Sweetheart Strawberry Shortcake (Print)

Buttery shortcake layered with fresh strawberries and fluffy whipped cream for a delightful treat.

# What You Need:

→ Shortcake Components

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
06 - 1/3 cup whole milk
07 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Strawberry Mixture

08 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
09 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

→ Whipped Cream

11 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
12 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
13 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl until uniform.
03 - Work cold butter into dry mixture using pastry cutter or fingertips until coarse crumbs form.
04 - Stir milk and vanilla into crumb mixture just until dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Drop tablespoon-sized dough mounds onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack.
06 - Combine sliced strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Toss gently and rest 15 minutes to release juices.
07 - Beat cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
08 - Crumble cooled shortcakes into bite-sized pieces. Layer crumbles, macerated strawberries, and whipped cream in 4 dessert glasses. Repeat layers, ending with whipped cream and garnish strawberry. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Layering parfaits feels like playing with your food but the result looks professionally assembled and impressive
  • The individual portions mean everyone gets their own perfect serving with generous cream to berry ratios
02 -
  • Working with cold butter is nonnegotiable for flaky shortcake so pop your butter in the freezer for 10 minutes before starting
  • The whipped cream will start to break down if the parfaits sit longer than two hours so time your assembly accordingly
03 -
  • Don't overwhip the cream or it will become grainy and difficult to layer smoothly
  • Let the macerated berries sit in their juices and spoon some of that liquid over the cake layers for extra moisture

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