Strawberry Shortcake - It is a keeper! - American Cake

Simple but perfect Strawberry Shortcake

I don't want to admit that I'm a bad mother but my 15 year old daughter had never had a fresh made shortcake piled high with sugared strawberries. She's only had the grocery sponge cake version. She was skeptical when met with something that looked like biscuit. I make biscuits regularly, but those are not sweet. Her skepticism changed immediately after her first bite. She's already said this needs to made again!

This recipe from American Cake is simply super tender with a gorgous flavor. In the book Anne suggests you can butter the shortcake before topping with strawberries and then top the strawberries with whipped cream. I didn't do either and these were wholly satisfying. 

6 cups strawberries, hulled

1/3 cup sugar 

3 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

6 ounces cold butter

1 egg

1 cup heavy cream

more cream, sugar and butter if you're game. 

Macerate the strawberries in the sugar for at least an hour by the time you plan to serve the dessert. (Macerate is to fruit what marinate is to meat.)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. I use a whisk. Chop the butter and rub it into the flour mixture. To do this grab handfuls of the flour/butter mixture and rub it between your palms letting it fall back into the bowl. Continue to do this until all the butter is consistently sized and the mixture looks like sand. Make a well in the dough. Measure the cream and into it break the egg. Break the egg up, then pour it into the well. Using your fingers combine the mixture until it comes together. 

Put it on a floured surface, roll or pat until it is 1 inch tall. Cut with a round cutter into 8-12 circles. 

Bake 15 minutes. Cool slightly. 

Split and top with strawberries. Or split, butter, top with strawberries then top that with sweetened whipped cream.