Get ready for what I truly believe is The BEST Strawberry Shortcake recipe! This version features a tender, slightly sweet, cake-style shortcake baked in a simple square pan with a delightful crumble topping. It’s served, of course, with heaps of juicy, macerated fresh strawberries and your favorite whipped cream or ice cream. I absolutely adore Strawberry Shortcake – it’s the quintessential dessert for welcoming warmer weather, perfect right now in the beautiful springtime here in the US on April 10, 2025! This easy recipe delivers all the classic comfort and flavor you crave.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Shortcake
- Classic Comfort: It’s a beloved American dessert that brings back wonderful memories.
- Cake-Style Shortcake: This version uses an easy-to-make, tender cake base baked in a pan, simpler than individual biscuits for many.
- Juicy Strawberry Topping: Macerating the strawberries draws out their natural sweetness and creates a delicious syrupy sauce.
- Easy to Make: Uses simple ingredients and straightforward instructions.
- Perfect for Sharing: Baked in a 9×9 pan, it’s easy to cut and serve to a crowd.
Ingredients for The Best Strawberry Shortcake
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delightful dessert. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Strawberries
- Fresh strawberries (cleaned, hulled and quartered) (Fruit)
- Sugar (to taste) (Sweetener)
Shortcake
- All-purpose flour (Dry Ingredient)
- Baking powder* (Leavening Agent) (See note in original recipe)
- Salt (Seasoning)
- Granulated sugar (Sweetener)
- Vegetable shortening** (Fat) (See note in original recipe)
- Milk (2% recommended) (Dairy)
- Large egg, beaten (Binder)
Topping
- Granulated sugar (Sweetener)
- All-purpose flour (Dry Ingredient)
- Salted butter, cold (Fat)
Serving Suggestions (Optional)
- Whipped Cream
- Ice Cream
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love this classic Strawberry Shortcake, but here are a few fun variations:
- Add Vanilla: Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the shortcake batter or the whipped cream topping.
- Different Berries: Use a mix of berries like raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.
- Biscuit-Style Shortcake: If you prefer traditional biscuits, search for a biscuit-specific recipe to pair with the strawberries.
- Add Lemon Zest: Add some lemon zest to the shortcake batter for a bright citrus note.
- Use Butter Instead of Shortening: You can substitute cold, cubed butter for the shortening in the shortcake base, cutting it in as you would for biscuits or pie crust.
How to Make The Best Strawberry Shortcake
Let me show you how easy it is to make The Best Strawberry Shortcake:
Prepare the Strawberries
- First things first, I prepare the strawberries since they need time to get juicy! In a large bowl, I mix together the cleaned, hulled, and quartered strawberries with the sugar. I add sugar to taste – more if the berries are tart, less if they’re very sweet.
- I cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for about 3-4 hours. This process, called macerating, draws out the juices and creates a delicious syrup.
Make the Shortcake
- I preheat my oven to 350ºF (175°C) and spray a 9×9″ baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, I add the flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar.
- I add the vegetable shortening. Using a pastry cutter or two forks (or even my fingertips), I cut the ingredients together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- I add the milk and the beaten egg to the crumbs. I mix just until combined. It’s important not to overmix, or the shortcake will be tough. The batter will be very thick.
- I spread this thick mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. I set it aside while I make the topping.
Make the Topping
- In a small bowl, using two forks or a pastry cutter, I cut together the flour, sugar, and cold salted butter until the mixture is crumbly.
Assemble and Bake
- I sprinkle the crumbly topping evenly over the shortcake batter in the pan.
- I bake for 25-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the topping is lightly golden.
Serve
- Serve warm
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Shortcake Experience
Here are my secrets for making this Strawberry Shortcake truly the best:
- Macerate the Strawberries: Don’t skip letting the strawberries sit in sugar! This creates the essential juicy syrup.
- Don’t Overmix Shortcake: Mix the shortcake batter just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Overmixing makes it tough.
- Use Cold Butter for Topping: Cold butter cut into the flour/sugar mixture creates a crumbly, tender topping.
- Serve Warm: While delicious anytime, serving the shortcake slightly warm is traditional and wonderful with cold whipped cream or ice cream.
