Strawberry shortcake is my favorite dessert. More specifically, I love the version where a warm shortcake biscuit (or scone, if you’re in the UK) is split in half and filled with juicy strawberries, lightly sweetened whipped cream, and vanilla ice cream.
In my opinion, there are two main types of strawberry shortcake—although there’s actually a third one I’ll get to in a minute.
The first is the classic layered cake filled with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, then covered with more whipped cream (or some variation of it). If we’re being fancy, I’d say the French Fraisier is the sophisticated cousin of strawberry shortcake. These cakes are usually made with sponge, génoise, or chiffon cake, and even a strawberry Swiss roll filled with whipped cream falls into this category.
The second version is my favorite by far: a buttermilk shortcake biscuit with a crunchy sugar crust, rich buttery flavor, and a soft, tender, crumbly interior that’s still slightly warm from the oven. Fresh strawberries are wonderful, but I think macerating them is worth the extra step because the syrup they release soaks into the biscuit. Add lightly sweetened whipped cream—better yet, whipped cream with a little mascarpone or cream cheese—and a scoop of homemade vanilla bean ice cream, and you’ve got my perfect dessert. There are countless ways to make strawberry shortcake, but this is the version I dream about.
One of the reasons I love it so much is that I almost always have unbaked shortcake biscuits in my freezer. They’re one of my favorite breakfasts with butter and jam, but they also become an incredible dessert in no time. While the biscuits bake, I prepare the strawberries and whip the cream, and dessert is ready almost as soon as the biscuits come out of the oven.
If we want to get technical, it’s really the shortcake that makes it a strawberry shortcake rather than simply strawberries and cream with cake or biscuits. According to Merriam-Webster, the “short” refers to the high fat content—traditionally butter or shortening—which creates short gluten strands and gives the biscuit its tender, crumbly texture. The part I choose to focus on is “high fat content,” which, for me, means European-style butter with at least 82% butterfat. And yes, salted butter is absolutely my preference. Personally, I’d only use shortening if it were the apocalypse.
Now for the third type of Strawberry Shortcake—the cutest one of all.
I grew up in the ’80s, and my mom bought me Strawberry Shortcake dolls, all of which I still have today. They smelled absolutely incredible, and somehow they still do. Like so many girls of my generation, I even had a Strawberry Shortcake-themed birthday party. I always loved the character, but as an adult, my obsession shifted to the dessert made with buttery shortcake biscuits. Recently I found the most perfect Strawberry Shortcake sticker by NatterDoodle, and it reminded me just how much this little strawberry-loving character has been part of my life.
So when I call myself a Strawberry Shortcake Connoisseur, now you know exactly what I mean.
Are you a layered-cake strawberry shortcake person, or do you believe the only true strawberry shortcake starts with a buttery biscuit? I’d love to know which team you’re on?
