Best Ever Strawberry Shortcake – homemade pound cake, vanilla ice cream, and sweetened juicy strawberries. It doesn’t get better than this!
Garden fresh strawberries are great all on their own, but they are also fantastic in a variety of dessert recipes. I also love Mini Strawberry Shortcake Cookie Cups, and Strawberry Nutella Pizza.
Strawberries are abundant in the grocery stores this time of year, and I can’t help but buy them every time I see them. They are great on fruit pizza, in strawberry pie, on top of cheesecake, dipped in chocolate, with fruit dip, and of course just plain.
One of my favorite ways to use strawberries is in strawberry shortcake. It’s a classic spring dessert, and so easy to make. It’s perfect for small family gatherings, potlucks, or parties. Who can resist it?
This is the way I grew up having strawberry shortcake, and it really is the best ever. I’ve never had strawberry shortcake anywhere that beats it! We always made homemade cake and served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It is sooooo good.
I remember the first time I ate strawberry shortcake somewhere else. It was those little round sponge cakes that taste like twinkies, topped with Cool Whip and just plain ole strawberries. I remember thinking, “What the heck. These people do not know what is up. This is not what strawberry shortcake should taste like.”
It was still good and I ate it, but it was not fantastic. I could handle the twinkie cake, but Cool Whip, come on. Real whipped cream would be an improvement, but really, ice cream is soooo much better. I mean think about it – what would you rather eat, a spoonful of Cool Whip or a spoonful of ice cream? No contest.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
(To skip my tips and just get to the recipe card, scroll to the very bottom of the post.)
- butter or margarine, softened to room temperature (I always use regular salted butter.)
- granulated sugar (regular white sugar)
- milk (I use 2%, but skim or whole milk will work just as well.)
- vanilla extract (or lemon extract if you prefer)
- all purpose flour (I like to use unbleached, but that is a matter of preference.)
- salt
- baking powder
- eggs (It’s best if they are at room temperature. I use large eggs in all of my recipes.)
Additional ingredients needed:
- vanilla ice cream (We like French vanilla or vanilla bean ice cream.)
- fresh strawberries
- sugar
PREP WORK: Let the eggs come to room temperature. Soften the butter. It’s best to let soften at room temperature, but you can use the microwave in a pinch. Grease and flour a 9×5″ cake pan, or spray with Baker’s Joy. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
POUND CAKE: First up, you need to whip up the cake. Pound cake is heavier than other cakes, so it stands up to the strawberry juice without getting soggy. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add milk and vanilla extract. Beat in the dry ingredients, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
Spread the batter into a prepared loaf pan. Bake at 300° for about an hour and a half, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It will be golden brown around the edges.
BERRIES: While the cake is cooling, slice the berries. Mix them with sugar and let the berries sit till the sugar dissolves and the berries release juice. It takes less time if the berries are at room temperature, but it still works if they are cold.
SERVING: Place a slice of cake on a plate. Top with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream. Scoop the strawberries over the ice cream, making sure to drizzle some of the juice on each serving.
PRO TIPS:
VARIATIONS:
MORE SHOW STOPPING STRAWBERRY DESSERTS:
Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle
Mini Strawberry Shortcake Cookie Cups
Strawberry Banana Crepes
Strawberry Cheesecake Pizza
BEST EVER STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE RECIPE
Strawberry Shortcake with Homemade Pound Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake:
- ⅔ cup butter
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- ⅔ cup milk
- 1 tsp lemon or vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 3 eggs
Additional ingredients:
- ½ gallon vanilla ice cream
- 2 pints fresh strawberries
- ½ cup sugar or more
Instructions
- Grease and flour a 9x5" loaf pan, or spray with Bakers Joy. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Cream sugar and butter in a large bowl till light and fluffy. Blend in milk and extract. Whisk dry ingredients together and add. Beat till smooth. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
- Pour into prepared 9x5" loaf pan. Bake at 300° for about 90 minutes or till toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.
- While cake is cooling, slice the fresh strawberries. Add the sugar and stir together. Let the berries sit for 30-60 minutes. The sugar will dissolve and they will make a really yummy syrup.
- When the cake is cooled and the berries are nice and syrupy, place a piece of cake on each plate. Top with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. Spoon the strawberries over the top, making sure you get some of the syrup in each bowl.
- Serve immediately. Yum!
Nutrition
(originally published 5/12/2009, updated May 2020.)
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My husband and guests raved about this cake! Thank you much!!
I am so happy to hear that! It really is so, so good. 🙂
The buttery cake makes this dsih. It was so fantastic! I will definitely be making this again!