STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Classic strawberry shortcake dessert is perfect for spring and summer! It’s cool, refreshing, and easy to make. It’s the best way to enjoy fresh seasonal fruit and homemade strawberry shortcake cups.

Like chocolate birthday cake, this recipe is a family favorite! The dessert cups can be baked in advance. The whipped cream will hold up well in the fridge for several days. When you’re ready, assemble with fresh berries.

PIN STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE RECIPE

ingredients

This easy recipe comes together with common refrigerator and pantry items.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CUPS

• All-purpose flour
• Cornstarch
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Sea salt
• Large eggs
• Lemon juice
• Lemon zest
• Pure vanilla extract
• Granulated sugar
• Heavy whipping cream
• Butter

DESSERT FILLING

• Fresh strawberries
• Granulated sugar
• OPTIONAL GARNISH: Lemon or lime zest

WHIPPED CREAM

• Heavy whipping cream
• Granulated sugar
• Sea salt
• Pure vanilla extract

PREP FILLING MIXTURE

For a classic strawberry shortcake filling, prep it before baking the cakes. It needs time to marinate. While in the fridge, the sliced strawberries will release their juices. Those juices plus the sugar create a delicious syrup.

1. Remove strawberry stems. Hull and slice with a paring knife.
2. Place the berries in a bowl. Toss with granulated sugar.
3. Cover and refrigerate.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE RECIPE

These homemade dessert cups taste so much better than store bought. This simple recipe produces 9 classic strawberry shortcake cups.

RECIPE PREP

• Grease the wells of the baking pan with butter. (No brownie bowl pan? Use a muffin pan.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Melt a stick of butter. Set it aside to cool.
• Pull out 3 mixing bowls: small, medium, and large.

HOW TO MAKE THE DESSERT CUPS

• STEP 1: In the small bowl, sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix briefly with a spoon to combine. Put it aside.
• STEP 2: In the medium bowl, whip egg whites with an electric mixer (or hand mixer) until foamy. Add lemon juice. Continue whipping until the whites are stiff but not dry.
• STEP 3: In the large bowl, whip egg yolks and vanilla extract together for 1 minute. Add the sugar. Whip until almost doubled in volume. The color of the yolks will become a shade lighter.
• STEP 4: Gradually add egg whites to yolks, folding them in with a rubber spatula. When almost combined, gradually fold in the dry ingredients. Add cool melted butter, heavy cream and lemon zest. Fold them in. But don’t over-mix or the dessert cups will be heavy and dense.

KITCHEN SMARTS: Measure flour correctly: fluff, sprinkle, swipe. With a spoon, fluff up the flour in the bag. By the spoonful, sprinkle it into the measuring cup. Swipe off excess with a knife.

HOW TO BAKE DESSERT CUPS

The best bakeware for this strawberry shortcake recipe is the brownie bowl pan. It’s available for purchase on Amazon.

Between batches of triple chocolate brownies for sundaes, this pan has a favorite side hustle. These darling strawberry shortcake cups!

• Fill cavities of prepared pan just under 3/4 full with batter.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes. Don’t over-bake or the cakes will be dry.

HOW TO TEST IF CAKES ARE DONE: When touched with a finger, the surface of the cake should spring back. It should not be sticky. The edges should be a light golden blonde.

MAKE-AHEAD WHIPPED CREAM

ABOUT THIS RECIPE: This is a stabilized whipped cream that doesn’t call for gelatin. It’s great for warm-weather months. The extra sugar allows it hold up well. Refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

Here’s how to make it:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer with whip attachment, combine cream, sugar, salt and vanilla extract.
• Mix on medium-low for 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high. Whip 3 minutes or until cream is thick and firm peaks hold.

assemble strawberry shortcake dessert

1. Place strawberry shortcake cups on individual small plates.
2. Add a generous scoop of strawberries with syrup to each dessert cup.
3. Top the cakes with a large dollop of whipped cream. If desired, garnish with citrus zest: lemon, lime or orange.

EXPERT TIPS

• DON’T OVER-MIX CAKE BATTER: Over-mixing traps large pockets of air in the batter. In the oven, these air bubbles expand then deflate. This can result in very dense cake.
• KITCHEN TIP FOR WHIPPED CREAM: Chill metal whisk and mixing bowl in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes before assembling whipped cream. Cold kitchen tools will help keep the fat in the cream cold. The whipped cream will be light and airy and can better hold its shape.
• HOW TO MAKE AN EXTRA-FANCY DESSERT: Sprinkle lemon or lime zest over the whipped cream. Twist long strips of citrus peel into spirals. Lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish with mint leaves.
• HOW TO MAKE SYRUP RED: When the natural juice from the strawberries mixes with sugar, it develops a light-pink syrup. To make it red, mix in a drop of red food coloring.
• MAKE-AHEAD RECIPE: Bake dessert cups up to 3 days in advance. Assemble make-ahead whipped cream up to 5 days in advance. Store it in an air-tight container and refrigerate. When ready to use, briefly rewhip to restore texture. Prep strawberries the same day.

RECIPE FAQ

• CAN I DOUBLE THIS RECIPE? It’s not recommended. There’s always a risk over blending or under mixing. For the best taste and texture, make the cake batter twice.
• BEST SWAP FOR HOMEMADE DESSERT CUPS? Store-bought dessert cups. They’re often in the produce section of the grocery store. Other excellent choices (just slice in half) : Whipping cream biscuits, lemon blueberry scones, carrot cake scones, carrot cake cupcakes.
• BEST SWAP FOR STRAWBERRIES? Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, kiwi, or sliced bananas.
• BEST SWAP FOR LEMON JUICE? Cream of tartar. When whipping egg whites into firm peaks, add 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar. Skip the baking soda. Without the lemon we won’t need this ingredient.
• HOW TO SLICE STRAWBERRIES WITHOUT WASTING FRUIT? With your fingers, remove green stem. Just twist and pull. With the tip of a paring knife at a 45° angle, remove white hull. Slip the knife into the top and cut in a circular fashion. With the freshly-cut side facing down, cut strawberry into quarters or 1/4-inch slices.

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