Strawberry shortcake dessert is a classic summer favorite made with two mini layers of cake, homemade whipped cream, and sliced fresh strawberries. An easy, light and refreshing dessert everyone will enjoy.

Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite desserts, and it’s actually one of the few recipes that I usually reserve for the summer months. This classic recipe is just the best when everything is fresh and in season. When strawberries start showing up at my grocery store, I start making this dessert fairly regularly. I just can’t get enough of it! This recipe is one of my favorites because it’s as pretty as it is delicious. The best part is that it might look fancy, but it’s actually so easy to make!
Strawberry Shortcake Dessert
This delicious dessert starts with a soft, tender, and moist cake that melts in your mouth with every bite. It cut it into rounds, and add homemade whipped cream loaded with strawberry puree and finely chopped strawberries between the cake layers. I finish it off with more whipped cream and diced strawberries on top for a classic strawberry shortcake dessert that is absolutely beautiful and delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Shortcake Dessert Recipe
- It’s easy to make and only takes a few simple ingredients, which are easily found at the local grocery store.
- It’s absolutely delicious and the combination of fresh strawberries, homemade whipped cream, and shortbread cake is simply irresistible.
- It can be made into a single-layer or two-layer dessert and can be customized with different toppings, such as chocolate chips, granola, or nuts
- It’s perfect for parties, backyard barbecues, after-dinner desserts, or an afternoon snack. It is sure to be a hit with everyone.
Strawberry Shortcake Dessert Ingredients
This recipe only uses simple, basic baking ingredients along with strawberries to create its delicious flavor. You’ll have no problem finding everything you need at your local grocery store.
- All purpose flour is used for a variety of baked goods and is the perfect flour for shortcake.
- Baking powder is a leavening agent and helps create air bubbles in baked goods and gives the shortcake its light and fluffy texture.
- Salt helps enhance the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Eggs add richness and moisture to the shortcake.
- Sugar adds sweetness to the cake.
- Whole milk adds richness and flavor.
- Heavy cream also adds richness and flavor to the shortcake and is the key ingredient to creating a light and fluffy homemade whipped cream.
- Butter adds richness and flavor.
- Vanilla extract adds flavor to the cake and the whipped cream.
- Strawberry puree adds sweetness and color to the whipped cream.
- Finely chopped strawberries add flavor, color and texture to the whipped cream.
- Diced fresh strawberries add color and flavor.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Dessert
Making this dessert is so much easier than you think. While it looks super fancy, it comes together so easily. Anyone can do it.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a standard baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.
Step 2: Make the Cake
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Beat the eggs until combined in a large bowl. Then, add the sugar and beat until creamy. Finally, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Heat milk, heavy cream, and butter in a saucepan over low heat just until the butter is melted. Then, slowly add it to the batter followed by vanilla, and mix until combined.
Step 3: Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 4: Cut into Rounds
Cool the cake completely, then cut out circles of your desired size using a biscuit cutter.
Step 5: Make the Whipped Cream
Beat the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla on high speed in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Then, fold in pureed strawberries and chopped strawberries.
Step 6: Make the Strawberry Shortcakes
Spread the whipped cream on top of half of the shortcakes. Then, top with the other shortcakes and add more whipped cream. Finished with a heaping tablespoon of diced strawberries on top and more whipped cream, if desired.
Recipe Tips
- When heating your cream and butter mixture, keep the heat low and remove it from the heat as soon as the butter is melted.
- STOP beating your whipped cream as soon as you get stiff peaks. Overbeating the whipped cream will cause it to collapse.
- When adding the strawberries puree and chopped strawberries, fold gently and don’t stir. This helps keep the air inside the whipped cream.
- Let your cake cool completely before cutting it into rounds. Warm cake breaks apart too easily.
Variations
- You can use your favorite berries to make any variety of berry shortcake., like blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
- Use Cool Whip if you prefer.
- If you prefer the texture of the traditional cake, use a boxed cake mix. It’s not an official shortcake, but it’s still darn good!
What to Serve with Strawberry Shortcake
This delicious recipe is perfect as a dessert after any meal, from simple to fancy. It’s wonderful at parties and barbecues, as an extra special family dessert, or at more upscale gatherings. It’s really a universal dessert that you can serve anytime, anywhere.
Recipe FAQ
You can, but be sure to defrost them and drain them as much as possible. Frozen strawberries release a lot of juice, and that can ruin your frosting if you aren’t careful.
Traditional cake is soft, while shortcake is crumbly and crisp. However, both types of cake are used in modern shortcakes interchangeably.
Strawberry shortcake will last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Yes! Homemade whipped cream freezes incredibly well and will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Most people think shortcake gets its name from its height, but the name actually comes from its texture. The name shortcake comes from an old English cooking definition of short which meant making something crisp with the addition of fat. That makes sense considering that traditional shortcake is a high fat content and a crisp, crumbly texture.
How to Store Leftover Strawberry Shortcakes
Store these shortcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
Try This Delicious Strawberry Shortcake Recipe Today
This strawberry shortcake recipe is absolutely delicious and much easier to make than you’d think. It’s fully-homemade, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be slaving away in the kitchen all day. In fact, you’ll be in and out in just a few simple steps. Give this one a try, and I know you’ll make it every chance you get when strawberries are in season.
More Delicious Strawberry Dessert Recipes
And, here is a Strawberry Peach Smoothie recipe that is perfect on a hot day.
Strawberry Shortcake Dessert
Equipment
- 1 Baking sheet (the one we used was 17.5 x 12.5 inches)
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups diced fresh strawberries
Homemade Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup strawberry puree (add strawberries to food processor)
- ½ cup finely chopped strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
For the Cake
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs until combined, add sugar and beat for about 3 minutes or until nice and creamy.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Using a small saucepan, heat milk, heavy cream and butter over low heat just until the butter is melted, then slowly add to batter, followed by vanilla. MIx until combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Once the cake has cooled, take a biscuit cutter and cut circles out of the cake, into desired sizes..
Homemade Whipped Cream
- Using a medium bowl, beat heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Fold in pureed strawberries and chopped strawberries..
- Spread whipped cream on top of half of the shortcakes.
- Place the other shortcake on top and spread additional whipped cream on top.
- Add a heaping tablespoon of diced strawberries on top and additional whipped cream, if desired.
- Serve and enjoy.
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When you say cook on cookie sheet what size. I have different size cookie sheet.
Hi Mary, The one we used is 17.5 x 12.5 inches.
Absolutely amazing recipes I already can’t wait to make all of them your website is spectacular
Thank you SO much, Tamira! That means a lot to us. I hope every recipe you make is absolutely delicious for you and your family. Thank you for the 5-star rating too! 🙂