Whole Wheat Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake has to be one of my favorite summertime desserts.  The fresh, sweet strawberries atop a tender shortcake with a large dollop of whipped cream seems to scream “Summer is here!”  Every year, I can’t wait for strawberries to be in season so that I can make this easy, fresh dessert to share with family and friends.

This recipe for shortcake resembles more of a scone or a biscuit than an actual cake.  I love the texture and slightly sweet nature of this shortcake.  I’ve even eaten the leftovers toasted with jam, and they are pretty tasty!

I use half whole wheat flour in these shortcakes.  Of course, this recipe can be made with all white flour if you don’t have any whole wheat on hand.

First, mix together the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a big bowl.

Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until it’s nice and crumbly.

Mix in the cream a little bit at a time until all cream is added and your dough comes together.  Roll it up into a ball, cover, and chill for awhile.

Flatten the dough and roll out gently to make the shortcakes.  I use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to make nice, round shortcakes.  Any other large cookie cutter would work.  Additionally, you can also just slice the dough into rectangles or squares as you see fit.

Place them on a lined baking sheet (I used a silicone mat).  If you want, brush them with a little extra cream and sprinkle with some raw sugar.  Bake until a light golden brown.

Let the shortcakes cool before you slice them and top with sweetened strawberries and whipped cream.  For the strawberries, if you have time to slice them up about 30 minutes before serving, you can put a small squeeze of lemon juice and a few spoons of sugar in the bowl and give it a stir.  Let it sit in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.  For the whipped cream, add a little vanilla extract and powdered sugar after it’s lightly whipped to make it extra special.

Whole Wheat Strawberry Shortcake
Adapted from Epicurious

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
2/3 cup whipping cream

Makes 8 to 12 servings.