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.
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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.