Biscuit Strawberry Shortcake

What is Strawberry Shortcake made of?

There are three main components of strawberry shortcake.

1. Shortcake — which is either biscuit or cake.
2. Whipped Cream — simply heavy cream whipped with sugar.
3. Strawberries — sweetened with sugar to create a syrup.

It’s an easy dessert that looks as great as it tastes, and is fairly quick to make.

Why is it called Shortcake?

“Shortcake” broken down into short-cake, refers to the “short” layers in the dough created by fat (butter, shortening, or lard) with minimal gluten formation, resulting in a crumbly, crisp “cake.” In other words — a biscuit.

Some variations may use a cake or sponge cake for convenience or due to personal preference.

Biscuit Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

I’ll show you how to make the true version of strawberry shortcake — made with sweetened biscuits.

NOTE: The full recipe and instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this post.

For the Strawberries

First, for this strawberry shortcake recipe, you need to prepare the strawberries.

Rinse, hull, and slice or dice the strawberries. Add sugar and stir together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve; a minimum of 30 minutes to 1 hour for the sugar to dissolve completely. The fruit will macerate (release juices) over time and create a syrup.

For the Biscuits

NOTE: These biscuits use butter, as opposed to shortening, for the best flavor. Be sure to use cold butter straight from the fridge and work quickly, or chill the formed biscuits for 10 minutes before baking them for the optimal tall height, round shape, and flaky layers.

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Add the butter and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles course crumbs. (NOTE: Cutting the butter into Tablespoons first, helps expedite this process.)
• Add the buttermilk and stir until the mixture starts to clump together.
• Empty the ingredients from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.

• Press crumbs together and then roll the dough into a 6×9-inch rectangle, using extra flour as needed to prevent sticking.
• Cut the rectangle of dough into thirds and stack them on top of each other. Roll the dough back into a 6×9-inch rectangle; should be 1-inch or so thick. (This technique helps ensure you get those tall, flaky layers.)
• Use a 2 1/4 or 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut 6 biscuits. Gather scraps and roll together to make 2-3 more biscuits. Be careful not to over-work the dough.
• Place biscuits several inches apart on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet. Bake at 450˚F for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Allow biscuits to cool completely on tray.

For the Whipped Cream

The last thing to prepare for this strawberry shortcake recipe is the whipped cream.

Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on high until medium-stiff peaks form.

If you want your cream to be extra sturdy and pipeable, try this stabilized whipped cream. It doesn’t deflate or weep (get watery) and lasts for days!

Assemble the Biscuit Strawberry Shortcakes

Once you have the three components made, assemble the shortcakes.

Split the biscuits in half and add some whipped cream and strawberries with their juices. Serve immediately. Consider trying my lemon strawberry shortcake too.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Strawberry shortcakes CANNOT be assembled ahead of time or the biscuit will absorb the moisture from the strawberries and cream and become soggy.

You can, however, prepare each component and store them separately to assemble when ready to eat.

• Biscuits – Last up to 5 days refrigerated in an airtight container. Alternately store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Strawberries in Syrup – Lasts up to 3-4 days refrigerated in an airtight container.
• Whipped Cream – Lasts up to 48 hours refrigerated in an airtight container. Stir to refresh. Consider making homemade cool whip (stabilized whipped cream) for longer storage; up to 4-5 days.

If You Make This Recipe, Please Rate and Review it in the Comments Below. THANKS!