You know those cellophane bags of “shortcakes” you can pick up in the produce section, usually right next to the plastic sacks of “strawberry” glaze? Well, I have some bad news. I destroyed all of those in several small arson jobs. And I infested the factories than make them with toucans.
I know, I know, I should have talked to you first before I stole all those toucans from the Froot Loops factory and released them into the ventilation system of the fake strawberry product factory, but really I was doing you a favor.
Traditional, homemade shortcakes are infinitely better tasting than those stale old sponge cake bowls; and my strawberry sauce has TWO special ingredients that will make you go Whoomp. There it is.
PLUS, in the video I show you how to make them shaped like little cutie-pie bunnies! Strawbunny Shortcakes! Get it?! FOR EASTER!!!
I crack me up.
- 1 quart strawberries
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (to make it special!)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (and even more special!)
- For the shortcakes:
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1¾ teaspoons baking powder
- 15 tablespoons heavy cream (1 cup minus 1 tablespoon)
- 2 tablespoons raw sugar
- For serving:
- ½ – 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
- Prepare the strawberries: Wash, hull, and slice ¼” thick. Combine with 3 tablespoons brown sugar and vanilla. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 450 F (425 F if using a dark-colored baking sheet) and lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper
- Sift together the flour, white sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl.
- Make a well in the center and pour in about ¾ cup of the heavy cream. Stir and add a couple more tablespoons cream, stirring, until the dough begins to come together.
- Sprinkle a surface with flour and knead the dough 3-4 times or until it can be pressed into a smooth ball.
- Roll out ½ inch thick and cut out four 2-1/2″ or 3″ circles and eight ovoid “bunny ear” shapes. If you want, you may skip the bunny part and just cut out 6 circles.
- Attach two ears to each circle. Brush the 1 tablespoon remaining cream over all and sprinkle with raw sugar.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until the bottoms are light brown.
- While they bake, whip the cream for filling. Place cold cream in a bowl and beat with a mixer whisk attachment on high for 5-8 minutes, or until it stands in soft peaks. You may add a teaspoon or two of sugar if you like.
- While warm, arrange on plates and split. Fill with strawberries and their juice and some whipped cream.
- Pass extra strawberries and cream at the table.
Of course, you can use CoolWhip or ReddiWhip if you must, but in a dish this simple, I would choose the simplicity of real whipped cream. Plus, you have all that cream left over from making the biscuits!
The LEARN TO COOK Book is Here!
By popular demand, Learn to Cook is now available in print! Over 300 pages of knowledge between two soft covers.
Learn To Cook is designed to get you cooking for yourself like a civilized human being! Drawing from a lifetime of cooking and over two years experience making instructional cooking videos, author Hilah Johnson has produced a beginners’ cookbook for today’s young adults. The casual, straightforward style will appeal to anyone with a sense of humor and the focus on fresh, simple recipes will appeal to anyone who loves to eat. The book includes chapters on menu planning, knife skills, grocery shopping and more, plus a comprehensive spice chart and over 150 recipes from breakfast to dinner to snacks in between.
I create short-form, educational, and occasionally hilarious cooking videos geared towards beginner and intermediate cooks, as well as people who are just looking for simple, low-cost recipes. Everything is made from scratch, people!
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Great recipe! I love strawberry shortcake. We used to get it for dessert every time we went to Durgin Park in Boston, Mass., for the corned beef and cabbage. Your shortcake looks like cream scones — add raisins and have it for afternoon tea!
I agree that homemade whipped cream is way better than from a container. Sweetening it with simple syrup avoids the possible grittiness of sugar granules. I’ve used maple syrup to sweeten whipped cream for pumpkin pie and pecan pie.
Shortcake is a favorite of mine. With any berries, too, not just strawberries. You’re right the shortcakes are pretty much scones. I thought about maybe just making “strawberry shortcake scones” but then I’d have had to use dried berries or something. Although, could also have strawberry jam on the cream scones and still call it that!
Thanks for the simple syrup tip! I’d never thought of that before.
Aeffing adorable!!!
I know, RIGHT?!?!?
Hilah, this is the cutest strawberry shortcake I’ve ever seen!
Thanks, Faye!
You rock hilah! Thanks
Thank you, Sujita!