Organic Strawberry Shortcake
This website uses affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click on the link and make a purchase.
This light, fluffy Organic Strawberry Shortcake is a classic white cake topped with homemade whipped cream and fresh strawberries. This is the perfect cake for grilling season!
If you are looking for more summer cake recipes, check out my Traditional Butter Pound Cake, Toasted Coconut Bundt Cake, or my Raspberry Lemon Snack Cake.
Table of Contents
I am obsessed with this homemade Strawberry Shortcake, to say the least. My mom was not a baker growing up, but just a good cook. And we were not allowed a lot of sweets. But, during the summer months when strawberries were in season, she would buy these tiny premade sponge cakes from the grocery store bakery and would surprise us by topping them with fresh made whipped cream and strawberries when we ate dinner on the patio.
While those tiny cakes were not organic cake, it is how I will forever remember homemade Strawberry Shortcake. So, I created this organic Strawberry Shortcake with ingredients I love to mimic the soft, lightly sweetened cake I had as a child! If you like white cake (which is lighter and sweeter than yellow cake) then you will love this homemade Strawberry Shortcake!
Why do they call it strawberry shortcake?
When I was little, I always thought it was called strawberry shortcake because the cake was very short — as in not tall or layered, haha. Shows you how the mind of a child works, but it makes sense because the strawberry shortcake I had as a kid was just one single layer of cake topped with whipped cream and strawberries.
But, strawberry shortcake originated in Pennsylvania, and was originally made with a thick cookie made up of butter, flour eggs, and sugar – no leavening. Which really resembles a shortbread cookie! But, it was layered with strawberries, so naturally it became a shortcake. Over the years, people have made strawberry shortcakes with many different kinds of cakes. Whether it's more of a cookie or biscuit that's dry and crumbly, or if its a fluffy and moist cake, I think it just comes down to personal preference. Or probably the way you were introduced to it! And, because I was introduced to strawberry shortcake as a sweet, moist and fluffy cake, that is how I prefer to make them!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Sneak Peek: Get a sneak peak into my book, The Mountain Baker as this is one of the recipes from it! And, The Mountain Baker has so many amazing recipes (not just for winter) like this recipe for organic Strawberry Shortcake!
Summer Dessert: Homemade Strawberry Shortcake is a delicious summer dessert. Not only does it use fresh seasonal strawberries, but it also combines cool whipped cream in lieu of traditional frosting. This makes it light and refreshing!
Organic Cake: This homemade Strawberry Shortcake recipe uses organic ingredients. I make fresh homemade whipped cream, no cans here! While I choose organic ingredients all the time, if you are new to eating organic or only purchase them sometimes, then this Organic Strawberry Shortcake is one to splurge on. Making homemade whipped cream with just 3 ingredients is so much better tasting and better for you than buying a can!
Nostalgic: This recipe for organic Strawberry Shortcake reminds me of one my mom made growing up, but I'm using all organic ingredients. While she used miniature store bought cakes (because she wasn't a baker) the flavor, texture, and consistency of this cake reminds me exactly of those! It's fluffy, sweet, and light all at the same time.
Ingredients
- Egg Whites: I use organic large egg whites in this recipe for strawberry shortcake. I separate the eggs, and I use the yolks for something else. I will use the yolks to make Fresh Raspberry Custard or From Scratch Chocolate Pudding. Save the yolks in a tupperware in the fridge.
- Butter: I use Organic Valley Salted Butter in this recipe. When I don't have that I use Costco Kirkland Organic Salted Butter. Make sure your butter is softened before beginning this recipe.
- Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar from Costco in this recipe. They sell 10-pound bags, which I buy all the time and I love their organic cane sugar.
- Vanilla Extract: I use Simply Organic Vanilla Extract in this recipe. This is my favorite vanilla as it has such a pure and true vanilla flavor.
- Milk: I use Organic Valley Grassmilk in this recipe, as I think the grass-fed milk is always better! Always, always, always use whole milk when baking!
- Cake Flour: I use homemade organic cake flour in this recipe that I made. But, if you would like to buy cake flour, the best one on the market is King Arthur.
- Baking Powder: Use baking powder, not soda. Be sure to check out my post the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder for more info on leavening agents.
- Salt: Use fine sea salt.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: The best organic heavy whipping cream is from Organic Valley, it's my favorite!
- Strawberries: Be sure to use strawberries that are ripe and delicious. Their flavor makes the cake, so if the strawberries aren't very good, then the cake won't be very good either! Now is the time to get strawberries while they are still in season.
Tools Needed
- Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
- Stand Mixer: I use my stand mixer for ease, but if you prefer to use a hand mixer you can do that too.
- 9-inch Cake Pan: I bake this organic cake in one 9-inch cake pan. You can also use a square 9×9-inch pan as well if you prefer.
- Parchment Paper: I always use nontoxic parchment paper cake rounds as this ensures the cake can easily be removed.
Subscribe to Mimi's Organic Eats Channel
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for all the latest videos. Bake and cook along with John John and me on YouTube!
Subscribing is easy and just by subscribing, you are directly supporting my site!
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2
To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the egg whites. Whisk, starting on low to avoid splattering; gradually increase the speed to high until stiff peaks form. Remove the egg whites from the mixing bowl and transfer to a separate bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (no need to wash the bowl), add the butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and no chunks of butter remain. Add the milk and mix on low until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a separate bowl, add the cake flour, baking powder, and sea salt and whisk together. With the mixer on low, slowly add the cake flour mixture to the butter mixture and continue to mix on low until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add in the egg whites; fold with a spatula until you have a smooth batter.
Step 3
Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper, and butter and flour the sides. Pour the batter into the cake pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).
Step 4
To make the whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the heavy whipping cream, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low and gradually increase speed until mixture starts to thicken, until you are at full speed. Whisk until stiff peaks form.
Step 5
Transfer the whipped cream to the top of the cake and spread evenly. Top with sliced strawberries.
FAQ's
While the original strawberry shortcake was made using a dense cookie base, it isn't always like that. Now strawberry shortcake can be called anything with a vanilla cake/cookie/biscuit bottom that is topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. This leaves it up to interpretation to be made many different ways. Single layer cakes, multiple layer cakes, mini cakes, cupcakes, and more. As long as that flavor profile of vanilla cake, whipped cream, and strawberries is there, then people will call it strawberry shortcake.
Yes, I provide a simple adjustment for gluten free in the Notes at the bottom of the recipe. I even link to the flour I used to test this recipe.
Because strawberry shortcake has whipped cream, it needs to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Craving More?
Organic Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
Batter
- 102 grams egg whites
- 113 grams salted butter (softened)
- 198 grams cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk (room temperature)
- 170 grams cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 170 grams strawberries (sliced)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the egg whites. Whisk, starting on low to avoid splattering; gradually increase the speed to high until stiff peaks form. Remove the egg whites from the mixing bowl and transfer to a separate bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (no need to wash the bowl), add the butter, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and no chunks of butter remain. Add the milk and mix on low until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, add the cake flour, baking powder, and sea salt and whisk together. With the mixer on low, slowly add the cake flour mixture to the butter mixture and continue to mix on low until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add in the egg whites; fold with a spatula until you have a smooth batter.
- Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper, and butter and flour the sides. Pour the batter into the cake pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan.
- To make the whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the heavy whipping cream, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low and gradually increase speed until mixture starts to thicken, until you are at full speed. Whisk until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer the whipped cream to the top of the cake and spread evenly. Top with sliced strawberries.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Join Our Organic Community
Leave a Comment