Strawberry Shortcake - The Summer Dessert Recipe of My Dreams!

School’s out, summer fun has begun, and I’m sharing with you the summer dessert recipe of my dreams.

Can we all take a moment to appreciate the simple beauty of strawberry shortcake?! 

There’s no doubt this dessert has a certain magic to it. There’s really something to simple flavors, fruit in season, barely-sweetened whipped cream, and a perfect vanilla cake base to soak in everything. That's the reason strawberry shortcake is iconic; universally appreciated and perfect for summer. AND! Everyone seems to have their own memory of it. I’m taken back to the sponge cake cups you get at the grocery, or Sara Lee pound cake, or even those gas station ice cream bars… you know which ones I’m talking about, right? Anyway, this version blows the strawberry shortcakes of my memories out of the water and, along with the new Harry Styles album, will be on repeat for me all summer long. 

Let me break it down for you: a single layer of Wild Rye vanilla cake dusted with a generous amount of powdered sugar, sliced into delightful pieces, topped with a heaping dollop of hand-whipped cream, and finished with macerated strawberries and their syrup. (*big chef’s kiss!) 

A note on the whipped cream situation… I really believe hand whipped is the move. Yes, it will take a little elbow grease and some energy, but you have so much more control when you whip cream by hand. It’s less likely that you will over whip it and end up with chunky, lumpy cream (no, thank you), and more likely that you will get a luxurious smooth and uber-satisfying topping for your shortcake.

Here’s how to make strawberry shortcake the Wild Rye way: 

You will need: 

1 Wild Rye Baking Co. Classic Vanilla (or vegan or gluten-free) cake mix baked in a 10” round and cooled completely. A 13x9” or 9” round are great alternatives. 

Macerated Strawberries: 

• 3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered 
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 
• Pinch salt 

1. Place cut strawberries in a bowl and toss with sugar and salt until combined. 
2. Let sit at room temp or in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes. 2 hours is my sweet spot, but you do you. 

Whipped Cream:

• 2 cups heavy cream 
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar 
• Pinch salt 

1. Place a metal mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. (*This step is optional, but is worth it if you can remember/be patient, which I’ll admit doesn’t always happen for me). 
2. Pour the sugar, heavy cream, and salt into a bowl and whisk by hand just until soft peaks form. A stand or hand mixer will work, but stay close, because it’s very easy to over whip the cream when using a machine. 
3. Store in refrigerator. 

 Assembly/Plating:

1. Liberally dust the top of your cooled vanilla cake with powdered sugar and slice into pieces. 
2. Once plated, top your cake slices with a heaping dollop of whipped cream 
3. Top with macerated strawberries, making sure to include some of the amazing syrup that comes from the berries. 
4. SHARE and DEVOUR!