2 Cup Strawberry jam Optional 2 Cups Whipping cream 1/4 Cup Confectioner’s sugar 1 Teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix well.
2. Add cold butter and cut in with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse oats. Add milk gradually, stirring to form a soft dough. Knead 5-6 times by hand so that leaves the sides of the bowl clean. Do not overwork. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in freezer for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 425F/218C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or leave ungreased. Divide dough into 8 equal portions and space evenly on baking sheet. Pat into neat rounds or leave them rustic. Brush tops generously with milk and sprinkle with more sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes or until puffed and lightly golden. Transfer shortcakes onto racks to cool.
4. Half or quarter strawberries and combine with jam, tossing to coat well. This step is optional and you can also sweeten with plain sugar or leave berries as they are. Set aside.
5. Using chilled bowl and beaters, whip cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until firm peaks form. To assemble shortcakes, split each one across the middle and place a dollop of whipped cream on bottom half. Top with a few strawberries, a little more whipped cream, then top with the second shortcake half. Add one more dollop of whipped cream and top with a single strawberry. Serve immediately.