Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake: No Butter or Buttermilk

Old fashioned recipes for strawberry shortcake typically include a biscuit rather than a sponge cake. The homemade biscuit in this recipe is basically a drop biscuit (no rolling pin required), and is made without butter or buttermilk. It has a slight crunch that pairs well with the juicy, fresh strawberries, and it is very simple to make. I added some fresh basil to the strawberries and topped it all with a vanilla whipped cream.

Jump to: RECIPE | Best Biscuits for Strawberry Shortcake | Ingredients and Substitutions | Step by Step Illustrations

Cream Biscuits vs Buttermilk Biscuits vs Spongecake

Biscuit recipe with no buttermilk, whipped cream with rose water or vanilla, fresh strawberries with a touch of sugar….classic.

When I asked my husband what kind of strawberry shortcake he liked, he said he liked biscuits, but didn’t like that “old fashioned” kind of strawberry shortcake with those store-bought soft twinkie-like things. sponge cakes. It’s interesting what people consider old fashioned!.

Those spongy cakes he’s referring to were popular in the 60’s as it was a time of convenience and processed foods. Those aren’t old fashioned shortcakes however…they’re spongecakes.

Biscuits are what I think of when thinking of old fashioned strawberry shortcakes. Biscuits are easy to make and there are a ton of variations on them.

Often you will hear of buttermilk biscuits as being the go-to for shortcakes. They are good, but invariably I end up not having buttermilk around, going to the store for it, and then trying to figure out what to do with leftover buttermilk. That is the main reason I don’t like to make buttermilk biscuits.

I also find incorporating bits of butter into a dough to be tedious and it is difficult to make sure it is evenly incorporated. Hence, I stay away from butter also.

The ultimate biscuit for me is one made heavy cream and no butter or buttermilk. It is not only the easiest way to go but it makes a beautiful golden and somewhat crispy biscuit that is perfect for those juicy strawberries.

Last but not least is making your biscuits from Bisquick. They are easy, reliable and taste pretty good. I think these cream biscuits in the recipe below are just as easy however, with “homemade” braggin rights.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The key ingredients are the freshest seasonal strawberries you can find, and heavy whipping cream (fluid) for the biscuits.

While classic and old-fashioned is a good thing, there are always ways to spice things up and make it your own. Here are a few popular ways to customize strawberry shortcake:

For the strawberries (while macerating):

• add some balsamic vinegar
• add cut up basil
• change out the lemon juice for some lime juice
• use a flavored herbal sugar (like lemon verbena or rosemary)
• spice it up a bit with black pepper
• add rose water or orange blossom water

For the Biscuit Dough:

• try a recipe for buttermilk biscuits
• add some ground up nuts (like hazelnuts)
• add cocoa powder for a chocolate biscuit
• add warming spices like cardamom or ginger
• change the dairy to creme fraiche, sour cream, half & half, etc. (just follow a recipe for appropriate ratios)

For the Whipped Cream:

• add a teaspoon or so of bourbon
• add orange flower water and orange zest
• add a liqueur like Grand Marnier or Cassis
• add finely minced mint

Illustrated Step by Step:

The steps are detailed in the recipe card below, but for the visual people out there here are the basic steps:

Step #1: hull and slice 1 pound strawberries (makes ~ 3 cups)

Step #2: In a bowl, stir together strawberries, basil, sugar and lemon juice and set aside to macerate

Step #3: Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl.

Step #4: Add cream and vanilla to dry ingredients and blend together to form a ball of dough

Step #5: Pat dough out to 1/4 inch circle and cut out biscuits with 3-inch cookie cutter

Step #6: Brush biscuits with cream and sprinkle with sugar and place in baking dish. Bake at 400 F for ~ 30 minutes

Step #7: Brush biscuits with cream and sprinkle with sugar and place in baking dish. Bake at 400 F for ~ 30 minutes

Step #8: Layer bottom biscuit with strawberries and whipped cream and top with another biscuit and more whipped cream.

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