Mothers Day Strawberry Shortcake (Printable)

Fluffy shortcake layers with sweet strawberries and whipped cream create an elegant, fresh dessert.

# 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 Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
03 - In a small bowl, mix milk, egg, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture, stirring just until combined.
04 - Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto the baking sheet to form 8 even mounds. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely, then cut each shortcake horizontally into halves or cubes.
05 - While shortcakes bake, combine sliced strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl. Stir gently and let macerate for at least 15 minutes to release the juices.
06 - Beat cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
07 - Layer half of the shortcake pieces in the bottom of a large trifle bowl or glass dish. Spoon half the strawberries with juices over the cake. Spread half the whipped cream on top. Repeat layers with remaining shortcake, strawberries, and cream.
08 - Garnish with extra strawberries or mint leaves if desired. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks absolutely stunning in a glass bowl, so elegant that people assume you spent hours when really you spent maybe an hour total.
  • The layers stay distinct and beautiful for a full day, which means you can actually prepare it ahead instead of scrambling last minute.
  • Every bite brings a different texture—tender cake, juicy fruit, airy cream—all at once, which is honestly what makes dessert worth eating.
02 -
  • Don't let those shortcakes cool on a hot baking sheet or they'll keep cooking and turn dry—transfer them to a wire rack or plate immediately.
  • If your strawberries are mealy or flavorless, the whole trifle will suffer, so taste one before you buy the whole batch and only buy what actually smells like strawberries.
  • Assembly should happen no more than a few hours before serving or the shortcake will absorb too much liquid and turn soggy, even though some softening is actually nice.
03 -
  • Keep your cream ingredients and bowl cold before whipping—even 10 minutes in the freezer makes a difference in how quickly it reaches soft peaks.
  • Don't hull the strawberries until you're ready to use them, because once exposed, they start to dry out and lose flavor.
  • If you're serving this tomorrow, assemble it the morning of and the shortcake will be perfectly softened without turning into mush.
Go Back