Strawberry Shortcakes with Lemon Curd Whipped Cream

Strawberry shortcakes are a summer classic. Fresh, juicy strawberries layered between tender, buttery shortcakes, makes this one of my favorite desserts for summer entertaining.

The best part? A perfectly light lemon curd whipped cream that’s delicious enough to enjoy on its own. If you’ve prepared my Berry Pavlova, this concept might seem familiar.

We’re preparing a more traditional version of strawberry shortcake with a biscuit base, as it holds up very well to the strawberry and whipped cream filling. The combination makes for the perfect summer bite that everyone will love.

Why You’ll Love These Strawberry Shortcakes:

• Fresh and Seasonal: It’s an ideal way to showcase the natural sweetness of summer strawberries. While strawberries are accessible throughout the year, in many regions, late spring and early summer are the best times to enjoy these berries at their peak.
• Great for Entertaining: This is one of my favorite desserts, particularly for summer cookouts or potlucks. The components can be made ahead, which means it comes together in a snap once it’s showtime.
• Classic with a Twist: To give this quintessential summertime dessert an upgrade, we’re swapping out the regular whipped cream with a delicious lemon curd whipped cream. It adds a unique brightness that ties the dessert together.

Strawberry Shortcake Components:

Fresh Strawberries: We’re using a pound of sweet, fresh chopped strawberries. By tossing them in a small amount of sugar, it macerates the berries and concentrates their flavor. This simple preparation produces a lovely syrup that soaks into the biscuits.

Lightly Sweetened Shortcake Biscuits: The homemade biscuit base is light and tender in texture thanks to the addition of tangy buttermilk, which helps break down gluten strands. Have extra buttermilk on hand? Make these Belgian Buttermilk Waffles or these Easy Blueberry Muffins.

Lemon Curd Whipped Cream: This is a simple combination of lightly sweetened whipped cream and store bought (or homemade) lemon curd for maximum ease. The tart, creamy lemon curd adds sweetness and a brightness that’s irresistible. I have always loved the delicate texture of whipped cream on cake, like this Lemon Coconut Cake or these Mini Cornmeal Cakes with Mascarpone and Berries.

While strawberry shortcakes may appear to be time-consuming to make, I can assure you that once you bake the shortcake biscuits, the rest of the dish comes together quite quickly.

It is ideal for entertaining, as many of the components can be prepped ahead.

How to Make Strawberry Shortcakes:

1. Prepare the Macerate Strawberries: Chopped extra ripe strawberries are tossed with a small amount of sugar, and allowed to macerate together. This simple preparation concentrates the flavor of the strawberries, and produces a lovely syrup that soaks into every bite of this dessert.
2. Bake the Shortcake Biscuits: Once your oven is preheated, the biscuit mixture comes together in minutes and only takes about 15 minutes to bake.
3. Make the Lemon Curd Whipped Cream: Simple, soft peak whipped cream is folded together with lemon curd for tang and a touch of sweetness.
4. Assemble: Layer the components together – biscuits followed by strawberries and cream – and serve!

Other Strawberry Desserts You’ll Love:

• No Bake Strawberry Mascarpone Tart
• Strawberry Buttermilk Panna Cottas
• Classic Pound Cake with Strawberry Glaze

Strawberry Shortcakes with Lemon Curd Whipped Cream

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Yield: 6 – 8 Servings

Prep: 25 minutes minutes

Cook: 20 minutes minutes

Total: 45 minutes minutes

Classic strawberry shortcakes with a lemon twist! These shortcake biscuits are lightly sweetened and buttery, yet light in texture thanks to the addition of tangy buttermilk. To give this traditional summer dessert a twist, we’re swapping out the regular cream filling with a lemon curd whipped cream.

Make-Ahead Tips: Shortcake biscuits are best served the day of baking, but can be baked up to a day ahead and reheated in a 350°F (175°C) oven. Strawberries can be prepped and refrigerated for up to 2 hours prior to serving. Lemon curd whipped cream will hold for several hours in the fridge, whip and mix again if necessary just before assembly. 

