The best strawberry shortcake is tender, buttery, and layered with lemon strawberries and cream. Each bite is bright, cool, and the easiest summer dessert you’ll make!
Nothing says summer like fresh strawberries, lightly sweetened whipped cream, and a tender lemon shortcake made from scratch. The strawberries are enhanced with a bit of lemon and sugar, and the whipped cream is slightly sweetened. It’s all sandwiched between a buttery and brightly sweet shortcake for the perfect summer dessert!
Don’t let shortcake fool you. This dessert is easier than you think, maybe even easier than my strawberry shortcake cupcakes! If you need more delicious ways to use your fresh strawberries, try my strawberry rhubarb bars or this delightful strawberry cake!
Table of Contents
Why This is the Best Strawberry Shortcake
- Tender and crisp shortcake! Using heavy cream and butter create a tender shortcake, and the sugar creates a nice crust. It is crisp on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside!
- Easy and perfectly balanced. This shortcake is super easy to make! So easy, you won’t ever go back to store-bought shortcake again. The lemon in the shortcake ties to the lemon and the strawberries, then it all comes together with the whipped cream for a perfect dessert.
- Perfect make-ahead dessert. The great thing is you can make the shortcake dough ahead of time and freeze it. And you can make the whipped cream up to three days in advance!
Professional Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Shortcake
- Be gentle to your shortcake. Shortcakes need quick and delicate handling. You just want to combine the dough and shape it without overworking it. If you mix it too much or work too slowly, the shortcake will become chewy.
- Whip your cream by hand. For the most stable and creamiest whipped cream, whip by hand using a balloon whisk. It takes some time, but trust me, it does make a difference.
- Zest the lemon into the sugar and let it sit for a while. First thing you should do is zest the lemon directly into the sugar. It will allow the sugar to catch all the zest oils and help intensify the flavors. Just like in these lemon cookies!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- All-purpose flour: I use all-purpose flour for this recipe because it has just the right amount of gluten to make a tender, not tough shortcake.
- Lemon zest & juice: The lemon zest is used to flavor the shortcake, and the fresh lemon juice complements the strawberries.
- Granulated sugar: I use granulated sugar in the shortcake to retain moisture, improve texture, and stability. It is also used with the strawberries to help draw out the wonderful juices.
- Baking powder: Double acting baking powder will react instantly when it is mixed with an acid and then again when it is heated. This will also allow you to make the shortcake ahead and freeze it.
- Kosher Salt
- Unsalted butter: The butter is integral to shortening the gluten strands, which get coated during the mixing process. This keeps them from forming a strong network and helps create a lovely, tender shortcake.
- Heavy cream: The heavy cream adds fat to the shortcake to aid in the flavor and texture. It is necessary to use full-fat heavy cream, also known as heavy whipping cream, to make the whipped cream. Light whipping cream will not whip the same. It will over-whip easily and not be as smooth.
- Vanilla extract
- Strawberries: You can use fresh or frozen strawberries in this recipe. Fresh berries are best to use, but you can also use frozen berries for strawberry shortcake in a pinch or when strawberries are out of season. I recommend tasting the strawberries when mixing them with the sugar so you can balance out their sweetness.
- Powdered sugar: Confectioner’s sugar is finely ground into a powder, making it useful for glazes, frostings, and, in this case, whipped cream. It creates a smooth, silky whipped cream without the application of heat.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Flavor the whipped cream! You can add mascarpone, maple, crushed dehydrated strawberries, or honey to the whipped cream, or use my lemon curd whipped cream recipe.
- Change the fruit. Macerate other berries, like raspberries, blackberries or blueberries, like with my blueberry shortcake. You could even make a stone fruit shortcake with cherries, peaches, or nectarines.
- Use different citrus. Change the lemon to key lime, blood orange, Cara Cara oranges, or Meyer lemons if you can find them!
How to Make the Best Strawberry Shortcake
Use these instructions to make the best strawberry shortcake! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Make the shortcake:
Step 1: Heat the oven to 425°F (conventional, no fan) and line two rimmed baking pans with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, lemon zest, three tablespoons of granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
Zest the lemon directly into the sugar beforehand and massage it into the sugar to release all the essential oils.
