Name: Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe with Fresh Berries
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed; 2/3 cup whole milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup heavy whipping cream; 2 tablespoons powdered sugar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Jump to Recipe

Listen, I’ve been making strawberry cake for years now, and this recipe? It’s the one I keep coming back to. You know that perfect dessert that makes everyone at the table go quiet for a second because they’re too busy enjoying it? That’s what we’re talking about here. I’m Linda, and I’ve tested more strawberry shortcake recipes than I care to admit. Some were okay, others were disasters (let’s not talk about the hockey puck incident). But this strawberry shortcake recipe easy version changed everything. The biscuits come out fluffy and tender, the strawberries get all juicy and sweet, and the whipped cream? Chef’s kiss. What I love most about the best strawberry shortcake recipe is how forgiving it is. Cold butter is your friend here, trust me. And those macerated berries? Give them time to do their magic. I’ve adapted elements from various strawberry shortcake cookies recipe ideas and even borrowed a trick or two from strawberry shortcake cheesecake recipe techniques to get that perfect texture. Whether you’re making this for Sunday brunch or a summer barbecue, people will ask you for the recipe. And hey, now you’ve got it.

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Strawberry Cake Recipe
3) Ingredients for Strawberry Cake
4) How to Make Strawberry Cake
5) Tips for Making Strawberry Cake
6) Making Strawberry Cake Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Strawberry Cake
8) Try these Desserts next!
9) Strawberry Cake
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

What makes this strawberry cake different from other strawberry shortcake recipes?
Can you make strawberry cake with frozen strawberries?
What are the secrets to the best strawberry shortcake recipe?
How long do the biscuits stay fresh after baking?

2) Easy Strawberry Cake Recipe

Let me tell you about my favorite summer dessert. This strawberry cake is something I’ve been perfecting over the years, and now it’s become my go-to whenever someone asks me to bring dessert. What started as a simple craving turned into this foolproof recipe that works every single time.

Quick is the name of the game here. You can have this strawberry cake ready from start to finish in about 35 minutes. I’m talking fresh baked biscuits, perfectly macerated berries, and homemade whipped cream. No fancy equipment needed, just basic kitchen tools and a little bit of love. When I’m rushing to get dinner on the table or prepping for unexpected guests, this recipe saves me every time.

Simple ingredients make this recipe accessible to everyone. We’re not hunting down specialty items at three different stores. Flour, butter, sugar, strawberries, cream. That’s really all you need. I keep these ingredients stocked year round just in case I get a sudden urge to bake. The strawberry shortcake recipe easy method means you don’t need to be a pastry chef to pull this off.

Delicious doesn’t even begin to cover it. The tender, flaky biscuits practically melt in your mouth. Those strawberries get all syrupy and sweet after sitting with sugar, creating this incredible juice that soaks into the shortcakes. Then you add that billowy whipped cream on top, and suddenly you understand why people get emotional about dessert. My neighbor actually cried when she tasted this last summer.

Better than store bought by a mile. I used to grab those sponge cake cups from the grocery store, thinking they were good enough. Wrong. Once you taste homemade strawberry shortcake, there’s no going back. The texture is completely different. Real butter makes everything taste richer. Fresh strawberries have that bright, sweet flavor that frozen ones just can’t match.

This recipe came together after testing various strawberry shortcake cookies recipe ideas and even some tricks from strawberry shortcake cheesecake recipe techniques. I wanted something that felt special but didn’t require me to spend all day in the kitchen. The result? Pure magic on a plate.

3) Ingredients for Strawberry Cake

All Purpose Flour forms the base of our biscuits. I always use regular all purpose flour, nothing fancy. Make sure you spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off instead of packing it down. Too much flour makes dense, tough biscuits, and nobody wants that. I learned this the hard way after making hockey pucks instead of tender shortcakes one terrible afternoon.

Cold Unsalted Butter is the secret weapon here. I’m talking straight from the fridge, still firm, cut into little cubes. Cold butter creates those beautiful flaky layers when it hits the hot oven. The water in the butter steams up and creates little pockets of air. If your butter gets too warm, pop everything in the freezer for ten minutes. Trust me on this one.

Fresh Strawberries are worth seeking out. I wait until they’re in season, usually late spring through early summer, when they’re sweet and fragrant. Give them a sniff at the store. If they smell like strawberries, you’re golden. If they smell like nothing, keep looking. I wash mine gently and hull them with a paring knife, then slice them about a quarter inch thick so they release their juices nicely.

Granulated Sugar does double duty in this recipe. We use it in the biscuit dough for a hint of sweetness, and then we toss it with the strawberries to draw out their natural juices. This process is called macerating, and it transforms regular strawberries into this incredible syrupy topping. The sugar dissolves and mixes with the berry juices to create pure liquid gold.

Baking Powder gives us that rise and fluffiness. Make sure yours is fresh! Baking powder loses its power over time. I test mine by dropping a spoonful into hot water. If it fizzes immediately, it’s good. If nothing happens, toss it and buy new. Old baking powder means flat, sad biscuits.

