Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake
This perfectly refreshing homemade dessert features a fluffy and less sweet Old Fashioned Southern Sugar Cake, topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. This easy cast iron version of the cake is perfect for a summer crowd!
I LOVE strawberries. In fact, I lucked out and when my husband and I got married, we were married in June, which just happens to be strawberry month in Wisconsin! So we had strawberries in everything, and I mean EVERYTHING! So in honor of our wedding anniversary this month, I’m sharing my version of Strawberry Shortcake that I have been making for the last 6 years for our anniversary.
My Latest Food Videos
Quick Overview
Let’s talk cake. This cake is based on an old-fashioned recipe called a Southern Sugar Cake. The cake is baked in a cast-iron skillet. It’s slightly sweet (but less sweet than typical cakes), soft (think, a slightly denser version of Angel food cake), and quite easy to make!
The original recipe is supposed to use egg whites so that it is a slightly fluffier white cake, much closer to an angel food cake. But for me, I like the richer and softer texture given when I use the whole egg.
How to Make My Version
You’ll love how this strawberry shortcake recipe comes together. Find the full recipe below. But here’s the gist:
Mix together the eggs, vanilla, shortening, and milk for about 3 minutes, (it will look like small curd cottage cheese.)
Add the sugar and continue mixing.
Sift into the bowl: the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Blend together until just combined.
Use a spatula to finish combining any leftover flour. You’ll see some clumps of shortening and that’s OK.
Then pour the batter into a greased (use shortening) cast iron pan
Bake for 40-45 minutes, using a toothpick/fork inserted in the center to test for doneness. It should come out clean.
Let cool in the pan, on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes before serving. Once cool enough to handle, you can transfer it to a plate/platter of your choice or serve it right in the cast iron.
Slice some strawberries or make yummy strawberries in syrup” by: Mix together the strawberries and the powdered sugar together until you see the powdered sugar “disappear” and the liquid starts to show from the strawberries. Set aside.
Make the whipped cream: check out How to Make Whipped Cream from Scratch. I go over every detail of how to make whipped cream and the 3 different stages your whipped cream can look like.
Assemble the Strawberry Shortcake: Dust with powdered sugar, then dollop whipped cream then strawberries in syrup/sliced strawberries on top in the center.
Jenn’s Notes:
You can also make the cake into cupcakes for an easier shortcake or use this fun pan to make actual shortcake “cups”.**
**You will need to lessen the time to not overbake the shortcake cups.
Cooking with Kids
DISCLOSURE: These tips are generalized, and meant to be suggestive. Everything I’m sharing I do with my kids, and they are all different even within my own five. So please take these as suggestions or ideas and if you think your child needs more or less help, then go with what you and your child are comfortable with. Ultimately, you know your kids, do what YOU think is best.
This is fantastic for kids to help with
Looking for other summer desserts? Try on of these:
PrintStrawberry Shortcake – From Scratch
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 people 1x
Description
This is a from-scratch Strawberry Shortcake Recipe. With fresh whipped cream, juicy strawberries, and homemade old-fashioned sugar cake as the shortcake.
Ingredients
Shortcake
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
Strawberries (in “syrup”) Optional¹
- 7 strawberries cubed or sliced
- 2 T powdered sugar
Strawberry Shortcake
- Cake
- Strawberries in syrup
- Whipped Cream Store-bought or Homemade (If you’ve never made whipped cream before, check out How to Make Whipped Cream from Scratch. I go over every detail of how to make whipped cream and the 3 different stages your whipped cream can look like.)
Instructions
The Cake
- Mix together the eggs, vanilla, shortening, and milk for about 3 minutes, (it will look like small curd cottage cheese.)
- Add the sugar and continue mixing.
- Sift into the bowl: the flour, corn starch, baking powder, and salt. Blend together until just combined.
- Use a spatula to finish combining and leftover flour. You’ll see some clumps of shortening and that’s OK.
- Then pour the batter into a greased (use shortening) cast iron pan²
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, using a toothpick/fork inserted in the center to test for doneness. It should come out clean.
- Let cool in the pan, on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes before serving. Once cool enough to handle, you can transfer it to a plate/platter of your choice or serve it in the cast iron.
Strawberries (optional)
- Mix together the strawberries and the powdered sugar together until you see the powdered sugar “disappear” and liquid start to show from the strawberries. Set aside.
Assembling the Strawberry Shortcake
- Dust with powdered sugar³
- Dollop whipped cream then strawberries in syrup/sliced strawberries on top in the center.⁴
Notes
¹You could just simply slice strawberries and serve them with whipped cream. This is my preferred way, but the other way is also good.
²DO NOT use release spray
³This is a fun part for kids to do.
⁴I like to have the extra on the side for each person to top their own slice with as well.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
Want to remember this post? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest Board!
All Images ©2021 Always Jenn Smith; Jenn Smith, LLC (FKA Smith Country)
