Table of contents
This delightful Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake, has a scone-like cake topped with sweet, fresh-picked strawberries and a dollop of homemade whipped cream. Inspired by my cherished 1969 Betty Crocker’s Cookbook recipe, this easy strawberry dessert is a family tradition we embraced each summer after berry picking. With strawberry season in full swing here in the Midwest, there’s no better time to savor this summertime treat.
My modern modifications included adding more sugar to the shortcake, adding some baking soda in addition to the baking powder to ensure it would rise more like cake, and using buttermilk instead of milk to add some tanginess.
Betty Crocker’s Cookbook (1969) is your ultimate guide to find easy-to-follow, simple recipes for everything from cooking family dinner, baking bread, or making desserts, this vintage cookbook has you covered.
I’ve included original recipe for lemon squares and strawberry shortcake. Be sure to check out my vintage inspired modern takes on these classic recipes.
Try another recipe inspired by the book old fashioned lemon squares
Ingredients for Strawberry Shortcake
Wet Ingredients
- Butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.
- Sugar is derived from sugarcane and provides sweetness to baked goods. The most common type being granulated white sugar. Cane sugar is a natural option that is less processed with a slightly courser texture.
- Eggs are produced by female chickens and are important in baking because their proteins provide structure, they act as a natural leaving agent by trapping air that expands during baking, and they add moisture to baked goods.
- Buttermilk is a cultured dairy product that adds a tangy flavor and creates tenderness in baked goods. When purchasing buttermilk, look for simple, natural ingredients such as “cultured milk”.
- Vanilla provides hints of caramel and spice, enhancing the depth of flavor to baked goods. Always use a high-quality, all-natural brand made from real vanilla beans containing at least 35% alcohol.
- Lemons are a tart, citrus fruit that grow on trees in warm climates. Place lemons on the counter the day you plan to use them, as they will yield more juice at room temperature.
- Strawberries are a small fruit that grows on low plants near the ground, often in sandy soil and are plentiful here in the Midwest in the middle of May through late June.
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose unbleached flour is made by grinding the seeds of the wheat plant and removing the bran and germ. It has a moderate protein content of 10-12%, making it a versatile option for baking cookies, cakes, and pastries.
- Cornstarch is made from the starchy center of dried corn kernels used as a thickener in sauces and pie fillings, and in baked goods to create a light, tender crumb.
- Baking powder is a leavening agent that contains both an acid, like cream of tarter, and a base, like baking soda to help baked goods rise. Use a double-acting aluminum-free baking powder to avoid a bitter aftertaste.
- Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a leavening agent that, when combined with an acid (like lemon juice, buttermilk, or vinegar) creates carbon dioxide gas to make baked goods rise.
- Pink salt is a natural rock salt mined near the Himalayas that contains trace minerals.
Make your own ingredients
Buttermilk: Add 1 T. vinegar or lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup and add cream or whole milk until it reaches the 1 c. measure line and let it sit for a few minutes before use.
Vanilla: Purchase Grade B vanilla beans (also called extract-grade), which have less moisture and a more concentrated flavor. Place 8 oz. of bourbon (or vodka) in glass bottle or jar. Split 5-7 vanilla beans down the middle and add to bottle. Let it sit for 3-6 months in a cool, dark place. As you use it, continue to replace the bourbon and add more beans as it keeps for many years.
How to Make Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake
Step #1
Pick Fruit
Step #2
Prep Ingredients
Step #3
Bake Short Cake
Step #4
Make Homemade Whip Cream & Enjoy
Dietary Substitutions
For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. You can read more about my pro-baking here.
Here are a few basic tips when converting conventional recipes into specialty baked goods.
- Shelf Life: Specialty baked goods tend to dry out faster and have a shorter shelf life than conventional baked goods. Store in an airtight container on counter for 1 – 2 days. For longer storage, freeze up to 6 months. Avoid refrigerating, as it can dry out baked goods.
- Let Batter Rest: Alternate flours can be dense or slightly gritty compared to white flour, so be sure to let the batter rest at least 15 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator before baking. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and produce a lighter, tender crumb.
- Oven Temperature: Alternative flours are delicate and tend to brown faster before the center is cooked through. Reduce oven to 325° and bake “low and slow,” adding a few extra minutes of bake time if needed.
Gluten-Free (no gluten)
- Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or use a homemade gluten-free flour blend. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe.
- Hydration: Gluten free flours can make baked goods dense. Add 1 tablespoon of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture.
- Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.
Vegan/Dairy Free (no animal products)
- Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
- Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
- Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.
Keto (low carb, high fat)
- Flour: Swap the white flour for almond flour or coconut flour.
- Sweetener: Replace sugar with Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener which calls for a 1:1swap that mimics granulated sugar.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as coconut or almond milk.
