Homestyle All-Berry Shortcake With Buttery Biscuits and Vanilla Cream

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 8 servings
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 16 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional, for tops)
• 2 cups (300 g) strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1 cup (150 g) blueberries
• 1 cup (125 g) raspberries
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cold heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons (24 g) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Do This

• 1) Heat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• 2) Toss strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and zest; rest 25 minutes.
• 3) Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt; cut in cold butter.
• 4) Stir in cold buttermilk just until a shaggy dough forms; pat and cut 8 biscuits.
• 5) Brush tops with buttermilk, sprinkle with turbinado sugar, bake 14–16 minutes.
• 6) Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.
• 7) Split warm biscuits; layer berries and juices + vanilla cream; serve right away.

---

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Homestyle, buttery biscuits that bake up tall and tender (no fancy tools required).
• All-berry filling: strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries for sweet-tart balance and gorgeous color.
• Softly whipped vanilla cream that stays pillowy and light, not overly sweet.
• Easy to prep in parts so you can assemble right before serving.

Grocery List

• Produce: 2 cups strawberries, 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup raspberries, 1 lemon (for juice + zest)
• Dairy: unsalted butter, buttermilk, heavy cream
• Pantry: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, kosher salt, vanilla extract, turbinado sugar (optional)

Full Ingredients

All-Berry Filling

• 2 cups (300 g) strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 cup (150 g) blueberries
• 1 cup (125 g) raspberries
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Buttery Biscuit Shortcakes

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon for dusting
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing tops
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional, for a crisp, sparkly top)

Softly Whipped Vanilla Cream

• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cold heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons (24 g) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the berries and let them get juicy

In a medium bowl, gently toss the strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries with the granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Let sit at room temperature for 25 minutes.

As they rest, the sugar pulls out the berry juices and turns them into a naturally syrupy sauce. Give the bowl a gentle stir once or twice (careful with the raspberries).

Step 2: Heat the oven and set up your pan

Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

This high heat helps the biscuits rise quickly and brown nicely without drying out.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients for the biscuits

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and salt until evenly combined.

Tip: whisking thoroughly prevents salty or leavening “pockets” in the baked biscuits.

Step 4: Cut in the cold butter

Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces of butter still visible.

Those little bits of butter are a good thing: they melt in the oven and create flaky, tender layers.

Step 5: Add buttermilk, shape, and cut the biscuits

Pour in 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk. Stir gently with a fork until you have a shaggy dough and the dry flour is mostly absorbed. If you see a few dry bits at the bottom of the bowl, use your hand to lightly press the dough together (avoid heavy kneading).

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half, pat back to 1 inch thick, and repeat folding once more (this builds tender layers without overworking).

Pat the dough to about 1-inch thickness again and cut 8 biscuits using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter. Press straight down (don’t twist), so the biscuits rise tall. Gather scraps gently and cut the remaining biscuits.

Step 6: Bake until tall and golden

Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart. Brush the tops with 2 tablespoons buttermilk and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional).

Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 14–16 minutes, until the tops are golden and the biscuits feel set when lightly tapped.

Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before splitting. Warm biscuits are great for shortcake, but very hot biscuits can melt the cream too quickly.

Step 7: Whip the vanilla cream and assemble

In a cold mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt. Whip with a whisk or hand mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form (the cream should be airy and spoonable, not stiff).

To serve, split each biscuit in half. Spoon a generous layer of berries and syrup over the bottom half, add a big dollop of whipped vanilla cream, then add the top half of the biscuit. Finish with a little more berries and a small spoonful of berry juices.

Serve immediately for the best contrast of tender biscuit, juicy berries, and fluffy cream.

Pro Tips

• Keep everything cold for the biscuits: cold butter and cold buttermilk make taller, flakier shortcakes.
• Don’t overmix the dough: stop stirring as soon as it comes together. Overmixing makes biscuits tough.
• Press the cutter straight down: twisting seals the edges and can prevent a good rise.
• Soft peaks for the cream: it should drape and look plush. Stiff cream can feel heavy in a shortcake.
• Let the berries macerate the full 25 minutes: that syrup is the “sauce” that ties everything together.

Variations

• Lemon-vanilla shortcake: add 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the biscuit dry ingredients for a brighter flavor.
• Extra-rustic berry swap: replace 1 cup of berries with 1 cup (140 g) blackberries (halve large ones).
• Make it a crowd dessert: bake biscuits as directed, then set out bowls of berries and cream so everyone builds their own.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Best same day: Shortcake is at its best when assembled right before serving.

Make-ahead components: Macerate berries up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate (stir gently before serving). Bake biscuits up to 1 day ahead; store airtight at room temperature, then warm in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 6–8 minutes. Whip cream up to 6 hours ahead and refrigerate covered; re-whisk by hand for a few seconds if it softens.

Leftovers: Store biscuits, berries, and cream separately. Assembled shortcakes will soften quickly (still tasty, just less crisp).

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, per 1 assembled shortcake (1/8 of recipe): 430 calories, 22 g fat, 52 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 4 g fiber, 24 g sugar, 360 mg sodium.