I’ve been meaning to make a strawberry shortcake for a while now, and finally got around to it this weekend. It was the perfect dessert to bring for a post BBQ meal – it tastes light (it’s not really, but the airy whipped cream makes it feel like it is!) and it’s pretty quick to make. I omitted the gelatin though – firstly because I didn’t have any, but also because a couple of our friends don’t eat meat. Made with animal product (think collagen derived from animals’ skin and bones) it’s really not the nicest thing to slip into a cake when some of your friends are vegetarian. The cake turned out fine without it, and I don’t think the gelatin would have added that much more to the texture of the cream.
This is one of those great dessert for big gatherings. It presents very nicely, boosts great summer colors and, most importantly, is delicious.
Strawberry Shortcake (Serves 12), adapted from Martha Stewart
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1 pound strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan, and line with parchment paper. Butter and flour paper and sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in 3 parts and milk in 2, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Using a serrated knife, split cake in half horizontally; place bottom half, cut side up, on a serving plate.
Make topping: In a large bowl, combine strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar; set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until very soft peaks form.
Arrange half of strawberries over bottom cake layer; top with half of whipped cream, leaving a 1-inch border. Cover with top half of cake, cut side down. Top cake with remaining whipped cream, leaving a 1-inch border. Refrigerate cake and remaining strawberries separately, at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day). Just before serving, spoon strawberries over cake.
Enjoy the read!
Mary
May 25, 2009 at 10:30 am (16 years ago)This looks wonderful and I’m sure it looks as good as it tastes. A passing thought — I thought that gelatin was used just to stabilize whipping cream and keep it from weeping. Have a wonderful day.
Audrey
May 25, 2009 at 10:40 am (16 years ago)Oh, this is one of the prettiest ones I’ve ever seen! I like the fact that it’s a cake, and not individual biscuits, just for a change (although I like that version too) I would love to try this for a summer dessert, so thank you for sharing!
Dawn
May 25, 2009 at 10:47 am (16 years ago)that’s not just strawberry shortcake, that is the way it should be done, period.
wow!
Chocolate Shavings
May 25, 2009 at 11:11 am (16 years ago)Mary: The gelatin helps settle the texture of the whipped cream. Mine worked well without it. It served it the same day that it was made though – so the gelatin might help if you’re planning on serving the shortcake the day after.
Ria
May 25, 2009 at 11:47 am (16 years ago)That’s sooo good looking! Love to have a bite! 🙂
Elyse
May 25, 2009 at 12:30 pm (16 years ago)This strawberry shortcake looks absolutely delicious!! I am definitely craving the subtle sweetness of this fabulously summer dessert right now. And yours looks not only gorgeous but oh so tasty. Man, I need to get into the kitchen!
Núria
May 25, 2009 at 12:53 pm (16 years ago)Yes, it looks perfect!!! When do I have my next big gathering?… I’ll keep this recipe near ;D
Dana
May 25, 2009 at 1:02 pm (16 years ago)That is so lovely. I know my husband would go crazy if I made that. As a veg, I so appreciate you being mindful of gelatin. Most people don’t know where it comes from.
Deborah
May 25, 2009 at 2:42 pm (16 years ago)I love strawberry shortcake, and yours is beautiful!
MissBliss
May 25, 2009 at 3:58 pm (16 years ago)Gorgeous… will definitely try this summer… luscious berries…
Junglefrog
May 25, 2009 at 4:10 pm (16 years ago)O, this looks absolutely delicious! I love most strawberry desserts and this looks perfect!
Y
May 25, 2009 at 5:51 pm (16 years ago)Looks great! The perfect thing for a bbq 🙂
Coco Bean
May 25, 2009 at 9:29 pm (16 years ago)Uhh you made this to taunt me didn’t you. I can’t make anything strawberry because of Ian’s alergy to them and it pains me so! I have been craving strawberries since I meet him. Please send some through the mail. I will be waiting.
5 Star Foodie
May 25, 2009 at 9:42 pm (16 years ago)What a gorgeous picture and the strawberry shortcake sounds absolutely delicious, perfect summer dessert!
Hayley
May 26, 2009 at 10:11 am (16 years ago)This looks beautiful! I’ve been meaning to make a strawberry shortcake in actual cake form, instead of individual biscuits. Thanks for sharing!
stephchows
May 26, 2009 at 11:50 am (16 years ago)MMMMMMM Yes please I’ll have a slice!
Ingrid
May 27, 2009 at 10:01 am (16 years ago)It looks wonderful! I’ve been wanting to make one as well. I like that this is one big one as opposed to a bunch of small biscuits.
~ingrid
unconfidentialcook
May 27, 2009 at 5:15 pm (16 years ago)What a great strawberry shortcake! It’s gorgeous, and I know it’s delicious.
CookiePie
May 28, 2009 at 10:15 am (16 years ago)That is beautiful, the PERFECT summer dessert!
Room design studio
May 30, 2009 at 12:47 pm (16 years ago)I loveee this!! heck I could eat your whole blog!!! Yummmy!
The Food Librarian
May 30, 2009 at 1:02 pm (16 years ago)What a lovely summer dessert! Pretty pretty!
Kevin
May 31, 2009 at 11:42 am (16 years ago)That looks nice and light and refreshing and good!
Dimah
May 31, 2009 at 12:32 pm (16 years ago)Great looking cake!
Risa
May 31, 2009 at 9:18 pm (16 years ago)This looks beautiful and delicious!
Valisa
June 1, 2009 at 9:52 am (16 years ago)OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO lekker!!!
And what a gorgeous gorgeous blog too!
Jackie @PhamFatale.com
June 2, 2009 at 6:28 pm (16 years ago)Oh the dessert is so professional looking. Well done! It could be one the cover of the next Gourmet magazine.
Kathy
June 5, 2009 at 9:41 pm (16 years ago)Yuuuuum. I just made this recipe for dinner and everyone loved it! I added more strawberries because, well, can you have too many strawberries? Absolutely delicious.
berna
June 5, 2009 at 11:56 pm (16 years ago)This looks wonderful !!!
Ciao Chow Linda
June 7, 2009 at 7:20 am (16 years ago)Looks like you’ve got a thing for strawberries too. This certainly makes me hungry for a slice. Thanks for stopping by my blog and allowing me to find yours.
Lori
June 19, 2009 at 8:27 am (16 years ago)Such a pretty little shortcake. I always love strawberries sitting pretty on top of desserts.
王菲Fay
November 26, 2009 at 4:47 am (15 years ago)so beautiful!I love it! Very creative!That’s actually really cool.
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馬城界隨意部落格
參觀,Thanks
Memória
January 18, 2010 at 12:11 am (15 years ago)I agree with Dawn. This is exactly how a strawberry shortcake should be made. I’m bookmarking this!