Strawberry Shortcake Trifles (Print View)
Tender shortcake layered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream in elegant glasses.
# What You'll Need:
→ Shortcake
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
07 - 1/2 cup buttermilk
→ Strawberries
08 - 1 1/2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
09 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
→ Whipped Cream
11 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream
12 - 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
03 - Stir in the buttermilk just until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix.
04 - Drop 6 mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly with your fingers.
05 - Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely, then cut into bite-size cubes.
06 - While the shortcakes bake, combine sliced strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss to coat and let macerate for at least 15 minutes until juices are released.
07 - In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
08 - Layer shortcake cubes, strawberries with their juices, and whipped cream in serving glasses. Repeat layers to fill each glass. Finish with a dollop of whipped cream and additional fresh strawberries if desired.
09 - Serve immediately, or chill up to 2 hours before serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The contrast of buttery shortcake soaking up those jewel-toned strawberry juices is pure summer on a spoon.
- Everything can be prepped ahead, so you get to actually enjoy your own gathering instead of being chained to the stove.
02 -
- If your butter warms up before you get it into the oven, the shortcakes will spread flat instead of puffing into tender mounds, so work quickly and pop the shaped dough in the fridge for five minutes if your kitchen runs hot.
- Letting the strawberries sit long enough to release their juices is not optional, that liquid is what soaks into the cake and turns each bite into something transcendent.
03 -
- Freeze your butter for fifteen minutes before cubing it, the extra-cold shards create the flakiest, most layered shortcake you have ever tasted.
- A pinch of sea salt sprinkled over the final whipped cream dollop makes the strawberries taste exponentially sweeter without adding a single grain of extra sugar.