- Hydration: Almond flour can make baked goods dense. Add 1 -2 tablespoons of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture. Add 1 additional egg to help bind the batter.
- Fat: Add up to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.
Wholesome (minimally processed)
- Flour: Swap out 1/3 to 1/2 of the white flour with King Arthur white whole wheat flour or King Arthur 100% whole wheat flour or Bob’s oat flour.
- Sweetener: Replace white sugar with maple syrup or honey. Use 3/4 c. honey for every 1 c. sugar. You can also swap out the white sugar with 1:1 swap using natural cane sugar, coconut sugar or date sugar.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
- Lower Fat: For every 1 c. of butter, use 3/4 c. heart-healthy oil (like canola or extra-light olive) OR 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce + 1/2 c. oil.
Allergen Free (none of the 9 allergens)
- Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or use a homemade gluten-free flour blend that does not contain tree nuts or soy. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe. Here is a list of some other gluten-free flours to try.
- Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture. Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat or coconut milk. Check the labels to make sure they are soy-free and nut-free.
- Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
- Nuts: Omit all peanuts and tree nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, or walnuts.
FAQ’s
Yes! Real homemade whip cream is so much easier than you think and tastes delicious compared to the waxy texture of cool whip or whip cream filled with high fructose corn syrup. Be sure to place your metal bowl and whisk attachment in the fridge before making. It is important to use superfine sugar to prevent clumps, but you could also use confectioners sugar. To prepare whip cream ahead of time, simply stabilize with 1 T. of cornstarch, ClearJel or unflavored gelatin.
When working with biscuit or scone dough you need to work quickly and not over handle the dough. To help keep things cold, dice the butter into small cubes and put into the refrigerator or freezer. By doing this, you the butter stays cold and releases pockets of steam while baking to yield tender biscuits.
You can use a square 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking pan or a 9×13 pan will also work. Always use light-colored, aluminum baking sheets, cake or muffin pans. I use vintage aluminum bakeware Fat Daddio’s cake pans. Aluminum is best for distributing and reflecting even heat during the baking process. Dark baking pans conduct more heat off the surface, which may lead to your baked goods to burn or darken on the edges before they are fully cooked.
No, I add this to all my recipes to help give them a light and tender texture. if ClearJel is hard to find, use cornstarch as a substitution. For every 1 T. of cornstarch, use 1 1/2 T. ClearJel. For every 2 T. flour or tapioca, use 1 T. ClearJel. You can find it online here.
How to pick and preserve fresh-picked strawberries
- It is best to strawberries early in the morning before the bugs are active and to avoid the sun and heat.
- Be sure to wear a hat for shade, and lots of bug spray!
- Make sure you clean out the back of your car to have plenty of room for the strawberry flats to fit in your trunk or back seat of your car.
- If you are going to use within 1 – 2 weeks, put berries in an air-tight container and refrigerate.
- To freeze the berries for long-term storage, remove stems and then put the berries out onto a single layer or slice into halves or quarters. Place on a 1/2 sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 1 hour and then place them into ziploc bags or vacuum seal them for up to 1 year. You can also just put the bags of cherries straight into the freezer, but they may clump together from the juice.
Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake
Equipment
- liquid measuriing cup
- 8 " round baking pan
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 2 c. unbleached flour
- 1 T. cornstarch
- ⅓ c. sugar
- 1 T. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
WET INGREDIENTS
- 6 T. butter cold & diced into cubes
- 1 c. buttermilk or cream
STRAWBERRY TOPPING
- 4 c. fresh strawberries 1 qt. sliced
- ⅓ c. sugar
- 1 T. lemon juice
- 1 T. lemon zest
FRESH WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 c. heavy cream
- ¼ c. sugar
- 1 T. vanilla
Instructions
PREP
- Grease 8" x 11/2" cake pan. Mix together dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Dice butter into small cubes and place back into fridge until use.
- In a small bowl mix together strawberries and sugar and let sit to macerate together.
- Zest and juice 1 lemon and set aside.
BATTER
- Place dry ingredients into mixer. Add in cold butter until it becomes course crumbly texture.
- Add buttermilk and mix just until combined.
- Pat batter into a greased 8” round pan. Use pastry brush and put heavy cream over the batter. Sprinkle with course sanding sugar.
BAKE
- Bake at 425° for 23-25 minutes until toothpick in center is clean. While still warm, slice cake into 8 triangles.
- Place one serving on a plate and top with fresh berries and homemade whip cream.
HOMEMADE WHIP CREAM
- Place heavy cream in chilled mixing bowl and add sugar. Add vanilla. Beat until medium-stiff peaks. Use fresh whip cream right away or if making ahead stabilize it by adding 1 T. cornstarch. Keep chilled until use.
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