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.

Strawberry Shortcake

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.

The Lineup

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

Mix

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

Cut it UpCrumbly

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.

Dough

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.

FlattenedCut it Out

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.

ShortcakesBrushedSugaredShortcakes

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

Servings 8 to 12 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 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

Instructions
 

  • Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Add butter and cut in with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add cream, mixing until a slightly crumbly dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Roll out dough to about 3/4? to 1? thick and cut into eight to 12 3-inch rounds. Place rounds on sheet, about 2 inches apart. If desired, brush tops with some extra cream and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake about 20 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and a light golden brown color. Cool before serving.

Adapted from Epicurious