The Best Strawberry Shortcake

5 from 23 votes

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Simple, sturdy cake is one of our favorite ways to enjoy Strawberry Shortcake. You just can’t go wrong with a fluffy cake that is layered with strawberries and finished off with whipped cream.

I look forward to strawberry shortcake every year. It means warm weather is here and strawberries are ripe for the picking. This has been one of my favorite desserts since I was a child and I’m excited to share this classic shortcake recipe with you.

shortcake cut in halve and then layered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream in a white bowl
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Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Ingredients:

  • Granulated sugar: this is adding the sweet to your cake, it doesn’t have a lot (it’s not an overly sweet cake) but just enough
  • Butter: I love using butter in this cake recipe, it adds flavor and is the fat in the recipe
  • Egg: this helps everything to bind together
  • Flour: you’ll just need a simple all-purpose flour here, nothing fancy
  • Milk: this is the wet ingredient for your cake and what helps everything come together
  • Fresh strawberries: it wouldn’t be strawberry shortcake with out these! This recipe is best with fresh in-season strawberries
  • Freshly whipped cream: the simple joys! Freshly whipped cream is such a treat and goes so well with the cake and strawberries

How to make Strawberry Shortcake:

  1. Mix up your cake by adding your butter and sugar to a large bowl and mixing well.
  2. Add the egg and beat.
  3. Add the dry ingredients and mix and then beat in the milk. Bake up your cake.
  4. Prep your strawberries and whipped cream while the cake bakes.
  5. After it’s cooled a bit serve the cake with strawberries and whipped cream on top.
Strawberry shortcake two ways - one recipe for a sweet biscuit-like shortcake and one recipe for a cake-like strawberry shortcake, because I aim to please.

What happens when you put sugar on a strawberry?

I like to add a tablespoon or two of sugar to my cut strawberries and let them sit while I make the shortcake. This gives the strawberries some time to release their juices and makes a nice syrup to drizzle on top of the shortcakes. So good.

Making the whipped cream?

To make whipped cream, I simply add 1-2 cups of heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla to the bowl of my stand mixer or electric mixer and whip the cream until soft peaks form. SO much better than anything pre-made from the store. Very worth the 5 minutes of prep, if you ask me.

Strawberry shortcake two ways - one recipe for a sweet biscuit-like shortcake and one recipe for a cake-like strawberry shortcake, because I aim to please.

How do I serve strawberry shortcake?

To serve strawberry shortcake I slice the cake into 9 pieces. Remove one piece from the pan and split it down the middle. Top half of the cake with strawberries and whipped cream, add the second half of cake, and top with more whipped cream and strawberries. 

Storage Tips:

Store any leftover cake covered at room temperature. Separate from any leftover strawberries or whipped cream.

Strawberry shortcake is such a lovely dessert. It’s light, not too sweet, and easy to prepare. Enjoy a slice (or two) from my kitchen to yours!

plate with cake on it with strawberries on top and whipped cream

More strawberry recipes:

5 from 23 votes

Cake-Like Strawberry Shortcake

My famous strawberry shortcake recipe made with a simple homemade cake (so not fussy!), sweetened strawberries, and whipped cream. We eat this once a week all spring long.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 9

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1-2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled, sliced, and sweetened to your liking
  • 2-4 cups freshly whipped cream, sweetened if you like

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-inch square baking dish (or line it with parchment).
  • In a medium bowl, add the sugar and melted butter and stir to combine well.
  • Add the egg and vanilla and stir to combine.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat with an electric mixture or stand mixer to combine.
  • Add the milk and beat again until the mixture is smooth with no lumps. Place the batter in the prepared pan.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cake is lightly golden and springs back when lightly touched.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool at least 30 minutes before serving.
  • To serve, slice the cake into 9 pieces. Remove one piece from the pan and split it down the middle. Top half of the cake with strawberries and whipped cream, add the second half of cake, and top with more whipped cream and strawberries.
  • Serve right away.
  • Store any leftover cake covered at room temperature, separate from any leftover strawberries or whipped cream.

Notes

  • It’s best to use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer for this cake. I’ve made it a few times where I stirred it all by hand and I was left with little flour chunks in my batter and cake. Incorporating the milk with an electric mixture helped to ensure there were no flour chunks in my cake.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 9 servings, Calories: 231kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 214mg, Potassium: 149mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 303IU, Vitamin C: 30mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 1mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

And I’m dying to know, what is your go-to Strawberry Shortcake recipe? Biscuit or Cake?! Do tell! If you don’t have a favorite yet, I’d for sure try this cake recipe.

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55 Comments

  1. Made the biscuits tonight. Replaced 2 Tablespoons with coconut coffee creamer and we all agreed they tasted like coconut macaroons

  2. I made the cake type yesterday, had peach shortcakes last night and absolutely loved it. It’s sweet without being over-powering and it has that hint of vanilla. My husband loved it and he’s picky about sweets (he’s also honest and will tell me when he doesn’t like something). I overbaked it slightly and need to take it out at the 15 minute mark but it was still wonderful!

    1. Thanks for leaving a comment and peach shortcake sounds so good! I’m going to have to make some asap!

  3. Biscuit for sure and these were amazing!! My daughter made them last night for dessert. Super easy and so delicious, thank you for sharing!

  4. It is very easy to make with the help of this article. On the party of last sunday, i made this cake all my friends and family members became very happy after taking it. It was tooo tasty!!!!!!!!!!! We will make it again on this Sunday..
    Thanking You!!!!!

  5. I love all kinds of strawberry shortcake! But my favorite is with chiffon cake, very much like angel food cake, but with 8 whole eggs instead of just the whites. It is amazing, especially with orange juice as the liquid. The recipe in the Better Homes and Garden cookbook is awesome.

  6. They both look good! I think I’m into the cake kind though… no the biscuit… maybe I should try both just to be sure…

  7. Angel food cake… So soft and spongy and delish. (From scratch… Not that store stuff… Yes… I’m hoity about angel food cake…!)