Classic Strawberry Shortcake Dessert
There’s a particular magic to the first really good punnet of British strawberries of the year. When they’re deep red, fragrant, and bursting with sunshine, you don’t need to do much to them. For me, that’s when the craving for a proper Strawberry Shortcake begins. Not the fluffy sponge cake version some might be used to, but the genuine article: a crumbly, buttery, scone-like biscuit, still warm from the oven, split and piled high with juicy, macerated strawberries and a scandalously large dollop of thick cream. It’s the taste of a British summer in every single bite.
This recipe is my go-to, the one I’ve tweaked over years to get just right. The shortcakes are tender on the inside with a slightly crisp, sugary top, robust enough to soak up all those glorious strawberry juices without turning to mush. I stumbled upon the combination of using buttermilk and a pinch of salt in the dough by accident one afternoon, and it’s been a non-negotiable ever since. It’s a wonderfully straightforward dessert to put together, ideal for a lazy Sunday afternoon in the garden or as a simple pudding after a family meal. It’s the kind of bake that feels special without demanding hours of your time.
Recipe Overview
This classic Strawberry Shortcake recipe focuses on three key elements: tender, buttery shortcake biscuits, sweet strawberries softened in their own juice, and rich, cool cream. The flavour is pure and uncomplicated, letting the quality of the fruit shine. After testing countless batches, I’ve found that the secret to the best shortcake is ice-cold butter and a very light touch when mixing the dough; it ensures a beautiful, flaky texture every time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Servings: 6 people
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Shortcake
- Genuine Flavour: The shortcakes have a rich, buttery taste with a hint of sweetness, providing the perfect savoury-leaning base for the sharp, sweet strawberries. The lemon juice in the fruit mixture really makes their flavour pop.
- Ready in Under 40 Minutes: From gathering your ingredients to pulling the golden shortcakes from the oven, this entire dessert comes together in about 35 minutes. It’s a high-impact pudding with minimal time commitment.
- Flexible Recipe: Don’t have clotted cream? A thick, lightly whipped double cream is just as lovely. You can also swap the strawberries for raspberries or a mix of summer berries when they’re in season.
- Works Beautifully for Afternoon Tea: This fruit shortcake is a fantastic centrepiece for an afternoon tea or a simple dessert after a barbecue. It feels both rustic and elegant.
- Family Tested: My children absolutely love helping with this one, especially mashing the strawberries with the sugar. It always gets compliments whenever we have friends over.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the best results, use the freshest ingredients you can find, especially the strawberries and butter. I always opt for a good quality salted butter like a local farmhouse block; it adds a depth of flavour you just don’t get with unsalted plus added salt. The quality really makes a difference here.
- For the Strawberries:
- 500g fresh, ripe strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 50g caster sugar (or more, to taste)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- For the Shortcakes:
- 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 50g caster sugar
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 85g cold salted butter, cut into small cubes
- 175ml buttermilk (or whole milk with 1 tsp of lemon juice, left for 5 mins)
- 1 medium egg, beaten (for the egg wash)
- 1 tbsp demerara sugar, for sprinkling
- For the Cream:
- 227g tub of clotted cream, or 300ml double cream
Marcus’s Tip: If you can’t find buttermilk, the milk-and-lemon-juice trick works a treat. It adds a slight tang and helps to create an exceptionally tender crumb in the shortcakes.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake
The process is very similar to making scones. The key is to work quickly and with a light touch to keep the butter cold and prevent the dough from becoming tough. This ensures your shortcakes will be light and flaky.
- Prepare the Strawberries: In a medium bowl, combine the quartered strawberries, 50g of caster sugar, and the tablespoon of lemon juice. Gently stir to combine, then set aside at room temperature for at least 20 minutes to macerate. This process draws the juice out of the fruit, creating a lovely natural syrup.
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, 50g caster sugar, baking powder, and salt. This ensures everything is evenly distributed.
- Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with a few larger, pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. This is crucial for a flaky texture.
- Form the Dough: Pour in the buttermilk and use a fork or a spatula to gently bring the mixture together into a soft, slightly shaggy dough. Do not overmix! What works best for me is to tip it onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it just two or three times to bring it together.
- Cut the Shortcakes: Pat the dough out to about 2cm (¾ inch) thickness. Use a 6-7cm round cutter to stamp out 6 shortcakes. Press straight down without twisting the cutter to ensure a good rise. Re-pat any scraps to get the final shortcakes.
- Bake: Place the shortcakes on the prepared baking tray. Brush the tops with the beaten egg wash and sprinkle generously with demerara sugar for a crunchy top. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until they are well-risen and a beautiful golden brown.
