ByTiffany McCauley
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This strawberry shortcake recipe is an easy way to make healthier strawberry shortcake from scratch that still actually tastes delicious!
When I was little, I had a serious obsession with strawberries. My mother worked for a grocery store and would bring home crates of strawberries in the summer. Those big crates that the strawberries get transported in in trucks on their way to grocery stores around the country.
I don’t know if it was a girl thing, or if I had some sort of vitamin deficiency, but I could go through almost an entire crate of strawberries in one sitting. In fact, I ate so many that I would break out in hives. And now, Mini Chef seems to be following in my footsteps. Minus the hives, thank goodness! Not a morning goes by in summer when he doesn’t ask for strawberries with his breakfast. Blueberries are a close second (and would work great with this recipe too!).
WHAT IS STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE?
It’s a shortcake topped with macerated strawberries and whipped cream. However, in this recipe, I avoid macerating the strawberries because I feel like a sky high sugar content, even with natural sugars, is not a great idea. This already has enough without adding more. Plus, I enjoy the strawberries fresh. It somehow makes for a lighter dessert.
CAN YOU MAKE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes and no. You can make the cake, prep the strawberries and whip the cream ahead of time, but you can’t assemble the cake ahead of time. That must be done just prior to serving. I like to make the cake portion three days before, prep the strawberries two days before and whip the dream the day before. Then assemble the day of. It makes a bigger job much more manageable.
WHY IS IT CALLED SHORTCAKE?
Perhaps surprisingly, it has nothing to do with the height of the cake.
“Short” is an English word, dating to at least the 16th Century, that means crisp. Or, more specifically, something made crisp with the addition of fat, traditionally either butter or lard. … A great shortcake is like a biscuit, only better.Source
That being said, here in the states, we have become far more used to the cake-like texture of store-bought shortcakes. So that is what this recipe offers.
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MORE HEALTHY STRAWBERRY DESSERTS:
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
- Balsamic Strawberries
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE RECIPE:
Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
A from-scratch recipe that won't leave your tummy feeling heavy or overly full.
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Course: cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 8 shortcakes
Calories: 437kcal
Equipment
Tartlet pans
Ingredients
Shortcake Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tbsp. oil (I used grapeseed - you need light flavored oil)
- ¾ cup honey
- 2 tbsp. unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Filling:
- 2 lbs. strawberries (washed and de-stemmed - or more if you wish)
Whipped Cream Topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream (coconut cream works too - see link above)
- 3 tbsp. honey
Garnish:
- ground cinnamon for garnish - sprinkle over the top
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Prep:
Be sure to refrigerate your cans of coconut milk at least a full 24 hours before making this.
Shortcake:
You can use pretty much any type of cake pan, tartlet pan or ramekin. I tried it in all three. I liked the tartlet pan for its shape, but I liked the ramekins for ease in assembly and serving. I also tried it with a small, regular cake pan, but did not like the outcome much just because of the resulting flat shape. Makes it tough to assemble your strawberries for presentation. But effective in a pinch.
Please note that regardless of which tin/pan you decide to use, it will take a bit of convincing (even if you sprayed and/or floured the pans) to get the baked shortcake out of the pan once it's baked. Just take your time and remove them slowly. They do come out. Promise.
Chop your strawberries and whip together your whip cream.Assemble the shortcakes by layering as in the photo at the top.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
Make a well in the middle of the flour mix and add your wet ingredients. Whisk to combine.
Pour the batter into your chosen pans and bake at 350 F. for approximately 35 minutes. Keep an eye on these because they are relatively thin (or should be) and won't need as much time in some ovens.
Filling:
While the shortcake bakes, clean your strawberries and chop or slice them, as you like.
Whipped Cream:
Next, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream or coconut cream in a medium mixing bowl until almost stiff. (Note that cream will become much stiffer than coconut cream, but either will work here.)
Then blend in your sweetener and continue mixing until all the sweetener is well incorporated and you have a nice consistency in your whipped cream.
Remove the shortcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
Assembly:
Top each shortcake with strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream.
Finally, sprinkle with a dash of ground cinnamon and serve.
Notes
Please note that the nutrition data given here is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.
Nutrition
Serving: 1shortcake | Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 604IU | Vitamin C: 67mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 2mg
