Celebrate Simply with This Strawberry Shortcake

My perspective on celebration shifted when I realized that the parties I hosted or attended weren’t enjoyable or special because of the theme or the decorations or all the money I spent or the elaborate desserts. It was the simple things, like hosting a honey roast, playing a simple game, or making a handmade birthday banner.

The one thing that made everyone feel special was a simple but homemade dessert. The dessert represented forethought, time, and love. Thinking about what kind of dessert the person I was celebrating would like, planning ahead to get all of the ingredients, and spending time making the dessert shows that I care. Not to mention how sitting down together and eating has the power to pull people together. It dawned on me that a lot of the simple things that my family did growing up were game changers. This shift made life easier for me and made the person of honor feel special and loved—which was the whole point.

Recently I listened to a podcast where two ladies said that we live in a culture that celebrates way too much. They described their annoyance with being expected to get a gift for every little accomplishment, graduation, or event. I disagree with what they said, but I think I agree with what they meant.

I don’t think Americans celebrate too often, but I do think we tend to celebrate too big. Celebrations can become huge catered gatherings with bounce houses and swag bags and a massive gift table. I am inviting you to something simpler: a gathering of people over dessert. Imagine people feeling connected and relaxed, while the guest of honor feels cherished and basks in this uncomplicated affair. Also, fun fact: I once read a study in which researchers found that receiving a gift was the very last thing on the list of what made people feel special.

Strawberry Shortcake

Grandma Wilken’s go-to dessert when I was growing up was boxed yellow cake, frozen strawberries sliced up, and topped with a big tub of Cool Whip. This recipe is an ode to that winning combination. Instead of a yellow cake mix, this from-scratch cake starts with the reverse creaming method. Simply put: Mix all the dry ingredients, then add the butter and mix until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. The final product is a tender, buttery cake. The edges are caramelized and a bit crispy. This cake is extraordinary and could be enjoyed on its own, but I finish it with real whipped cream and fresh strawberries in place of the original Cool Whip and frozen strawberries. Although if you’re making this out of season, I would opt for frozen strawberries, sliced and thawed.

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Yield: 9 servings

Ingredients 

1⅓ cups sugar
1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup salted butter, softened and cut into about 6 chunks
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
½ cup sour cream
½ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 lb. fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon sugar

Whipped Cream:
1½ cups heavy whipping cream
⅓ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

[1] Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
[2] Mix sugar, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on low speed until combined. Add the chunks of butter and stir until the mixture looks like wet sand.
[3] In a separate bowl whisk the egg, egg yolk, sour cream, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
[4] Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. You will see lumps of butter and that’s totally normal!
[5] Pour the batter into a parchment-lined and greased 9-inch square pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool.
[6] Hull and slice the strawberries. Sprinkle the sugar over the berries. Stir and allow them to sit for 5 minutes.
[7] Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
[8] When ready to serve, cut the cake into nine squares. Cut each square in half horizontally and open each cake square flat on the dessert plates
(kind of like a hamburger bun).
[9] Top cake with generous portions of whipped cream and sliced strawberries. Serve immediately. Store the cake in an airtight container and the whipped cream and strawberries in the refrigerator.

NOTE: My grandad was a big fan of this combo but preferred angel food cake over yellow cake. His mom had made it for his birthday when he was growing up and, considering he was born in the 1920s and everything in his life had changed since then—electricity, automobiles, refrigeration, and so on—it was pretty remarkable that he could still eat the exact same thing for his birthday at 95 as he did at age 5. I really wanted to include angel food cake in this book, but truthfully I’ve always made it from a box mix. When I tested an angel food cake recipe, I quickly realized that I prefer the boxed cake version of angel food cake (I know, probably an unpopular opinion) over the “from-scratch recipe.” As special as this story is to me, I wouldn’t share the recipe if I wasn’t excited about it. So, basically, if you want to eat your strawberry shortcake “grandad style,” swap in angel food cake in place of yellow cake.

Photo by Katie Lee Wilken