- Adjust Sugar: Taste your berries! Add more or less sugar to the strawberry mixture depending on their natural sweetness.
How to Serve
This Strawberry Shortcake is traditionally served:
- With Whipped Cream: Pile generous spoonfuls of the macerated strawberries and their juice over warm squares of shortcake, then top with freshly whipped cream.
- With Ice Cream: Vanilla bean ice cream is a fantastic alternative to whipped cream.
- Plain: The shortcake itself is delicious even on its own as a simple cake.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Strawberries: Can be macerated up to a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Shortcake: The baked shortcake is best enjoyed the day it’s made but can be stored, covered, at room temperature for 1-2 days. Reheat gently if desired.
- Assembly: Assemble individual servings just before eating for the best texture (to prevent the shortcake from getting soggy).
FAQs about The Best Strawberry Shortcake
- Can I use frozen strawberries?
- Yes, thaw frozen strawberries completely and drain any excess liquid very well before mixing with sugar. Fresh strawberries generally have a better texture for shortcake.
- Can I use butter instead of shortening in the shortcake?
- Yes, substitute an equal amount of cold, cubed unsalted butter and cut it into the dry ingredients as you would for pie crust. The texture might be slightly different (more tender, less crumbly perhaps).
- Can I make this in a different size pan?
- Yes, you could use an 8×8 inch pan (it will be thicker, bake slightly longer) or double it for a 9×13 inch pan (bake slightly less time).
Enjoy this classic, comforting, and utterly delicious The BEST Strawberry Shortcake Recipe! It’s a perfect celebration of fresh strawberries.
Print
The BEST Strawberry Shortcake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 27 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 47 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Strawberry Shortcake recipe features a tender, slightly sweet shortcake baked in a pan with a delicious crumble topping, served with juicy, sweet macerated fresh strawberries. It’s a comforting and easy way to enjoy a classic dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Macerated Strawberries:
- 4 pounds fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled, and quartered
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar (or more, to taste)
For the Shortcake:
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 4 teaspoons (13g) baking powder (see notes)
- 3/4 teaspoon (6g) salt
- 1 tablespoon (15g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (62g) vegetable shortening (or cold unsalted butter, cubed)
- 2/3 cup (166g) 2% milk (or whole milk)
- 1 large egg, beaten
For the Crumble Topping:
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (43g) cold salted butter, cut into small pieces
Optional for Serving:
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
-
Prepare the Macerated Strawberries (Plan Ahead):
- In a large bowl, combine the quartered strawberries and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Stir gently to coat the strawberries. Add more sugar if you prefer very sweet strawberries.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, or preferably overnight. This allows the strawberries to release their juices and create a syrup (macerate).
-
Prepare the Shortcake:
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray or butter.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
- Cut in Shortening/Butter: Add the vegetable shortening (or cold cubed butter) to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender, two forks, or your fingertips to cut the shortening/butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Pour the milk and beaten egg into the crumb mixture. Stir with a fork or spatula just until combined. Do not overmix; the batter will be very thick.
-
Make the Crumble Topping:
- In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour.
- Add the cold, cut pieces of salted butter. Use two forks, a pastry blender, or your fingertips to cut the butter into the sugar/flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbs.
-
Assemble and Bake:
- Spread the thick shortcake batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the shortcake batter.
- Bake for 25-27 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is lightly golden brown.
-
Serve: Let the shortcake cool slightly in the pan. Cut into squares. Serve warm pieces of shortcake topped generously with the macerated strawberries (including their juice) and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Notes
- Strawberries: Fresh, ripe strawberries work best. Macerating them for several hours draws out the juices and creates a lovely syrup.
- Baking Powder: 4 teaspoons is a significant amount of baking powder for this amount of flour, resulting in a very high rise. Ensure your baking powder is fresh.
- Shortening vs. Butter (Shortcake): Shortening creates a very tender crumb. Cold, cubed unsalted butter can be substituted for a slightly different flavor and texture.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix the shortcake batter only until the ingredients are just combined to keep it tender.
- Storage: Store leftover shortcake covered at room temperature for 1-2 days. Store leftover macerated strawberries covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.