Homemade Strawberry Shortcake can mean a few different things depending on how you grew up eating it. This version is cake-style rather than biscuit-style: a soft vanilla butter cake is baked in one pan, cooled completely, then topped with whipped cream and plenty of fresh strawberries.
I like this style when I want something that slices more like a traditional dessert cake but still has the fresh, simple feel of strawberry shortcake. The cake itself is not overly sweet, which leaves room for the berries and whipped cream to stand out.
The recipe uses everyday baking ingredients, but the order matters. Creaming the butter and sugar first gives the cake a lighter texture, and adding the flour mixture and milk gradually helps keep the batter smooth. The strawberries and cream go on only after the cake has cooled, otherwise the topping can melt and slide.
If strawberries are in season, this is a good way to use them without covering them in a heavy frosting. For more simple sweets, browse our dessert recipes.
This Is a Cake-Style Strawberry Shortcake
Traditional strawberry shortcake can be built on biscuits, sponge cake, or a simple butter cake. Here, the base is a tender vanilla cake made with flour, sugar, eggs, butter, milk, baking powder, vanilla, and salt.
Once it is cool, you can keep things easy and spread the whipped cream over the top before adding the strawberries. If you want more of a layer-cake look, slice the cake horizontally and put some cream and berries in the middle before replacing the top.
I would keep the final presentation fairly simple. Fresh berries already make this dessert look good, and too many extra toppings can make the cake feel heavier than it needs to be.
A Few Ingredient Notes
All-purpose flour: Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it rather than packing it down. Too much flour can make a simple butter cake noticeably dry.
Butter: Let it soften before mixing. Softened butter should give slightly when pressed but should not look melted or greasy.
Eggs: Add them one at a time so they blend smoothly into the creamed butter and sugar.
Milk: Half a cup gives the batter enough moisture without making it loose.
Vanilla: One tablespoon gives the cake a clear vanilla flavor, which works especially well because the topping itself is so simple.
Heavy cream: Keep it cold until you are ready to whip it. Cold cream reaches soft peaks faster and holds its shape better.
Fresh strawberries: Look for berries that are red, fragrant, and firm enough to slice. Wash them, then dry them well before they touch the whipped cream.
How to Keep the Cake Tender
Cream the butter and sugar properly. This step adds air to the batter. Beat until the mixture looks lighter and creamier instead of stopping as soon as the sugar disappears.
Slow down once the flour goes in. I would mix on low speed and stop as soon as the batter is smooth. Overmixing at this stage can make the finished cake tougher.
Start checking before the full baking time. Pan color and oven temperature can change how quickly a cake bakes. The top should spring back lightly, and a toothpick near the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool it completely. This matters more than it seems. Even a slightly warm cake can soften whipped cream almost immediately.
Whipped Cream and Strawberry Tips
For the whipped cream, stop at soft to medium peaks. The cream should hold its shape on the cake but still look smooth and soft. If you keep beating until it becomes grainy, it is starting to move toward butter.
Dry strawberries are just as important. Water left on the berries can loosen the whipped cream and create puddles around the topping.
If your berries are a little tart, you can toss the sliced strawberries with a small amount of sugar and let them sit briefly before serving. That draws out some juice and creates a light strawberry syrup. If you do this, spoon the berries over individual slices rather than letting a lot of juice soak into the whole cake at once.
Can I Make Strawberry Shortcake Ahead?
The cake itself can be baked a day ahead. Let it cool completely, wrap it well, and keep it at room temperature until you are ready to assemble the dessert.
I would wait to whip the cream and slice the strawberries until closer to serving time. Once the cake is assembled, the cream and berries begin adding moisture to the surface, which is delicious at first but eventually softens the cake.
If you need to assemble it a few hours early, keep the finished cake refrigerated and bring it out shortly before serving.
Storage
Store assembled strawberry shortcake covered in the refrigerator because of the whipped cream. The texture is best within about 1 to 2 days.
If you have plain cake left over without the topping, wrap it tightly and keep it at room temperature for short-term storage or freeze it for longer storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this biscuit-style strawberry shortcake?
No. This recipe uses a vanilla butter cake as the base. Biscuit-style shortcake uses a different dough and has a more crumbly, biscuit-like texture.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Fresh strawberries are best for the topping because they hold their shape. Thawed frozen strawberries become much softer and release more liquid, so I would use them as a spoonable sauce instead.
Why did my whipped cream turn grainy?
It was probably whipped too long. Stop when the cream forms soft to medium peaks and still looks smooth.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- Fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1 pinch salt
How to Make Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper if desired.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture looks lighter and creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients in two or three additions, alternating with the milk. Mix on low speed just until the batter is smooth. Do not keep beating once the flour is incorporated.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top springs back lightly and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Baking time can vary with the pan.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack and cool completely before adding the cream.
- While the cake cools, wash, dry, hull, and slice the strawberries.
- Pour the cold heavy cream into a chilled bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until soft to medium peaks form. Stop before the cream becomes grainy.
- Once the cake is completely cool, spread the whipped cream over the top and finish with the sliced strawberries. For a layered presentation, split the cake horizontally and place some cream and berries between the layers.
- Slice and serve soon after assembling for the best texture.
