Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Mixed berries: 2 cups (300 g) sliced strawberries, 1 cup (150 g) blueberries, 1 cup (125 g) raspberries, 1 cup (145 g) blackberries, 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest, 1/8 tsp fine salt
- Biscuits: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 tbsp (12 g) baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine salt, 8 tbsp (113 g) cold unsalted butter (cubed), 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Finish: 1 tbsp (15 ml) heavy cream (for brushing), 1 tbsp (12 g) coarse sugar (optional)
- Vanilla whipped cream: 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cold heavy cream, 3 tbsp (24 g) powdered sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste), 1/8 tsp fine salt
Do This
- 1) Toss berries with sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt; rest 20 minutes.
- 2) Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- 3) Mix dry biscuit ingredients; cut in cold butter; stir in buttermilk + vanilla just until combined.
- 4) Pat dough to 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick, cut 6 rounds, brush with cream, sprinkle coarse sugar.
- 5) Bake 16–18 minutes until tall and deeply golden; cool 10 minutes.
- 6) Whip cream with powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt to medium peaks.
- 7) Split biscuits, spoon on juicy berries, add vanilla cream, cap with tops, serve right away.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Real shortcake biscuits: tender, buttery, and sturdy enough to soak up berry juices without turning soggy right away.
- Big berry flavor: a quick maceration turns fresh berries into a glossy, spoonable topping.
- Rich vanilla cream: softly sweet, deeply vanilla-scented, and perfect against tart fruit.
- Easy for guests: bake the biscuits and set out a build-your-own shortcake bar.
Grocery List
- Produce: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, 1 lemon
- Dairy: unsalted butter, buttermilk, heavy cream
- Pantry: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda, fine salt, vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste), coarse sugar (optional)
Full Ingredients
Mixed Berry Filling
- 2 cups (300 g) strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick
- 1 cup (150 g) blueberries
- 1 cup (125 g) raspberries
- 1 cup (145 g) blackberries (halve any very large berries)
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1/8 tsp fine salt
Tender Shortcake Biscuits
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for shaping
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp (12 g) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 8 tbsp (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) heavy cream, for brushing tops
- 1 tbsp (12 g) coarse sugar (optional), for sprinkling
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cold heavy cream
- 3 tbsp (24 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste)
- 1/8 tsp fine salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Macerate the berries for a juicy sauce
In a medium bowl, gently toss the strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries with the granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
You’re looking for the sugar to dissolve and a glossy syrup to form at the bottom of the bowl. If your kitchen is very warm, you can refrigerate the berries during this rest, but bring them back toward room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
Step 2: Prep the oven and pan
Arrange an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Tip: A hot oven is what gives these shortcakes their tall rise and golden tops.
Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients and cut in the butter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the cold butter cubes. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size bits of butter still visible. Those little butter pieces are what create flaky, tender layers.
Step 4: Add buttermilk and form the dough (gently)
In a small measuring cup, stir together the cold buttermilk and vanilla extract. Pour into the flour-butter mixture and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms and there are no dry flour pockets. Avoid overmixing.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick. If the dough feels sticky, dust lightly with flour (use as little as you can).
Step 5: Cut, chill briefly, and bake until deeply golden
Using a 3-inch (7.5 cm) round biscuit cutter, cut out 6 biscuits. Press straight down (do not twist) to help them rise evenly. Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet with about 2 inches (5 cm) between them.
If you have time, chill the tray for 10 minutes in the refrigerator; this helps the butter stay cold and improves the rise. (Optional, but helpful.)
Brush the tops lightly with 1 tbsp (15 ml) heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using.
Bake for 16–18 minutes, until the shortcakes are tall and a rich golden brown on top. Transfer to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before splitting (warm is good; steaming hot makes the whipped cream melt too quickly).
Step 6: Whip the vanilla cream to soft, billowy peaks
In a cold mixing bowl (chilled if possible), combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whip with a whisk or hand mixer on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 2–4 minutes. The cream should hold its shape but still look smooth and spoonable.
Stop just before it looks stiff or grainy; you want a rich, cloud-like texture for shortcake.
Step 7: Assemble and serve
Split each biscuit horizontally with a serrated knife. Place the bottom half on a plate. Spoon on a generous portion of mixed berries, including plenty of the syrupy juices. Add a big dollop of vanilla whipped cream. Cap with the top half of the biscuit.
Finish with an extra spoonful of berries and a little more cream if you like. Serve immediately for the best contrast of warm-tender biscuit, cool cream, and juicy fruit.
Pro Tips
- Keep everything cold for tender biscuits: cold butter and cold buttermilk create the flakiest, tallest shortcakes.
- Don’t twist the cutter: twisting seals the edges and can prevent a good rise.
- Deep golden equals better flavor: bake until the tops are richly browned; pale biscuits taste floury.
- Adjust berry sweetness: if berries are very sweet, reduce sugar to 3 tbsp (38 g); if tart, increase to 1/3 cup (67 g).
- Whip cream to medium peaks: it should mound on a spoon without looking curdled or stiff.
Variations
- Vanilla bean cream: use 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean) instead of extract for a speckled, extra-fragrant cream.
- Citrus twist: add 1/2 tsp orange zest to the berries and swap lemon juice for orange juice.
- Almond shortcake: replace vanilla in the biscuits with 1/2 tsp almond extract and top with sliced toasted almonds.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Biscuits: Bake up to 1 day ahead. Cool completely, store airtight at room temperature, then rewarm at 300°F (150°C) for 8–10 minutes. You can also freeze baked biscuits for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature and rewarm as above.
Berry mixture: Make up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate in a covered container. Stir before serving. If it gets very juicy, that’s perfect for soaking into the shortcake.
Whipped cream: Best the day it’s made. For make-ahead (up to 8 hours), whip to medium peaks and refrigerate covered; whisk briefly to loosen before serving.
Assembled shortcakes: Assemble right before serving. Once built, the biscuits will start to soften after about 20–30 minutes.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate, per 1 assembled shortcake (1/6 of recipe): 520 calories, 30 g fat, 58 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 3 g fiber, 28 g sugar, 360 mg sodium.
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