A million years ago we were first married strawberry shortcake was our favorite dessert. I hate to say it, but we made it using Sara Lee sponge cake and canned whipped cream…why? I don’t know, I guess because we were young and didn’t know there was a much better way. But now we are kind of old and very, very wise so we make Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake with an incredible sweet biscuit with silky homemade whipped cream, and let’s just say it’s far superior to the version from our past.
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Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake with mint leaves on white plate in front of stone wall

 

Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake, It’s all About the Biscuit!

Real shortcake is very much like a flaky buttermilk biscuit, but slightly sweeter, not too sweet because the berries and whipped cream are plenty sweet, so we want just a hint of sweetness. These biscuits are made from scratch but are quick and easy to make, I promise! The dough comes together in minutes, then you set them in the fridge to “rest” for 20 minutes and bake. That’s it. I give you step by step instructions with photos in the recipe below.

Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake with whipped cream and mint on white plate in front of stone backdrop

 

The Berries and Whipped Cream:

I use fresh strawberries soaked in lemon juice and lemon zest for this recipe. That lemon really adds a tangy edge to the sweetness of the berries. Then I top with freshly whipped cream made from scratch. There are few things in the world better than homemade whipped cream. It’s silky and airy and well…heaven, that’s what it is, heaven. So much better than canned.

Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake with mint leaves on a cake plate in front of stone wall

Love Strawberry Desserts?

Try my Vanilla with Strawberry Buttercream!

A pink topped with berries cake with a slice cut out set on a white plate

The Recipe: Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake

What you need for the biscuits: a rolling pin, a pastry cutter,  parchment paper. What you need for the berries:  a microplane to zest citrus.

Print
Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
52 mins
 

A delicious dessert made the old fashioned way, from scratch!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: berry dessert, strawberry shortcake, summer dessert
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
For Biscuits:
  • 3 cups all purpose flour or bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon  baking powder
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter cut into small cubes(must be cold or you won't get that flaky texture)
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk (how much you use will vary due to weather and type of flour used)
Berries:
  • 3 cups fresh ripe strawberries, diced
  • zest and juice of one small lemon
For Whipped Cream:
  • 1 pint whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
Instructions
For Biscuits:

  1. Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour mixture. You want it to look like like a course meal with little pieces of butter visible

  2. Pour 1 cup buttermilk into butter and flour mixture and stir with a spoon until dough starts to come together. If dough seems dry, drizzle in more buttermilk and work the dough until it just comes together and is cohesive. Then use your hands to mix. Keep in mind that you may not need all the buttermilk. Be careful not to overwork dough.

  3. Dust a counter with flour and turn dough out onto the floured surface. Flatten and shape into a rectangle using your hands. Use a rolling pin to roll to 3/4" thick. Fold the dough in thirds (like a piece of paper before you put it in an envelope) and then use the rolling pin to roll to 3/4" thick again, this will give you those flaky layers

  4. Cut as many biscuits as you can with biscuit cutter (or the rim of a drinking glass or jar). Then reshape the extra dough and cut again. You should have about ten biscuits (depending on the size of the biscuit cutter or class rim you use)

  5. Place your biscuits about a 1/4' apart on parchment covered cookie sheet. Brush the tops very lightly with buttermilk, then sprinkle with granulated sugar. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes

  6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place oven rack in center of oven

    Bake time depends on the size of your biscuit. Smaller biscuits (2-2 1/2") Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a little golden. Larger biscuits (3-3 1/2") bake for 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool.

While biscuits bake, prepare berries and whipped cream

  1. Dice the berries (fairly small) Zest a small lemon and add zest to berries, then squeeze juice over berries. Stir, set aside.

  2. Pour cream into a fairly large bowl, add vanilla and sugar. Use a hand mixer on medium speed (or whisk by hand) until cream is fluffy and can hold a peak.

Putting it together:

  1. Use a fork to separate biscuits, spoon whipped cream and berried onto bottom portion of the bisuit, add berries, place the top portion of the biscuit on top, add a little whipped cream on top and more berries if desired. Serve!

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