Strawberry Shortcake – gorgeous three-layered classic dessert featuring sweet yellow cakes filled with a cream cheese filling and macerated strawberries. Perfect for summer BBQ, potlucks and birthday parties!
Don’t let the summer end without making this ultimate strawberry dessert. If you still have more fresh strawberries sitting in your kitchen right now, I say, make the most out of it by making this classic Strawberry Shortcake which is sure to impress your family and guests. You can serve this during backyard BBQs, potlucks or at birthday parties – plus point if the celebrant is a huge strawberry lover!
Unlike cake batter, shortcake batter is significantly thicker and reminiscent of biscuit dough. But shortcakes don’t share the same buttery flakiness of biscuits or the dry crumbliness of a scone. That’s because shortcake recipes call for eggs and use more sugar. That’s what makes them unique!
What is a Shortcake?
Shortcake is a sweet cake typically made with flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and/or baking soda, butter, cream or milk and eggs. It is said that the first shortcake recipe appeared in an English cookbook dated 1588. The name shortcake itself comes from the English word “short” which means to make crisp with fat (like lard or butter). While shortcakes these days come in different forms, I prefer the round yellow crumbly cake for ease of baking and presentation purposes. Or you can also use my Vanilla Cake recipe as cake layers.
Most of us are familiar with a few common varieties of cakes found in bakeries or cookbooks. However when it comes to cakes that have a core ingredient in common, we do cannot quite tell them apart. When you buy a cake at a bakery or order cakes online, knowing what you are ordering is crucial. Nobody likes having the wrong cake delivered to them. The most commonly misunderstood variations are those of strawberry cakes. Most people cannot differentiate between a strawberry layer cake and strawberry shortcake.
Strawberry layer cake: Strawberry layer cake or a regular strawberry cake has a moist, fluffy texture. This cake is a seasonal favorite among both home cooks and gourmet chefs. A strawberry layer cake is usually larger than shortcake. The key difference in the preparation is that the strawberries in cut or liquid form are cooked along with the layers instead of being added at a later stage. This is what makes the two strawberry cakes different. The strawberries are baked into the cake rather than being simply added between layers.
Strawberry Shortcake: The most popular of all shortcakes is strawberry shortcake. This cake has a sponge or biscuit base. It has a crumbly texture as opposed to the fluffiness of strawberry layer cakes. The biscuit or sponge layers are baked separately from the layers that contain strawberries. Liquid ingredients like strawberry syrup or the juice from freshly cut strawberries are added between the layers later. Although the core ingredient strawberry is present, what sets the two strawberry cakes apart is the way strawberry is incorporated into the cake. Shortcakes are often smaller in size.
Both the cakes are equally delicious can be ordered for parties, small get-togethers or bought as a snack for tea time. Strawberry shortcake and layer cake are seasonal cakes that are best enjoyed during strawberry harvesting months.
The science of BAKING CAKES – Vanilla Sponge Cake VS Vanilla Butter Cake
FAQ
What constitutes a shortcake?
What is the difference between shortcake and pound cake?
What is the difference between strawberry shortcake and strawberries and cream cake?
What is the meaning of shortcake cake?
What is the difference between a cake and a shortcake?
Shortcake has a different texture than traditional cake—it’s more biscuit-like, with a slightly crumbly texture and an exterior that’s almost a bit crispy when you bite into it. The cake in this recipe is not a traditional shortcake, which usually involves cutting in the butter like you would with a biscuit dough to get that crumbly texture.
What is the difference between a shortcake and a biscuit?
In some parts of the world, a shortcake is sweet and comparable to a vanilla cake. In others, it’s closer to a biscuit and has a salty, crumbly texture. Both types of shortcakes are delicious, and both deserve a spot in shortcake dessert history – don’t make the mistake of thinking that these cakes are named for their size.
What is a Shortcake made of?
The sky is the limit when it comes to this classic dessert. Shortcake consists of a few ingredients that you likely have on hand. The basic biscuit dough includes flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter.
Why are shortcakes called shortcakes?
Both types of shortcakes are delicious, and both deserve a spot in shortcake dessert history – don’t make the mistake of thinking that these cakes are named for their size. Shortcakes are not necessarily physically short; the name refers to an Old English term meaning something crisp with the addition of lard — i.e., shortening.