Easy Strawberry Shortcake Cake Recipe with Recipesimade.

All the joy of classic strawberry shortcake, minus the fuss of shaping individual biscuits: one tender single-layer cake, a heap of juicy macerated strawberries in their own glossy syrup, and a billowy cloud of lightly sweetened whipped cream. It is light, fresh and unapologetically summery - the dessert that disappears first at every gathering.

Why you'll love this

• One easy single-layer cake instead of fiddly individual shortcakes
• Macerated strawberries that release their own sweet, syrupy juices to soak the cake
• Softly whipped, lightly sweetened cream piled generously on top
• Light yet indulgent, and an effortless crowd-pleaser you can throw together fast

Key ingredients & swaps

• Fresh strawberries — the star; sliced and macerated in sugar until they soften and weep a glossy syrup, they bring both the fruit and the sweet juices that soak down into the cake.
• Granulated sugar (for macerating) — this is what draws the juice out of the berries; tossed with the sliced strawberries, it pulls out their water by osmosis and turns it into a thick, jammy syrup.
• Heavy cream — does double duty - it enriches the cake batter for a tender crumb and whips into the soft, pillowy topping; keep it cold for whipping so it reaches peaks fast.
• Cold cubed butter — cut into the dry ingredients, it creates little steam pockets as it bakes for a light, shortcake-like crumb; keep it cold so it stays in flecks rather than melting into the flour.
• Baking powder — the lift that keeps this single-layer cake tender and risen rather than dense; make sure it is fresh, as stale leavener gives you a flat, heavy cake.
• Vanilla extract — rounds out and warms both the cake and the whipped cream; stir it into the cream right before you whip so the flavour carries through the topping.

How to make it (step by step)

1. 

   1

   Macerate the strawberries

   Toss the sliced strawberries with the sugar in a bowl and let them sit at room temperature while you bake. After about 30 minutes they soften and release a glossy syrup; an hour gives even more juice, so start this first.

2. 

   2

   Mix the batter

   Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, then cut in the cold cubed butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla just until a soft batter comes together - mix as little as possible, since overworking it turns the cake tough.

3. 

   3

   Bake the cake

   Spread the batter into a greased and floured round cake pan and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. A few moist crumbs are fine; wet batter means it needs a few more minutes.

4. 

   4

   Cool completely

   Let the cake cool fully before topping it. Adding cold whipped cream to a warm cake melts it into a slumped mess, so be patient and let it come down to room temperature.

5. 

   5

   Whip the cream

   Whip the cold heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until soft, billowy peaks form - this takes only a minute or two, and stiff peaks are plenty. Stop as soon as it holds its shape, because a few seconds too long turns it grainy and on its way to butter.

6. 6

   Top and serve

   Spoon the macerated strawberries and their syrup over the cooled cake, letting the juices soak in, then pile on the whipped cream. Serve with extra berries on top, ideally soon after assembling so the cake stays light rather than soggy.