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Strawberry shortcake dessert on a small plate with fork and napkin.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE


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4.9 from 8 reviews

Description

Strawberry shortcake is a delicious dessert ideal for serving during strawberry season. Fill homemade dessert cups with marinated berries and their yummy syrup. Garnish with freshly-made whipped cream.


Ingredients

Units Scale

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE FILLING

  • 2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • Lemon or lime zest (optional), for garnishing the finished dessert

DESSERT CUPS

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 5 large eggs, separated
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • Zest from 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter

WHIPPED CREAM

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE FILLING

It’s important to prep the strawberries first so they have time to release their juices. Together the juices and sugar create a syrup.

  1. Remove stems from the berries. Hull and slice.
  2. Transfer berries to a bowl. Toss with sugar.
  3. Cover and refrigerate.

DESSERT CUPS

RECIPE PREP: Grease the wells of baking pan with butter. Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 6 tablespoons butter. Set it aside to cool. Pull out 3 mixing bowls: small, medium and large.

  1. In the small bowl, sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix briefly with a spoon to combine. Put it aside.
  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.
  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.  
  4. Gradually add egg whites to the 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.
  5. 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. When touched with a finger, the surface of the cake should spring back. It should not be sticky. Edges should be golden blonde. 

WHIPPED CREAM

This is a stabilized whipped cream recipe. You can make it up to 8 hours in advance. The extra sugar allows it hold up well. It’s great for warm-weather months. 

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

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 lemon or lime zest.

Notes

Don’t overmix the 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.

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.

How to make the strawberry syrup red: When the natural juices from the strawberries mix with sugar, a light-pin syrup develops. To make that syrup red, mix in a drop of red food coloring.

Expert 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 so the whipped cream can hold its shape.

Make-ahead instructions: Bake dessert cups up to 3 days in advance. Assemble make-ahead whipped cream up to 3 days in advance. Store it in an air-tight container and refrigerate. When ready to use, briefly rewhip to restore texture. Prep strawberries on the day the dessert is served.

  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 Minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American