Mothers Day Strawberry Shortcake (Printable View)

A layered dessert of fluffy shortcake, juicy strawberries, and smooth whipped cream, perfect for special occasions.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shortcake

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
06 - 2/3 cup whole milk
07 - 1 large egg, lightly beaten
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Strawberries

09 - 1.5 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
10 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Whipped Cream

12 - 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
13 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
03 - Cut cold cubed butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - In a small bowl, combine milk, beaten egg, and vanilla extract.
05 - Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheet to form 8 even mounds. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to cooling rack and cool completely. Once cooled, cut each shortcake horizontally into halves or cube into pieces.
07 - While shortcakes bake, combine sliced strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl. Stir gently and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes to release natural juices.
08 - Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
09 - In a large trifle bowl or glass dish, layer half of the shortcake pieces on the bottom. Spoon half of the strawberries with their juices over the cake layer. Spread half of the whipped cream over the strawberries. Repeat with remaining shortcake, strawberries, and whipped cream.
10 - Garnish the trifle with additional fresh strawberries or mint leaves if desired. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld and ensure proper chilling.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can prep everything ahead and assemble just before serving, which means less stress and more time with the people who matter.
  • The layers create this visual magic in a glass bowl that makes guests think you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • It tastes like summer and celebration without requiring any fancy techniques or mysterious ingredients.
02 -
  • The moment you cut those shortcakes, taste a tiny corner of one—this is when you find out if you nailed the texture, and it's the best quality check you can do before layering.
  • If your strawberries aren't very sweet, add an extra tablespoon of sugar to the maceration, because the whole trifle depends on them being the delicious anchor of every bite.
  • Assemble this no more than 4 hours before serving if your kitchen is warm, or the shortcake will start absorbing too much liquid and lose its structure.
03 -
  • Keep a separate whipped cream batch in the fridge unmixed, then fold in a little at a time if your trifle is sitting longer than expected—it keeps the top layer from deflating.
  • Toast the just-cooled shortcakes very lightly under the broiler for 30 seconds if you want them to firm up slightly and become less prone to falling apart when you spoon.
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