- Cool and Assemble: Transfer the baked shortcakes to a wire rack to cool slightly. They are best served warm. To assemble, split a shortcake in half, spoon a generous amount of the juicy strawberries over the bottom half, add a large dollop of clotted cream, and place the top half on. Serve immediately.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control: Your butter and buttermilk must be cold. Cold butter creates steam pockets as it melts in the oven, which is what gives the shortcakes their light, flaky layers. If your kitchen is warm, pop the cubed butter in the freezer for 10 minutes before using.
- The Secret Step: For extra flaky layers, try a “lamination” fold. After bringing the dough together, pat it into a rectangle, fold it in thirds like a letter, and turn it 90 degrees. Pat it out again and cut your shapes. I learned that this simple technique, borrowed from scone-making masters, dramatically improves the texture.
- Make-Ahead: You can bake the shortcakes up to a day in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature and warm them in the oven for a few minutes before serving. The strawberries can be macerated up to 4 hours ahead and kept in the fridge.
- Storage: Once assembled, Strawberry Shortcake is best eaten straight away. If you have leftovers, store the components separately in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Large mixing bowl
- Baking tray
- Parchment paper
- 6-7cm round biscuit/scone cutter
- Pastry brush
- Wire cooling rack
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overworking the Dough: The most common error! Overmixing or over-kneading develops the gluten in the flour, resulting in tough, dense shortcakes instead of light, tender ones. Mix only until the dough just comes together.
- Using Warm Ingredients: Using room temperature butter or milk will cause the butter to melt into the flour, creating a greasy, dense texture rather than the desired flaky layers. Always use ingredients straight from the fridge.
- Twisting the Cutter: When you cut out your shortcakes, push the cutter straight down and pull it straight up. Twisting the cutter seals the edges, which prevents the shortcakes from rising to their full potential.
Delicious Variations to Try
While the classic is hard to beat, this recipe is a brilliant base for a bit of experimentation. A simple twist can make it feel like a whole new summer dessert.
- Citrus Zest: Add the finely grated zest of one lemon or orange to the dry ingredients along with the flour. It adds a wonderful fragrance and brightens the flavour, much like in these Lemon Crumb Bars.
- Different Berries: This recipe works beautifully with other soft fruits. Try using raspberries with a splash of Chambord liqueur, or a mix of blueberries and blackberries for a different kind of fruit shortcake.
- Spiced Shortcakes: Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon or a ¼ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg to the flour mixture for a warm, spiced version that’s lovely as the evenings get a little cooler.
What to Serve With Strawberry Shortcake
This dessert is a star in its own right, but a few small touches can elevate the experience.
- A Sprig of Mint: A fresh mint leaf on top of the cream adds a lovely splash of colour and a fresh aroma that complements the strawberries beautifully.
- Balsamic Glaze: For a more modern twist, a tiny drizzle of a good quality balsamic glaze over the strawberries adds a complex sweet-and-sour note that is surprisingly delicious.
- Drink Pairing: A glass of chilled Prosecco or a light rosé wine cuts through the richness of the cream perfectly. For a non-alcoholic option, a traditional pot of English Breakfast tea or a homemade lemonade is ideal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the Strawberries: In a medium bowl, combine the quartered strawberries, 50g of caster sugar, and the tablespoon of lemon juice. Gently stir to combine, then set aside at room temperature for at least 20 minutes to macerate. This process draws the juice out of the fruit, creating a lovely natural syrup.
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, 50g caster sugar, baking powder, and salt. This ensures everything is evenly distributed.
- Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with a few larger, pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. This is crucial for a flaky texture.
- Form the Dough: Pour in the buttermilk and use a fork or a spatula to gently bring the mixture together into a soft, slightly shaggy dough. Do not overmix! What works best for me is to tip it onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it just two or three times to bring it together.
- Cut the Shortcakes: Pat the dough out to about 2cm (¾ inch) thickness. Use a 6-7cm round cutter to stamp out 6 shortcakes. Press straight down without twisting the cutter to ensure a good rise. Re-pat any scraps to get the final shortcakes.
- Bake: Place the shortcakes on the prepared baking tray. Brush the tops with the beaten egg wash and sprinkle generously with demerara sugar for a crunchy top. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until they are well-risen and a beautiful golden brown.
- Cool and Assemble: Transfer the baked shortcakes to a wire rack to cool slightly. They are best served warm. To assemble, split a shortcake in half, spoon a generous amount of the juicy strawberries over the bottom half, add a large dollop of clotted cream, and place the top half on. Serve immediately.
Notes
There is such simple, honest joy in a well-made Strawberry Shortcake. It’s a recipe that relies on good ingredients and a little bit of care rather than complex techniques. I truly hope you give this classic recipe a go during strawberry season. It’s a staple in my kitchen, and I think it might become one in yours too. If you do make it, please drop a comment below and let me know how you got on!