Step 3: Use a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingers to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is the size of small peas. I used a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment because my carpal tunnel is real.
Step 4: Stir 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla into the flour mixture just until a dough forms.
Make sure you are working with cold cream and butter. The cold will help keep the gluten from developing, ensuring a tender crumb, similar to my easy pie crust recipe.
Step 5: Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Gently shape each piece of dough into a biscuit-shaped round about 3/4-inch thick. You can cut them with a biscuit cutter if you would like crisp edges. I like the rustic look.
I really didn’t do much shaping. Just divided and patted it into a round shape. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.
Step 6: Chill the biscuits on the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the dough with turbinado sugar. I didn’t brush them with heavy cream or anything. The dough is pretty sticky, so it just stuck!
Step 7: Once chilled, transfer the biscuits to the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the baked biscuits to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the strawberries and cream:
Step 8: Meanwhile, rinse and drain the strawberries. Slice into bite-sized pieces. I usually cut a standard strawberry into 8 pieces.
Step 9: In a medium mixing bowl, stir the strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice until well mixed. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use immediately, or store the berries, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours or overnight. The berries will continue to break down as they sit.
Taste your strawberries with the sugar and lemon. Some strawberries can be sweeter than others, and you want to ensure they are up to your liking.
Step 10: Just before serving, make the whipped cream. In a large mixing bowl, beat the powdered sugar and 1 cup of heavy cream with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. I usually finish by hand with a whisk just to ensure it doesn’t over-whip.
Assemble:
Step 11: Use a serrated knife to gently cut the shortcakes in half.
Step 12: Top each bottom half with a generous spoonful or two of the strawberry mixture. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream, and more berries if desired.
Step 13: Top with the top half of the shortcake. Serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store baked shortcakes in an airtight container at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or in the freezer. Homemade whipped cream can be made up to three days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If making the strawberries ahead, only do so the night before and store them in the refrigerator.
The strawberries should sit with the juice and sugar for at least 30 minutes up to 12 hours before serving. The strawberries will start to break down the longer they sit in the lemon and sugar.
For the best shortcake, chill it for at least 20 minutes after shaping. You can do these the night before and leave them overnight. The shortcake dough will start to turn brown in the fridge if it’s kept for over a week, so be sure to bake it before then.
Yes, you can freeze the shortcakes! Whether it’s the baked biscuits or the unbaked batter. The dough should be frozen if you make it ahead more than a week before serving.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below! I love hearing from you and your comments make my day!
best strawberry shortcake
Ingredients
For the shortcakes:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- turbinado sugar, or raw sugar, for topping just before baking
For the strawberries:
- 2 pints strawberries, about 1 ½ lbs
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- lemon juice, ½ large lemon
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Make the shortcake:
- Heat the oven to 425°F (conventional, no fan) and line two rimmed baking pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, lemon zest, three tablespoons of granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Use a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingers to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is the size of small peas. I used a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment because my carpal tunnel is real.
- Stir 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla into the flour mixture just until a dough forms.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Gently shape each piece of dough into a biscuit-shaped round about 3/4-inch thick. You can cut them with a biscuit cutter if you would like crisp edges. I like the rustic look.
- Chill the biscuits on the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the dough with turbinado sugar. I didn’t brush them with heavy cream or anything. The dough is pretty sticky, so it just stuck!
- Once chilled, transfer the biscuits to the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the baked biscuits to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the strawberries and cream:
- Meanwhile, rinse and drain the strawberries. Slice into bite-sized pieces. I usually cut a standard strawberry into 8 pieces.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir the strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice until well mixed. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use immediately, or store the berries, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours or overnight. The berries will continue to break down as they sit.
- Just before serving, make the whipped cream. In a large mixing bowl, beat the powdered sugar and 1 cup of heavy cream with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. I usually finish by hand with a whisk just to ensure it doesn’t over-whip.
Assemble:
- Use a serrated knife to gently cut the shortcakes in half.
- Top each bottom half with a generous spoonful or two of the strawberry mixture. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream, and more berries if desired.
- Top with the top half of the shortcake. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Before You Go
I hope you enjoyed this professional shortcake recipe. Check out our other delicious spring desserts like this blueberry cake recipe or these delightfully easy raspberry cupcakes!
