The Best Strawberry Shortcake

By Melissa

5 from 45 votes

on Apr 18, 2017, Updated Aug 22, 2024

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

A shortcake cut in half and then layered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream in a white bowl.


 

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 childhood, and I’m excited to share this classic shortcake recipe with you. Don’t forget the whipped cream on top!

This is the perfect dessert for springtime, but it can be enjoyed year-round with fresh or frozen strawberries. It can also be tweaked and enjoyed with this Shortcake Biscuit recipe and as a Sheet Cake. Every version is delicious!

Table of Contents

A shortcake cut in into pieces with a bowl of whipped cream and bowl of red strawberries beside it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • This recipe is perfect for a quick, delicious dessert. It requires just 10 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes to make.
  • It uses common pantry items and fresh strawberries, making it easy to whip up without a special trip to the store.
  • The cake is homemade yet not fussy, offering a comforting, made-from-scratch taste.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Sugar – Granulated
  • Butter
  • Egg
  • Flour – All-purpose
  • Milk
  • Strawberries – Best if fresh
  • Whipped cream – I love freshly made whipped cream most of all!

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities 

A white bowl with shortcake dough mixed up beside a bowl of red strawberries, eggs and butter.

How to make Strawberry Shortcake

A white bowl with strawberry shortcake mixture and a wire whisk.
A square pan filled with shortcake dough ready for the oven.

Step 1: Mix sugar, melted butter, egg, and vanilla. Mix in remaining ingredients until smooth.

Step 2: Pour the batter into a pan and bake. Cool for 30 minutes.

a square pan with a bake strawberry shortcake golden brown and ready for toppings.
strawberries on a dense shortbread crust and whipped cream.

Step 3: Cut the cake into pieces, split each, and layer with strawberries and whipped cream.

Step 4: Top with more strawberries and whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Recipe FAQs

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 time to release their juices and makes a nice syrup to drizzle on top of the shortcakes. So good.

How do I make the whipped cream?

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

How do I serve strawberry shortcake?

To serve strawberry shortcake, I slice the cake into nine 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 the cake, and top with more whipped cream and strawberries. 

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

Yes, you can use frozen strawberries. Just make sure to thaw them and drain any excess liquid before sweetening and using them in the recipe. This will prevent the cake from becoming too soggy. 

A top view of the strawberry shortcake still in the baking dish lined with parchment paper.

Expert Tips

  • Ensure your butter, egg, and milk are at room temperature before mixing. This helps them blend smoothly into the batter, making a more even and tender cake texture.
  • Use an electric mixer to combine the ingredients thoroughly, especially after adding the milk. This ensures a smooth batter without any lumps, creating a more consistent and light cake.
  • Keep a close eye on the cake while baking. It should be lightly golden and spring back when touched lightly in the center. Overbaking can dry out the cake, so aim to remove it from the oven as soon as it’s done.
  • Be sure to let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing it in half to prevent it from splitting.
A top view of the strawberry shortcake, a bowl on cut strawberries, and a bowl of whipped cream.

More Yummy Dessert Recipes to Consider

Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!

5 from 45 votes

The Best Strawberry Shortcake

By: Melissa Griffiths
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
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Equipment

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
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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

  • Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer for this cake is best. I’ve made it a few times, stirring 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 ensure no flour chunks in my cake.
  • Ensure butter, egg, and milk are at room temperature before mixing. This helps them blend smoothly into the batter, making a more even and tender cake texture.
  • Be sure to let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing it in half to prevent it from splitting.
  • Keep a close eye on the cake while baking. It should be lightly golden and spring back when touched lightly in the center. Overbaking can dry out the cake, so aim to remove it from the oven as soon as it’s done.

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
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5 from 45 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




77 Comments

  1. Mary says:

    5 stars
    Hands down the best cake for strawberry shortcake. Absolutely delicious!! I doubled the recipe and put it in a 13×9

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      So glad you liked it Mary! Thanks for commenting!

  2. Laura says:

    The cake came out very thin. Not able to slice it in half to make two. Slices. I followed the recipe exactly. Needed about 5 extra minutes in the oven to make it golden…but nothing else was different. What could have gone wrong?

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      Did you put it in a 9×9 inch pan or a 9×13 inch pan?

    2. Gay says:

      Could your baking powder be old? That’s happened to me.

  3. Gay says:

    I’ve been hunting for a a recipe that looks similar to what my mother used to make. I thought this might be it but people keep referring to it as biscuits in some comments and that’s not what I want. Is this more cake like? Also I need to make this for 12. If I double should I put in 9X13 pan? Bigger? Should I just use two 9 inch cake pans? Tx!

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      You can double this and put it in a 9×13 inch pan, it’ll just need additional cooking time.

  4. Dk says:

    Sounds all good but where are the ingredient amounts, I don’t c them

    Reply
  5. Gail D says:

    5 stars
    My husband decided yesterday that we needed to take a ride to the local strawberry farm that just opened up for the season. In addition to amazing strawberries, they had pre-packaged sponge cakes so folks could make strawberry shortcake, but he hates those. This recipe was a delightful find and I had all the ingredients (other recipes required heavy cream). This will be a family favorite!

    Reply
  6. Patsy E Henderson says:

    5 stars
    Forgot the stars. Thanks again for a great recipe.

    Reply
    1. Carol W says:

      Baking dish (glass) or baking pan (metal)?

      Thanks!

    2. Melissa says:

      Both work great, use what you like or have on hand.

  7. Patsy E Henderson says:

    I had fresh strawberries and needed a homemade recipe for the shortcake and so I tried this. It was great. Just the right size for the 2 of us with leftovers.
    I will make this again.
    Thanks.

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      Thanks so much Patsy! So glad ya’ll liked it!

  8. D says:

    5 stars
    I had never made shortcake from scratch before so decided to try this recipe. So glad I did! Delicious, not oversweet and holds up well to the strawberry sauce. This is now my go to recipe.
    Thank you

    Reply
  9. Brenda Olson says:

    Thank you for this recipe.

    Please note a small error says ‘step 1. Mix up you cake. . .
    (Your)

    Love your page!!
    Brenda-Lyn Olson

    Reply
  10. Melissa says:

    5 stars
    An excellent, and very easy recipe! Very tasty too! Just what I was looking for. Thank you!

    Reply