This old fashioned strawberry shortcake recipe is a southern treat that has been handed down for generations. Nothing beats the heat of summer better than a slice of crisp, refreshing strawberry shortcake!
The truly southern way to make strawberry shortcake is to make everything from scratch, including the whipped cream.
Preparing The Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake
As you prepare the cake, you should be sure to pre-heat the oven to 350F. You should never place the cake batter in an oven that is still being warmed up, as this could cause the cooking to fail.
The strawberries should be as fresh as possible. When removing the stems, cut off as much of the white area as possible. The white section of the strawberry has a somewhat bitter taste, which will cause your topping to taste bitter. The red part of the strawberries is the sweetest part and where the most delicious flavor comes from.
When preparing the topping, you will want to cook it then store it in a covered dish in the refrigerator. I recommend storing it overnight, to give the flavor time to intensify. A well chilled, flavorful topping is the best ingredient to serve on an old fashioned strawberry shortcake!
Some prefer to cook the topping using a double boiler, to help prevent it from scorching. Sugar scorches easily so by using a double boiler, you can ensure that your topping cooks well without suffering a bitter burnt aftertaste.
Southern Strawberry Shortcake
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Cake
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 Cup Butter Room temperature
- 2 Eggs Large, room temperature
- 1/4 Cup Milk Room temperature
- 1 Teaspoon Strawberry Extract
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
For The Strawberry Topping
- 2 Pints Strawberries Fresh
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 Cup White Sugar
For The Whipped Cream
- 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 4 Tablespoons Confectioners Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Make The Cake
- PreHeat your oven to 350 F
- Grease your cake pan with a bit of shortening, and dust the inside lightly with flour.
- In a small bowl, sift the flour and baking soda together.
- Mix the butter and sugar well until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
- Add the eggs and extracts, and beat until thoroughly mixed.
- Add the milk, continue mixing.
- Slowly add the flour mixture a bit at a time until it is mixed thoroughly.
- Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the cake is done. You can test if it is done by inserting a piece of uncooked spaghetti into the cake, if ti comes out clean, the cake is done.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about ten minutes, then transfer it to your cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before serving.
Make the Strawberry Topping
- Wash the strawberries, remove the stem and cut them into halves or slices.
- Simmer 1 pint of the strawberries, sugar and extract in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Reserve the other half of the strawberries to use for the topping. Store this in the refrigerator to keep them chilled.
- As you cook the strawberries, they will sizzle for a bit then a liquid will form to make the syrup.
- Stir the mixture continuously as you cook it. Mash a few berries randomly if you wish to form more syrup.
- Cook until the sauce thickens, then remove it from the pan and blend it in your blender.
- Place the sauce in a container and place it in the refrigerator for an hour it to get it chilled.
Make The Whipped Cream
- You will need to use a metal mixing bowl, and metal beaters for this. Not enamel, glass or plastic.
- Place your beaters and mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes to get them chilled well.
- Add all of the ingredients into the bowl, and whisk on low speed until the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
- Increase your speed to medium high, and whisk until stiff peaks start forming.
- Serve immediately.
Assemble The Slices
- Cut your cake into 16 equal slices.
- Layer some of the fresh strawberries on top of the slices.
- Drizzle some of the syrup over the top of the strawberries, allowing some to drizzle down the sides of the cake.
- Top the cake off with a spoonful of whipped cream, serve and enjoy!