Heavy Whipping Cream gets used twice here. First, we mix some into the biscuit dough to make it tender and rich. Then we whip the rest into soft, pillowy clouds for topping. I keep a carton in my fridge at all times. The high fat content is what makes whipped cream possible. Don’t try to substitute milk here, it won’t work.

Vanilla Extract adds that warm, sweet background note. I use pure vanilla extract, not imitation. Real vanilla just tastes better, and you can tell the difference. A little goes into the biscuits, and a little more goes into the whipped cream. It ties everything together beautifully.

Salt might seem unnecessary in a dessert, but it’s not. Just half a teaspoon balances out the sweetness and makes all the other flavors pop. Without salt, everything tastes flat and one dimensional. With it, you get depth and complexity. It’s like the difference between watching TV in black and white versus color.

Powdered Sugar goes into the whipped cream. It dissolves faster than granulated sugar and gives you a smoother texture. I’ve tried using regular sugar in whipped cream before, and you end up with a grainy texture that’s not pleasant. Powdered sugar melts right in and sweetens without any grit.

Whole Milk adds moisture to the biscuit dough. Some recipes use heavy cream exclusively, but I find a mix of milk and cream gives you the perfect texture. Not too rich, not too lean. Just right. Make sure it’s whole milk, not skim. The fat content matters for tender biscuits.

4) How to Make Strawberry Cake

Step 1. Get your strawberries prepped first. Wash them under cool water, pat them dry with paper towels, then hull them. I use a paring knife to cut out the green tops and any white core. Slice them into even pieces, about a quarter inch thick. Dump them in a bowl, sprinkle with sugar, give them a gentle toss, and set them aside. They need at least 15 minutes to work their magic.

Step 2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. I used to skip this step and regretted it when biscuits stuck to the pan. The parchment makes cleanup so much easier. While the oven heats up, you’ve got time to mix your dough. Check on those strawberries. Give them another stir. See how the sugar is already starting to dissolve and the berries are releasing their juice? Perfect.

Step 3. Mix your dry ingredients in a big bowl. Flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt all get whisked together. I use a fork or a whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed. No clumps allowed. This step is important because you want the leavening to be spread throughout the flour so your biscuits rise evenly. Uneven mixing means some biscuits puff up while others stay flat.

Step 4. Add the cold butter cubes to your flour mixture. Now comes the fun part. Use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers to work the butter into the flour. You’re looking for a texture like coarse crumbs or wet sand. Some pea sized pieces of butter are fine. This takes a few minutes of work. The butter should be coated in flour but still visible. Those butter chunks create flaky layers when they melt in the oven.

Step 5. Pour in your milk and vanilla extract. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula just until the dough comes together. Don’t overmix! I can’t stress this enough. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and makes tough biscuits. Mix until you see no more dry flour, then stop. The dough should look shaggy and a bit rough. That’s exactly what you want for this best strawberry shortcake recipe.

Step 6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Sprinkle a little flour on your counter or a large cutting board. Pat the dough into a round about an inch thick. Don’t use a rolling pin if you can help it. Just use your hands to gently press it out. The less you handle it, the more tender your biscuits will be. I like to make mine about an inch thick so they’re tall and impressive.

Step 7. Cut out your biscuits using a round cutter. I have a set of biscuit cutters in different sizes. For this recipe, I use a three inch cutter. Press straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and prevents the biscuits from rising properly. Place the cut biscuits on your prepared baking sheet about two inches apart. Gather the scraps, pat them together gently, and cut out more biscuits. The scraps won’t be quite as tender as the first batch, but they’re still delicious.

Step 8. Slide the baking sheet into your preheated oven. Set a timer for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, check on them. They should be golden brown on top and firm to the touch. If they need more time, give them another two or three minutes. My oven runs a little cool, so mine usually take the full 15 minutes. Every oven is different. When they’re done, transfer them to a cooling rack.

Step 9. Make your whipped cream while the biscuits cool. Pour cold heavy cream into a chilled bowl. I like to stick my mixing bowl in the freezer for ten minutes before whipping cream. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium high speed until soft peaks form. This takes about three to five minutes with an electric mixer. Don’t overbeat or you’ll end up with butter. Stop when the cream holds its shape but still looks soft and billowy.

Step 10. Time to assemble! Slice each biscuit in half horizontally like you’re making a sandwich. Place the bottom half on a plate. Spoon a generous amount of those beautiful macerated strawberries over it, letting that sweet juice soak in. Add a big dollop of whipped cream. Top with the other half of the biscuit. Add more strawberries and cream on top because more is always better. Serve immediately and watch people’s faces light up.

5) Tips for Making Strawberry Cake

Keep everything cold when making the biscuit dough. Cold butter, cold milk, cold cream. I even chill my mixing bowl sometimes on really hot days. The colder everything is, the flakier your biscuits will be. If your kitchen is warm and the butter starts melting while you’re working with the dough, stick the whole bowl in the freezer for ten minutes. It’s worth the wait.

Don’t overwork the dough. I know I keep saying this, but it really matters. Mix just until combined. Pat, don’t roll. Handle gently. Every time you work the dough, you develop more gluten, which makes tougher biscuits. Think of it like being gentle with a baby. Rough handling equals sad results. Gentle handling equals tender, flaky perfection.

