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Strawberry Shortcake

This is absolutely the best strawberry shortcake recipe! It's easy to make, extremely moist, full of juicy strawberries, fluffy vanilla bean whipped cream, and drizzled with fresh strawberry syrup.
5 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 35 minutes
Assembly Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 slices

Ingredients
 

For the Vanilla Cake

  • 2 ¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 10 tablespoon (140 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated white sugar
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

For the Strawberries

  • 3 cups (420 g) fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon (75 g) granulated white sugar

For the Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

  • 1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream
  • ¾ cup (98 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract

Instructions
 

For the Vanilla Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 6 inch cake pans with non stick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then set aside the dry ingredients.
    2 ¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated white sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)
    10 tablespoon (140 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated white sugar
  • Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium-high speed until smooth, pale in color and slightly fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
    3 eggs, at room temperature, 1 ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
  • Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the butter mixture a little at a time, until each has been added completely. Mix on low then medium speed just until the batter is combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
    1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
  • Evenly distribute the cake batter among the parchment paper lined cake pans.
  • Bake the cakes for 29-32 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers.
  • Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer the cake layers to a wire rack to completely cool.

For the Strawberries

  • Add the thinly sliced strawberries to a large bowl.
    3 cups (420 g) fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
  • Sprinkle the sugar over the strawberries. Gently stir to coat the berries with sugar.
    ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon (75 g) granulated white sugar
  • Cover the strawberries and let them chill in the fridge for around an hour to let all the sugar dissolve and create a lot of strawberry syrup. 
  • Separate the strawberries from the juice when ready to use.

For the Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

  • Add the heavy whipping cream to a chilled, large bowl and whip on high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.
    (If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment.)
    1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream
  • Then sift in the powdered sugar and add in the vanilla bean paste. Mix on low speed until combined, then high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 more minute.
    ¾ cup (98 g) powdered sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract

Assembling the Cake

  • To make sure the cake layers will stack appropriately, the tops will most likely need to cut as they dome while baking. Using a sharp knife cut the domed tops off of each cake layer. 
  • Pour 2-3 tablespoon of strawberry syrup over the first cake layer.
  • Arrange a layer of sliced strawberries on top of the cake layer.
  • Add about ⅓ of the whipped cream on top of the strawberries.
  • Arrange another layer of strawberries over the whipped cream.
  • Add the second cake layer on top and repeat the steps.
  • Then add the remaining cake layer on top and top with the rest of the whipped cream. Top the cake with the remaining sliced strawberries. Drizzle the remaining strawberry juice over the cake and serve!
    (I topped the cake with whole strawberries for decoration.)
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