Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry shortcake, a summer delight. It's strawberry season in Florida, a time when strawberries are the most flavorful than ever (don't give me those ones that are totally white in the middle!) and cheap! Florida is the second largest producer of strawberries in the United States, second only to California.

Buying fruit in season is always a good idea, for many reasons. It's going to generally be fresher, more flavorful, and better for the environment (after all, something being trucked from a place where it grows to a location that's out of season burns a lot of fuel). Strawberry shortcake itself historically was a summer treat, when transporting strawberries on ice became possible and refrigeration was becoming more common.

Another dish with a rich history, strawberry shortcake has a lengthy history, with shortcake itself referring to one of two options: a light, fluffy cake like angel food or a sweet biscuit. This is all topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

Shortcake itself has origins in England (a far back as the 1500's!), referring to a crumbly cake. The short part refers to using a good amount of shortening (fat), which prevent gluten strands from forming and creates a soft, crumbly texture. 

Interestingly, one thing I never knew was that strawberries of today are very different than those of the first strawberry shortcake. The need to increase production to support the out of season demand has resulted in heartier strawberries that last longer and also have less flavor. We don't generally know what specific strawberry strain we are buying at the store, though there are many in existence.

I decided to hop in on the strawberry season festivities and make a strawberry shortcake. This was a super simple recipe. I melted butter in a medium bowl, then beat in sugar. I stirred in an egg, then added vanilla and almond extract (always a delight). I then added in the flour, baking powder, and salt.

I mixed the dough until everything was well combined, then added my milk and stirred until there were no lumps.

I then added the batter to the pan and popped it in the oven.

I baked the cake for about 25 minutes, until the center was cooked.

Easy enough! A crumbly cake was born, brought here to be topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

Beautiful. The textures and flavors combined well together, with sweet and slightly tart and creamy, a bit of crunch, and crumbly becoming great friends.

Contrasting the two types of cake to serve with strawberry shortcake, I have to admit that picking one over the other is tough. I am a big fan of a smooth angel food cake, but I also admired the additional texture of a crumbly cake. Either way, when you look at this recipe, it's clear that strawberry shortcake is a breeze. This version is a dry cake, with the whipped cream and strawberries together adding moisture and creating a good texture.

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk (I used oat milk)

1-2 pints fresh sliced strawberries

Whipped cream, as desired

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9x9" square baking pan with baking spray. Beat sugar and melted butter together, then add egg and vanilla and stir. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, then beat well. Add milk and mix until smooth. Pour batter into the baking pan, then bake for 20 minutes, until the a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. After baking, let cool, then serve with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

adapted from strawberry shortcake