There are at least two schools of thought when defining what exactly a shortcake is. In some parts of the world, a shortcake is sweet and comparable to a vanilla cake. In others, its 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 – dont 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. Whether or not the cakes made during the 16th century had anything to do with fruit is debatable, as some claim that the shortcakes we know and love were an American invention. What makes shortcake (in its traditional biscuit-like sense) so unique is that the cake itself is versatile, and if you make a mistake while creating a strawberry shortcake, its easy enough to fix.
First, there’s that name. It’s not called shortcake because it isn’t tall. “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.
Shortcakes can be sweet or savory
Typically, shortcakes are made with strawberries and English cream or whipped cream, but there are several other ways to prepare this cake. At some point in American history, home bakers began layering shortcakes with everything under the sun, including savory options like tomatoes and chicken pâté.
Shortcakes can also be served with almost any fruit, from blueberries and standard strawberries to bananas and raspberries. Since preparing fruit for a shortcake is simple (adding sugar to the fruit to release its juices), making a shortcake with leftover fruit can create a creative and unique dessert, and you can even combine several fruits to turn things up. The shortcake can also be cut with a round cookie or biscuit cutter and baked to create smaller, individual-sized cookies or personal stacked shortcakes. The sky is the limit when it comes to this classic dessert.
Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
FAQ
What’s the difference between a shortcake and a regular cake?
What defines shortcake?
What’s the difference between shortbread and shortcake?
Is a shortcake a biscuit?
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.
How do you make Shortcake?
Shortcake is typically made with flour, sugar, baking powder or soda, salt, butter, milk or cream, and sometimes eggs. The dry ingredients are blended, and then the butter is cut in until the mixture resembles cornmeal. The liquid ingredients are then mixed in just until moistened, resulting in a shortened dough.
What is a short cake?
It’s a dessert that is easy to make and really highlights the berries. The name actually dates back long before this current shortcake first appeared. Short cakes were originally any cake that was high in fat, which was also known in general as shortening – hence the name.
Why is Shortcake called shortcake?
The name “shortcake” is derived from an old English cooking definition of short which referred to something made crisp with the addition of fat. Shortcake is a crisp, crumbly cake made from butter which is how it got its name. Is shortcake a biscuit? In many parts of the world, the term biscuit refers to a cookie.