A simple homemade cake, freshly whipped cream and honey-coated macerated strawberries make this strawberry shortcake the perfect summer dessert for any occasion. It’s crumbly without being too dense, and has the perfect balance of sweetness and rich buttery flavor. It’ll be your go-to strawberry shortcake recipe!

I grew up eating strawberry shortcake made with Bisquick baking mix, a white, refined-sugar and strawberry topping and a heaping dollop of Cool Whip. This homemade version of strawberry shortcake takes those same summer flavors from my childhood and kicks them up a notch by using all real-food ingredients.

It’s a healthy, yet decadent dessert for summer that you can feel good about serving your friends and family.

When it comes to baking, we are big proponents of from-scratch, as opposed to box mixes. Packaged versions are generally made with refined sugar, refined white flour, hydrogenated fats, additives, preservatives, artificial colors and flavoring. These heavily processed ingredients not only contribute to weight gain, they’re void of nutrients and have been linked to depression, diabetes, ADHD disorder, and cancer.

This simple, from-scratch shortcake is made with FfL-friendly, REAL-food ingredients. It’s far healthier than most commercial mixes because it uses half the amount of sugar and less than half the amount of oil. Don’t worry, it’s still bursting with delicious flavor!

If you’ve spent time perusing FULLforLife, then you know the recipes you’ll find here use real-food, minimally processed ingredients whenever possible. Because white flour doesn’t fall into the realm of real food, this recipe uses white whole-wheat flour, which does. By using white whole-wheat flour, you’ll achieve a crumbly biscuit-like cake, while still receiving all the nutritional benefits whole-grain flour has to offer.

Why not whole-wheat flour?

Because white whole-wheat flour doesn’t have the bitter tannins of regular whole-wheat flour, it yields a lighter, fluffier batter with a mild natural sweetness. This means you still get all the benefits of 100% whole-grain flour without the bitterness.

Homemade whipped cream is super easy to make and incredibly delicious. Not to mention, it’s made with FfL-friendly ingredients, rather than highly processed (often unrecognizable) ones.

This version is flavored with vanilla extract and a touch of maple syrup, which perfectly complements the strawberry shortcake. All you have to do is whip the cream until soft, billowy peaks form and then spoon it over your shortcake and strawberry topping. It’s truly a 10/10 and worth the extra 2 minutes prep time!!

Want to make extra while all the ingredients are out? No problem! You can freeze your shortcake in an airtight container or freezer bag (air removed). Thaw in the fridge overnight. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes, until the exterior is slightly crisped up and the inside is warm and fluffy, or simply serve chilled or room temperature with your strawberry mixture and cold, creamy milk.

• If the whipped cream loses its volume, you can easily whip it with an electric mixer or by hand to get it thickened again.
• If you want to get a headstart on this dessert, you can prepare the components in advance. Just wait to assemble them until right before serving.
• Because this shortcake doesn’t have preservatives added, you’ll want to refrigerate your leftovers. When stored in the fridge, it should last 5-7 days. Add milk when serving to moisten it and enhance all the delicious sweet, buttery flavors.
• You can swap out the strawberries for any other fresh fruit. Peaches and blueberries are personal favorites!

What we love about this shortcake is its versatility. Serve it with a fresh fruit mixture as a delicious brekkie or as an after-dinner dessert. You can also slice, warm and enjoy the leftovers as a sweet “southern honey wheat bread,” which complements just about any roast, slow-cooker meal, or other comfort dish you can think of.