Let those strawberries sit with the sugar for at least 15 minutes, but 30 is even better if you have time. The longer they sit, the more juice they release. I’ve let mine sit for an hour before when I got distracted, and they were incredible. All that syrupy juice soaks into the biscuit and creates little pockets of strawberry flavor. It’s worth the patience.

Use fresh strawberries when possible. I know frozen berries are convenient, but fresh really makes a difference here. Frozen strawberries release way too much liquid when they thaw, and they don’t have the same bright flavor. Save the frozen ones for smoothies. For this strawberry shortcake recipe easy method, fresh is best.

Whip the cream just before serving. Whipped cream deflates over time. If you make it too far in advance, it’ll turn into a sad, watery mess. I whip mine right after the biscuits come out of the oven. By the time everything cools down, the cream is ready to go. If you need to make it ahead, you can stabilize it with a little gelatin, but honestly, it only takes five minutes to whip.

Taste your strawberries before adding sugar. Really sweet berries might need less sugar. Tart berries might need more. I usually start with a quarter cup and adjust from there. You can always add more sugar, but you can’t take it away. Same goes for the whipped cream. Taste as you go and adjust the sweetness to your liking.

Room temperature biscuits taste best. Hot biscuits are too crumbly and will fall apart when you try to slice them. Cold biscuits from the fridge are too firm. Let them cool to room temperature after baking. They’ll slice cleanly and have the perfect texture. If you need to speed up cooling, you can set them in front of a fan.

6) Making Strawberry Cake Ahead of Time

You can absolutely prep components of this recipe ahead of time. I do it all the time when I’m hosting brunch or planning a dinner party. The key is keeping things separate until you’re ready to serve. This strawberry cake holds up beautifully when you plan ahead.

Bake the biscuits up to two days in advance. Let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay fresh and tender for at least 48 hours. Don’t refrigerate them because that dries them out. Just leave them on your counter in a sealed container or zip top bag. When you’re ready to serve, you can warm them slightly in a 300 degree oven for about five minutes if you want.

Prepare the strawberries the morning of serving, or even the night before. Macerated strawberries actually get better as they sit. The sugar continues to draw out juice, and the flavors meld together beautifully. Store them covered in the refrigerator. They’ll keep for up to three days, though they’re best within the first 24 hours. Just give them a stir before using.

Wait to make the whipped cream until right before serving. Like I mentioned earlier, whipped cream doesn’t hold well. It starts breaking down after about an hour. If you absolutely must make it ahead, you can stabilize it with gelatin or cornstarch, but honestly, it’s so quick to whip that I’d rather just do it fresh. Five minutes with an electric mixer and you’re done.

Don’t assemble the shortcakes until you’re ready to eat them. Keep everything separate. Biscuits in a container, strawberries in the fridge, cream whipped at the last minute. Then assemble individual servings as people are ready to eat. This keeps the biscuits from getting soggy and maintains all those wonderful textures. Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, with juicy berries and fluffy cream.

If you’re taking this to a potluck or party, pack everything separately and assemble on site. I use a plastic container for the biscuits, a bowl with a lid for the strawberries, and I bring my mixer to whip cream fresh. People are always impressed when you put everything together right in front of them. It looks fancy but takes no time at all.

7) Storing Leftover Strawberry Cake

Leftover biscuits should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh for about two days. Don’t put them in the fridge. The cold air dries them out and makes them stale faster. If you have more than you can eat in two days, freeze them instead. Wrap each biscuit individually in plastic wrap, then put them all in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to three months.

Store leftover strawberries separately in a covered container in the refrigerator. They’ll keep for up to three days. That juice is precious, so make sure your container seals well so you don’t lose any. The berries will continue to soften as they sit, but they’re still delicious. You can use leftover strawberries on ice cream, yogurt, or oatmeal if you don’t finish the shortcakes.

Whipped cream doesn’t store well once it’s made. It starts to deflate and separate within a few hours. If you have leftover whipped cream, you can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours, but you’ll need to rewhip it before using. It won’t be quite as fluffy as fresh, but it’s still usable. Better yet, just make smaller batches so you don’t have leftovers.

Never store assembled shortcakes. Once you put strawberries and cream on a biscuit, the clock is ticking. The juice soaks into the biscuit and makes it soggy within an hour or two. If you know you’ll have leftovers, only assemble what you plan to eat immediately. Keep the components separate and build more servings as needed.

Reheat frozen biscuits in a 350 degree oven for about ten minutes. They come back to life beautifully. You’d never know they’d been frozen. Let them cool slightly before slicing and assembling your shortcakes. I actually think the texture improves slightly after freezing. Something about the freeze and thaw cycle makes them even more tender.

If you somehow end up with fully assembled leftover shortcakes (though I can’t imagine how, they’re too good), store them in the fridge and eat within a few hours. They won’t be as good as fresh, but they’re still edible. The biscuit will be soggy, but sometimes that’s not such a bad thing. It’s like bread pudding at that point, soft and soaked with strawberry juice.

8) Try these Desserts next!

9) Strawberry Cake