This strawberry shortcake has a secret ingredient! Here what makes it extra fresh…

This will be your new favorite strawberry shortcake recipe.

Strawberry shortcake is usually a humble dessert built on a biscuit, but we’re turning it into a show-stopping cake. Topped with a gorgeous blanket of fresh whipped cream, it’s the perfect grand finale to any summer meal.

Chelsea McPherson shares the few star ingredients set this cake apart: brown butter and cake flour! The brown butter gives the batter a rich depth of flavor. The cake flour makes the finished cake extra fluffy and light.

Instead of macerating the strawberries with lemons, as most recipes do, Chelsea’s recipe uses limes. Adding lime juice and zest gives it a fun pop of flavor that’s extra summery!

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

By Chelsea McPherson

INGREDIENTS

For the cake

• 1 1/3 cups cake flour
• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 6 Tbsp salted butter (browned then cooled to room temp)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup whole milk (room temp)
• 1 egg (room temp)

For the Whipped Cream

• 1 pint cold heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

For the Strawberry Topping

• 2-3 cups chopped fresh strawberries
• Juice from half a lime
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• Lime zest

METHOD

1. Start browning your butter right away. In a small saucepan, brown 6 Tbsp of salted butter over medium-high heat. Once brown, remove from heat and let it begin to come to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°
3. Prepare an 8 inch cake pan by greasing, flouring, and adding wax paper to the bottom of the pan.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, powdered sugar, and baking powder together. Stir to combine.
5. Add the room temperature browned butter, vanilla, almond extract, whole milk, and egg. Stir until it’s combined and there are no large lumps.
6. Pour the cake batter into the greased, floured, and wax papered cake pan.
7. Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes.
8. Allow the cake to cool completely.
9. While the cake is cooling, prepare the whipped cream and strawberries.
10. Slice the strawberries and add them to a bowl. Add the sugar, lime juice and lime zest. Let the berries sit for a few minutes to release some of their juices.
11. Whip your cream. Add your cold heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla to a medium size bowl and whip for 3-4 minutes. The cream is ready when soft peaks form.
12. Place your cooled cake on a plate or cake stand. Add the freshly whipped cream and spread it to the edges of the cake. Top with strawberries.
13. I love adding blueberries and blackberries in the summer months to make this cake extra festive.
14. Pile the berries high and make it gorgeous!

Find more recipes from Chelsea on Instagram, @chels.eats_.