Strawberry Shortcakes

Summer's sweetest classic

By Marie Frank

Shortcake biscuit cut open with strawberries and whipped cream in the middle.

ID 55213515 © Tetiana Istomina | Dreamstime.com

Prep Time

1 hour, 45 minutes

Number of Servings

Recipe Source

From More Than Sweet by Marie Frank (Hardie Grant Publishing, 2026)

Ingredients

Shortcakes

2 ¹⁄₄ c all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 ¹⁄₂ tsp baking powder
³⁄₄ tsp salt
¹⁄₄ tsp ground cardamom
¹⁄₂ c cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
¹⁄₂ c plus 3 Tbsp cold heavy cream
Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

Macerated Strawberries with Pomegranate Molasses & Black Pepper

2 c fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses*
¹⁄₄ tsp salt, plus more as needed
Freshly cracked black pepper

Whipped Cream

2 c heavy cream
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Make shortcakes: preheat oven to 425°. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Sift flour into a large bowl, and whisk together with granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Add butter and rub it into flour mixture until texture is similar to coarse breadcrumbs (you can use a pastry cutter or food processor for this step). Add the ¹⁄₂ cup cold cream and quickly stir to form a soft dough.
Turn out dough onto a floured surface and briefly—for 20 to 30 seconds—knead dough until it just comes together. Roll out dough until it is about 1 inch thick. Use a 2 ¹⁄₂-inch cookie cutter to cut out 8 biscuits.
Place biscuits 3 inches apart on prepared pan. Brush tops of biscuits with the 3 tablespoons cream and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake biscuits for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and well risen.
Remove pan from oven and leave biscuits to cool on pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until just slightly warm.
Macerate strawberries: gently crush one-quarter of strawberries with sugar and pomegranate molasses in a medium bowl. Fold in remaining strawberries. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Leave to macerate for 30 minutes.
Make whipped cream: combine cream, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on low speed until cream just begins to thicken. Increase speed to medium and whisk until it reaches soft-peak stage.
Slice each shortcake in half and place bottom halves on serving plates. Place a spoonful of macerated strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream on each. Place top half of shortcakes on top. Serve immediately.

Notes

*Pomegranate molasses is commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern cuisines. It adds a sweet and tangy flavor. If you can’t find it, boil down balsamic vinegar or tart grape or pomegranate juice until syrupy.

Nutrition Info

572 Calories, 6 g Protein, 121 mg Cholesterol, 47 g Carbohydrates, 15 g Total sugars (13 g Added sugars), 2 g Fiber, 41 g Total fat (25 g sat), 428 mg Sodium, 4 Vitamin A, 2 Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), C, Folate, 1 Vitamin B3 (niacin), Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus