Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
Homemade strawberry shortcake is a far cry from those round flavorless discs you buy at the grocery store. Discover how to make your own homemade strawberry shortcake in a few simple steps. Just add whipped cream and dig in!
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Strawberry shortcake tips
- For the pictures you see here, bake round cakes in small ramekins. You can use a muffin tin if you would like, but the original recipe calls for an 8×8 pan and serves about 6 people–it’s just as easy to do it that way and cut squares.
- If you would like, you can toss the berries in a bit of honey or sugar and let them sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. This process is called macerating and will end you with slightly softened, sweetened berries.
- Shortcake is best when eaten the day the cakes are made. Don’t assemble until ready to serve.
- Whip up your own homemade whipped cream by beating together 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 tablespoon powdered sugar or honey. Beat until stiff peaks form.
To make in advance:
- Cakes. Prepare the cakes up to 2 days ahead of time. Allow them to cool before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Whipped cream. The whipped cream can be made up to 4 hours in advance. Note that it will start to fall the longer it sits.
- Berries. If you are using fresh berries, go ahead and slice them up to 5 hours in advance. If you are making macerated berries (which I highly recommend), it is best not to slice them more than 30 minutes ahead of time.
To freeze: Allow the cakes to cool completely before sealing them in an airtight container and storing them in the freezer for up to 1 month. When you are ready to enjoy, allow the cakes to thaw at room temperature before making the whipped cream, macerating the berries, and assembling the dessert.
Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry shortcake is a distant winner over the pre-made round yellow cakes you find in the grocery bakery. Making this cake will change your whole perspective on this spring treat!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar see Note 1 for reducing the sugar
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour gluten free flour works
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350, and lightly grease an 8×8 pan or 10 spaces on a muffin tin.
- Cream the butter and sugar with a spoon, beating well until the mixture is light and slightly fluffy. About 40 strokes around the bowl or so.
- Add the buttermilk,eggs and vanilla and mix well.
- Using a sifter sitting over the bowl, add the flour, salt, and baking powder to the sifter and tap the dry ingredients into the wet ones.
- Mix with a spoon until no dry clumps of flour remain.
- Bake 25-30 minutes for the 8×8 pan or 15-20 minutes for the muffin tin until the cake springs back and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve slightly warm with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Notes
Note 1: Some readers tend to feel that this recipe is too sweet. If you’d like to reduce the sugar, take it down to half or even 3/4 cup if you’d like to. Any less than that will alter the cake’s structure.
Nutrition
Calories: 248kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 223mgPotassium: 129mgSugar: 20gVitamin A: 350IUCalcium: 59mgIron: 1.1mg
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Just made this recipe today with gluten-free flour (Cloud 9) and have already taste-tested the first one prior to taking them to my son’s and his wife’s home for dinner. Lovely! I used 3/4 cup of sugar and since my berries seem to be tart, that’s perfect. Depending on what I’m using them for, I can see cutting back to 1/2. In any case, I know my family will be delighted.
I don’t buy buttermilk so used 1/4 cup 14% sour cream mixed with 1/4 cup 1% milk, and they are perfect. I’m so pleased I came across your recipe Rachel. I had to scroll past lots of biscuit-y shortcake to find it and I’m happy that I did. This is a keeper.
I did the cupcake version and made a double recipe. That was my first mistake. When doing a new recipe I typically do not double it until I know it’s what I want. The tops of the cupcakes came out a different consistency than the rest of the cupcakes. I’ve been baking for 30 years and never had this happen. The cake was way too sweet and was almost like a sugar cookie on top. Very flat. You could tell it was too much sugar by the way they baked up. The second batch I made a regular recipe cutting the sugar in half as the notes at the bottom called for. Second time the consistency was much better and they baked up like a muffin would. The tops were not flat, but raised like you would expect out of a cake. I’m not sure how the recipe would be I. The cake pan as I only did muffins. I didn’t see that anyone tried the muffins in the reviews. I put water in the center two muffin wells that were missing batter since the recipe only makes 10. That worked out nicely to that they cooked more evenly.
These are simply delicious!
My husband said, only make these from now on!
Easy to make! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
You’re welcome Marion!
Bought small sweet strawberries and had whip cream made. Found yr shortbread recipe. Ingredients looked spot on. Just 2 of us. Was yummy. Hubby is retired chef. He said save, print, whatever. This is a keeper. Thank you. Tricia and Phil
I’m so glad you all enjoyed them!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorites and always reminds me of summer. Given how much snow we’re having, this was a welcome escape — even if it’s just in my kitchen! I’m putting this recipe on repeat for sure.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Kim. Strawberries this time of year are certainly iffy but if you found some good ones, I’m glad for you! Stay warm. 🙂 –Rachel
loved this recipe. sometimes I just need a change from the traditional biscuit. I did the same and reduced the sugar to 3/4 and was perfect.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ LOVE THIS RECIPE RACHEL! My daughter loves strawberry shortcake for her birthday cake. I used your recipe and everyone loved it! It’s kept in the recipe book now. THANK YOU FOR SHARING!
I’m so glad Gloria! My birthday is in May and I love shortcake too. 🙂
I tried this recipe and it was PERFECT. It doubles well! I cut back on the sugar and this cake did not disappoint. Love your site and thank you for this simple but oh so delicious recipe….oh the vanilla added a nice touch to this cake….
Very, very good cake, simple to make! I substituted 1/2 cup strawberry kefir milk instead of buttermilk (gave a subtle strawberry taste!) and my husband who doesn’t particularly like shortcake absolutely loved it! So much so that he’s requesting it regularly!
Oh Kefir would be wonderful here!
Just made this recipe today, to go with strawberries and blueberries I just bought. What a delightful little vanilla cupcake! I thought the recipe was very easy to put together, however I used a hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar (did not understand how to do that with a spoon). I did cut the sugar to 3/4 cup, it was just the right amount. Had to create my own buttermilk (as well as whole milk for the buttermilk lol)! Came out perfect with the macerated berries. Wonderful recipe!
Thanks Beth. You can cream butter and sugar with a spoon or a whisk works better. Just beat the crud out of it. 😉 Glad you enjoyed then either way though! –Rachel
Can you make ahead if time? And if so how do you store them?
Thanks Susan
A day ahead would be okay. Let them cool and place them in an air tight container. You may want to stick them in a low oven to rewarm them before serving but that’s optional. –Rachel
I just made this recipe for my fresh picked strawberries for the fourth of July, 2023. I have never eaten the cake before and I used 1/2 cup sugar and they are still very tasty. I also used a bundt cup cake pan and a pan that does muffin tops. I am very happy with the results. Tomorrow will tell how the family likes them. Topping off with home made banana ice cream.