Equipment

• Half Sheet Pan
• Natural Parchment Paper

Ingredients

Macerated Strawberries:

• 1 lb fresh ripe strawberries stemmed, hulled, quartered, and chopped
• 3 tablespoons (36g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• pinch kosher salt

Egg Wash:

• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon milk

Shortcake Biscuits:

• 2 cups (240g) unbleached all purpose flour
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons (85g) cold unsalted butter cut into ½-inch cubes
• ¾ cup (180 mL) cold buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• turbinado or demerara sugar for sprinkling

Lemon Curd Whipped Cream:

• ⅔ cup (160 mL) cold heavy cream
• ¼ cup store-bought or homemade lemon curd I recommend Wilkson & Sons or Trader Joe's brand in a pinch.

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the center position. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Prepare the Macerated Strawberries: Combine the chopped strawberries, sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of kosher salt in a medium bowl. Toss to combine and allow to macerate while you prepare the shortcake biscuits.
  
• Make the egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and teaspoon of milk. Set aside. 
• Prepare the Shortcake Biscuits: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the cold butter pieces and toss in the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal and there are larger pea-sized chunks of butter throughout. It is important for the butter to remain extremely cold throughout the process. If warms too much, transfer the entire bowl to a freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill. 
• In a measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until it just comes together and the flour has just absorbed. It will be shaggy. 
• Transfer the dough and any dry remaining bits to a lightly floured countertop. Knead the dough until it comes together, dusting the dough lightly with flour as necessary to prevent it from sticking to your hands or the countertop. Press the dough into a disc that is roughly ¾-inch thick. Fold the dough over itself 2 to 3 times, this will help create layers. Use a 2½-inch biscuit cutter (dipped in flour to prevent sticking) to cut out 6 shortcakes. Do not twist the cutter as you cut the dough, as this will prevent them from rising evenly. Press the remaining scraps together to cut out another 1 to 2 biscuits. Transfer the scones evenly on the lined sheet pan, setting apart by several inches.
• Lightly brush the tops of the biscuits with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado or demerara sugar. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until tall and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool while you prepare the lemon curd whipped cream.
• Prepare the lemon curd whipped cream: Place the chilled heavy cream in a large, deep mixing bowl. Using a hand-held mixer, stand mixer with whisk attachment, or whisk, whip the cream until it holds soft peaks. Fold in the lemon curd (feel free to add more to taste).
• Assemble: Using a serrated knife, split the shortcake biscuits. Top the bottom half with a large spoonful of macerated strawberries with juices, then top with and lemon curd whipped cream, and the remaining biscuit half. Serve immediately. 
  

Make-Ahead Tips: 

• Shortcake biscuits are best served the day of baking, but can be baked up to a day ahead and reheated in a 350°F (175°C) oven. Strawberries can be prepped and refrigerated for up to 2 hours prior to serving.
• Lemon curd whipped cream will hold for several hours in the fridge, whip and mix again if necessary just before assembly. 

Ingredient Tips:

• Seek out the Best Strawberries: This dessert is all about the strawberries, so it is important to seek out the best you can find! Local farms or farmer’s markets are your best bet. When choosing strawberries, look for deeply fragrant berries with a deep red color throughout the flesh. Do not use frozen strawberries.
• Use High Quality Lemon Curd: To keep this dessert simple, we’re using store-bought lemon curd for the whipped cream filling. Try to find the highest quality curd that you can find (or make it from scratch!). I recommend Wilkson & Sons or Trader Joe’s brand in a pinch.

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 646kcal, Carbohydrates: 92g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 119mg, Sodium: 753mg, Potassium: 291mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 896IU, Vitamin C: 45mg, Calcium: 245mg, Iron: 5mg

Course: Desserts, Fruit Desserts

Cuisine: American