When you’re short on time, but still want dessert, this weeknight version of Strawberry Shortcake hits the sweet spot and couldn’t be easier to make.
Things You Might Not Know About Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry shortcake has its own day! June 14 is national strawberry shortcake day. Do you celebrate?
Strawberry shortcake parties were popular in the 1850’s and were a celebration for the onset of the summer season.
Shortcake is actually a sweet cake or biscuit (in the American sense: that is, a crumbly bread that has been leavened with baking powder or baking soda).
While today’s shortcakes are usually a biscuit or sponge-cake, early American shortcake recipes were made of pie crust in rounds or broken-up pieces. They might still do this in the South.
The world’s largest strawberry shortcake was put together at the 2012 Pasadena Strawberry Festival. The cake was made of 3,240 pounds of strawberries and 280 pounds of whipped cream icing. Wow.
You’ll Need These Ingredients For Quick and Easy Strawberry Shortcake
- fresh strawberries – look for the ripest, brightest red, greenest leaved strawberries you can find. This is really important since strawberries are the star of the show here.
- granulated white sugar – use this to macerate (soften) your strawberries
- refrigerated store-bought pre-made homestyle biscuits – sure you can make your own, but this recipe is for a weeknight version of strawberry shortcake
- heavy whipping cream – the higher the fat content, the better your whipped cream will taste
- confectioners’ sugar – to sweeten your whipped cream
- fresh lemon juice – this is going to balance the sweetness of your whipped cream
- pure vanilla extract – more whipped cream flavor
How to Choose Fresh Strawberries
Since strawberries do not ripen further after they are picked, look for the brightest red strawberries you can find.
The leaves on top of each berry should be bright green, not brown and wilted. The leaves really giveaway the freshness of a strawberry.
The size of the berry does not determine sweetness, but it should be plump, not mushy, with no signs of mold or bruising.
Strawberries from a local to you farm are the best bet, since they are usually picked at peak ripeness.
How To Keep Strawberries Fresh For A Week
If you’re not going to be making your strawberry shortcake for a few days, you can definitely keep your strawberries fresh for a week (even longer) by following these few steps:
- Fill a large, glass bowl with about five and a half cups of water and a half cup of white vinegar. Add your whole strawberries, including the stems in the water-vinegar bath. Let them soak for 5 minutes.
- Remove the strawberries from the water-vinegar bath and rinse well in a colander.
- Place the strawberries on a paper towel lined cookie sheet, allowing them to dry for at least twenty minutes.
- Line a resealable container (glass or plastic) with paper towels and add the dry strawberries. Cover and refrigerate.
The vinegar will have killed any bacteria on the surface of the strawberries, which is why they go bad so quickly, and they will last much longer than usual.
Assembling Strawberry Shortcake
Slice each biscuit across the middle, lengthwise, so you end up with two round ends.
On the bottom half of the biscuit, add a layer of freshly whipped cream and then a scoop of the macerated strawberries.
Top with the other half of the biscuit and garnish each top with a dollop of whipped cream and more strawberries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Macerate the Strawberries Early?
Yes! Strawberries can be macerated up to 24 hours in advance. The longer they sit, the more their flavor intensifies and concentrate. If you’re strawberries have been macerating awhile, use a slotted spoon spoon to deliver them to your shortcake to avoid a soggy biscuit.
How Can I Store Any Leftovers?
While these are best served immediately, if you have any that are unassembled, store the ingredients separately and assemble them when you are ready to serve. Any assembled, leftover strawberry shortcakes will become mushy in the refrigerator.
Any More Substitution Suggestions?
Use store-bought whipped cream instead of making your own (not as good, but it’s faster).
Use different fruit, such as raspberries or blueberries. Adding blueberries makes this a very patriotic looking dessert for certain holidays.
More Things To Make With Strawberries
- Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
- Soft Bake Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
- Strawberry Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- Strawberry Banana Crumble
- Bakery Style Yogurt Muffins
- The Fluffiest Strawberry Mousse
- Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Smoothie
- Banana Split Kabobs
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Easy Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
- 3 cups (470 g) fresh strawberries, chopped
- 1/4 cup (59 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 can (16.3 ounce/462 g) refrigerated store bought pre-made homestyle biscuits
- 1 cup (500 ml) heavy cream, cold
- 1/4 cup (32 g) confectioners' sugar
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare biscuits according to package directions. Cool completely.
- Place a medium-sized ,metal bowl you will use to make the whipped cream into the refrigerator for fifteen minutes. This could also be the bowl of your stand mixer.
- In another medium-sized bowl, combine the strawberries and granulated white sugar. Allow them to macerate for at least 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, mash about a quarter of the berries in the bowl with a potato masher and stir to mix.(You don't want to mash all the berries, just enough of them for their juices.) Let them sit while you whip the cream.
- Remove the chilled bowl from the refrigerator. Use it to beat the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and vanilla using a hand-held or stand mixer. Beat until stiff peaks form; about 3-5 minutes.
- To assemble strawberry shortcakes, split each biscuit in half and layer with whipped cream, strawberries and biscuit top.
- Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a spoonful of strawberries.
Notes
Nutrition
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