Homemade Strawberry Shortcake

What’s summer without Homemade Strawberry Shortcake? A super simple and tender homemade shortcake biscuit is halved and layered with a luscious, ruby-red, fresh strawberry topping and dollops of homemade whipped cream. Serves 8.

Summer = Strawberry Shortcake.

And this is by far the BEST strawberry shortcake recipe. An easy to make, soft and tender shortcake biscuit (sprinkled with sugar before baking gives it a sugary crunch!) is halved and topped with an incredible strawberry topping and homemade whipped cream.

Normally I’m use angel food cake as the base because I never was a fan of bisquick-type biscuits. However, these biscuits are something different. They are light and airy, flavorful and have a delectable crisp sugary top. This paired with the glossy strawberries and whipped cream makes these homemade strawberry shortcakes easily the best I’ve ever had.

And I can’t stress enough about how easy this recipe is. It’s basically foolproof, which is why I won’t make another recipe ever again. I mean, I just made these last week and I’m already planning on making them this weekend. Sorry not sorry.

To Make The Strawberry Shortcakes You Will Need:

for the shortcake biscuits:

• unbleached all-purpose flour – The base for the shortcake biscuits.
• cornstarch – Helps create a crumbly and tender dessert-like texture.
• baking powder – Will create lightness in the dough, which makes the biscuits rise and gives them a fluffy crumb.
• baking soda – Creates a gas while baking which helps the biscuits rise.
• granulated sugar – Added for flavor and sweetness.
• fine salt –Can use sea salt or pink himalayan.
• cold unsalted butter – Cut butter into cubes and chill or freeze. Using cold butter makes lighter biscuits.
• buttermilk – Adds a pleasant tanginess.
• turbinado sugar – For sprinkling before baking. Gives these shortcake biscuits a little something special.

strawberry topping:

• strawberries – Locally grown or organic has the best flavor.
• seedless raspberry jam – Enhances the flavor of the strawberries but also deepens the color and thickens the sauce.
• granulated sugar – Adds sweetness and will bring out the natural juices of the strawberries.

for homemade whipped cream:

• heavy whipping cream – Or heavy cream is a must. And it should be very cold.
• vanilla extract – Gives the whipped cream subtle flavor.
• powdered sugar – For sweetening and flavor.

Make The Shortcake Biscuits:

Preheat your oven to 425° and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

In a medium mixing bowl, measure and add; 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda,  2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon fine salt (sea salt or pink Himalayan). Whisk to combine.

Add in 10 tablespoons of cubed, cold unsalted butter.

Use your impeccably clean hands to rub the butter into the flour.

Stop once the mixture is coarse with pea-size clumps of butter throughout.

Pour in 3/4 cup of buttermilk.

What Type Of Buttermilk To Use in Baking?

Regular buttermilk is always my first choice and I love Guernsey brand (not sponsored!). Not only because Guernsey is a local Michigan brand but also because of their high standards and quality products. With that said, with most biscuit recipes calling for buttermilk, low-fat and regular buttermilk can be used interchangeably. And if ever in a pinch you can mix milk with lemon juice or white vinegar, let it sit for 5 minutes and you will get a tangy mixture quite similar to buttermilk.

How To Make A Buttermilk Substitute:

For every 1 cup of buttermilk, combine 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar. For this recipe, you would need 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 tablespoon (eyeball it) of lemon juice or white vinegar.

Using a rubber spatula, stir until the mixture comes together and forms a shaggy dough. If you’re noticing a bit of dry ingredients in the bottom of the bowl, go ahead and add 1 extra tablespoon of buttermilk.

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roughly shape into 8 craggy looking balls. The less perfect the ball, the better it will turn out once baked.

Place the balls onto your prepared pan, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar. I gently press on the balls a little to flatten them a smidgen. This way they hold more of the sugar.

Bake the shortcake biscuits on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway to insure even baking and browning.

Once baked, remove and set off to the side.

MAKE THE STRAWBERRY TOPPING:

While the shortcake biscuits are baking, rinse (or soak) 2 pounds of strawberries before trimming off the green strawberry tops. Because I’m using local michigan strawberries, I don’t find it necessary to hull or cut out the center part of the strawberry.

If you’re someone who likes extra strawberry topping, increase strawberries to 2½ or 3 pounds (total).

Next, add 1/3 of the sliced strawberries to a bowl and mash with a potato masher.

Stop once it resembles a thick yet lumpy puree.

Add the remaining sliced strawberries to the bowl.

To that, add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam. The jam not only enhances the flavor of the strawberries (I promise you won’t taste raspberry at all) but also deepens the color and thickens the sauce.

Toss well to combine and set off to the side for at least 10 to 15 minutes.

After some time you will notice the strawberries soften and release their juices.

Meanwhile make homemade whipped cream! I’ve included the recipe and instructions in the recipe printable, but you can click here for the step-by-step post.

Use a serrated knife to carefully cut the shortcake biscuits in half horizontally. Top with spoonfuls of the strawberries, allowing them to spill onto the plate.

Top with a few dollops of homemade whipped cream and replace the top half of the biscuit.

Lastly, top with a little more whipped cream and a spoonful of the strawberries. And prepare yourself to fall in love!

Tips For Making Homemade Strawberry Shortcake:

• I would not recommend making these biscuits days or even several hours in advance. In my opinion they taste best when eaten shortly after baking. Although my family still loves them hours or the next day after baking. I guess I’m just picky. However, I would suggest to make the dough in advance and shape them into balls and keep refrigerated until ready to bake.
• Do carefully cut the biscuits using a serrated knife. They are delicate!
• If possible use local or organic strawberries. They produce the best flavor.
• Homemade whipped cream is best but store-bought is okay too! No judgement!

Enjoy! And if you give this Homemade Strawberry Shortcake recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

This recipe was respectfully borrowed and slightly adapted from onceuponachef.com