Strawberry Shortcake with Whipped Cream

When I was growing up, we had a large garden with a strawberry patch and it produced an incredible amount of berries. I loved baking strawberry shortcakes to make use of the abundance. In an hour, or less, strawberries will turn the sugar into a perfectly red, strawberry syrup. To top it off, my mom always made whipped cream from scratch. Whipped cream is so quick, we would prepare enough to last a day, then make a fresh batch the following evening. Any whipped cream that wasn’t devoured became a sweet addition to morning coffee.

Typically this shortcake would use cold butter blended into the flour, but using room temperature butter, mixing and then refrigerating for 15 to 30 minutes, requires less effort without sacrificing flavor. The shortcake is buttery and soft, but not overly sweet. This complements the strawberries and whipped cream. When serving, use a spoon to drizzle some of the strawberry syrup over the top of each serving.

You will need:

• 1 large mixing bowl
• Medium metal or glass mixing bowl, with high sides
• Medium bowl or serving dish with lid, for the strawberries
• Spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Large measuring cup for 2 cups or more
• 8″ x 8″ glass baking dish or 8″ cake pan
• Small, sharp knife or paring knife
• Cutting board
• Hand mixer

Strawberry Shortcake

⅓ cup room temperature butter

2 cups flour

3 Tbsp sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup milk

2 drops almond extract

Butter to grease the baking dish

Measure the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Blend the butter into the flour mixture. The mixture will have small dots of butter remaining, like crumbs, and these help the dough rise. Stir in the milk. Mix until just blended. Cover and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425° F. Grease the sides and bottom of dish with butter. Remove the dough their refrigerator and pat it into the pan.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in a glass dish, until lightly browned on top. While it is baking you can begin working on the strawberries.

Let it cool at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Best served warm or at room temperature.

This can be frozen in a plastic container or freezer bag, and thawed overnight or in the microwave on low/defrost.

Sugared Strawberries

3 cups washed and lightly dried strawberries

⅓ cup sugar

Slice strawberries into bite-sized pieces. I think horizontal slices look best. Stir in sugar, cover and set aside. Strawberries are best served at room temperature for this dessert.

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 Tbsp powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Place a metal or glass bowl in the freezer until it is cold. This will help the whipping cream form faster. Using a chilled bowl, add whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. With a hand mixer, set your speed to low to start, then increase the speed to medium-high. You only need to whip for about 2 – 3 minutes, until it starts forming peaks. It is best used within a few hours, as it will lose its airiness, but will still be good for up to 24 hours. This is rarely an issue, my whipped cream is so well loved that it goes fast. If you have any left over, it’s excellent with coffee and breakfast.