When I was 5 or so, my dad took me to see some Strawberry Shortcake movie. About halfway through the movie, he told me we needed to get some popcorn. While we were in the lobby, he informed me that the movie was suddenly over and it was time to go home.
I knew it wasn’t over.
My father was a liar.
I was kind of devastated.
What kind of father, what kind of HUMAN pays good money to see such a cinematic delight and then doesn’t stay for the whole thing?!
Well, in the age of Netflix, I have discovered the wonders of my favorite childhood TV shows and movies. Not too long ago, I tried watching the very same Strawberry Shortcake movie with my daughter.
Ummmmm…I get it now. Children’s programming has improved (well, some of it…Caillou, you’d better run if I meet your little animated self in a dark alley because I will cut you before you can whine once!) by leaps and bounds since that dark day. Dad, I’m so sorry for all the mean thoughts I had that day. And just in case any of you are wondering, Rainbow Brite is a million times worse than Strawberry Shortcake.
So since I’m a grown-up now, it’s time for a grown-up strawberry shortcake. As a kid, we always had sweetened strawberries over angel food cake and called it strawberry shortcake, but I have come to discover (among other painful realizations, apparently…you guys can charge me for this therapy session if you want) that that is not actually strawberry shortcake and that real shortcakes are more like sweet biscuits or scones.
One of my favorite food combinations ever is strawberries and lemons (like here and here). So I decided in my grown-up strawberry shortcakes, I wanted lemon strawberry shortcakes. And speaking of lemons, have you guys ever tried Meyer lemons?! They are amazing.
They’re not just fancy things they talk about on Food Network competition shows and then you run out and buy them and wonder what the heck all the hype was about–they’re actually a hybrid of lemons and Mandarin oranges. Which makes them sweeter and fruitier and fabulous for cooking and baking.
For starters, I took my favorite scone recipe and swapped out the poppy seeds and regular lemon rind for the rind of a regular lemon. You’re going to need all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, very cold butter, and an egg.
Preheat oven to 400. Place baking rack in the middle-low position. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the lemon zest and whisk together again. Grate the frozen butter (a food processor makes that job super easy, but you can also just do it on a regular box grater).
Toss the grated butter into the flour mixture
and combine it with your fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and egg. Drizzle it over the flour mixture and then toss the mixture together with a fork until everything appears moistened. Gently press the dough into a ball–it will take some time and some parts of the dough will be more moist than other parts, but continue pressing together until it forms a ball.
Lightly flour a surface (you can use the lined baking sheet if you want) and place the dough on top of the floured surface. Press into an 8″ disc
and cut into equal wedges with a butter knife. Separate the wedges and place them evenly on the baking sheet.
Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and add the zest of another Meyer lemon. Brush the butter mixture over each scone and then sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
(Yeah…if you’re waffling between the Silpat and the parchment paper, imagine how much fun it is to clean that mat.)
While the scones are cooling, slice 4 cups of fresh strawberries and sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar (more less, depending on how sweet the berries are) and stir to combine. Allow the berries to sit for a few minutes.
In a chilled bowl, combine 1 cup whipping cream, 1/2 cup cold buttermilk, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Beat with electric beaters until soft peaks form (this might be a tiny bit less set up than regular whipped cream).
When the shortcakes are cool, use a sharp knife to slice them in half and then spoon 1/2 cup of strawberries onto each bottom half (it’s okay if they spill out…that’s kind of the point). Top with the sweetened buttermilk whipped cream and then place the top half on the whipped cream. Serve immediately. Makes 8 shortcakes.
Meyer Lemon Strawberry Shortcakes with Buttermilk Whipped Cream
Recipe by Our Best Bites; shortcake recipe adapted from Allrecipes
Ingredients:
SHORTCAKES
2 cups all-purpose flour lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife
3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Zest of 2 Meyer lemons, divided (if you can’t or don’t want to use Meyer lemons, regular lemons will be delicious)
8 tablespoons very cold (or frozen) unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 egg
FILLING
4 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup white sugar (depending on sweetness of the berries)
BUTTERMILK WHIPPED CREAM
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400. Place baking rack in the middle-low position. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the lemon zest and whisk together again. Grate the frozen butter (a food processor makes that job super easy, but you can also just do it on a regular box grater). Toss the grated butter into the flour mixture and combine it with your fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and egg. Drizzle it over the flour mixture and then toss the mixture together with a fork until everything appears moistened. Gently press the dough into a ball–it will take some time and some parts of the dough will be more moist than other parts, but continue pressing together until it forms a ball.
Lightly flour a surface (you can use the lined baking sheet if you want) and place the dough on top of the floured surface. Press into an 8″ disc and cut into equal wedges with a butter knife. Separate the wedges and place them evenly on the baking sheet.
Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and add the zest of another Meyer lemon. Brush the butter mixture over each scone and then sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
While the scones are cooling, slice 4 cups of fresh strawberries and sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar (more less, depending on how sweet the berries are) and stir to combine. Allow the berries to sit for a few minutes.
In a chilled bowl (if possible), combine 1 cup whipping cream, 1/2 cup cold buttermilk, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Beat with electric beaters until soft peaks form (this might be a tiny bit less set up than regular whipped cream).
When the shortcakes are cool, use a sharp knife to slice them in half and then spoon 1/2 cup of strawberries onto each bottom half (it’s okay if they spill out…that’s kind of the point). Top with the sweetened buttermilk whipped cream and then place the top half on the whipped cream. Serve immediately. Makes 8 shortcakes.
Questions & Reviews
Oh my gosh, I died laughing about the Caillou comment! Seriously, I want in on the action if you find him in a dark alley:) There is enough whining in my house with the kiddos, that they do NOT need any pointers from that little bald pest:)
So excited to make this! We are avid strawberry shortcake eaters, but I always wish there was more to the cake part. It seems like sometimes you are just putting strawberries and cool whip on squishy styrofoam! Thanks so much, you girls are the best!
“For starters, I took my favorite scone recipe and swapped out the poppy seeds and regular lemon rind for the rind of a regular lemon. ” … was the second one supposed to say Meyer lemon, instead?
It looks fabulous, by the way 🙂
I am so looking forward to all things strawberry! Your shortcake method with the frozen butter is so interesting. Can’t wait to try!
I remember loving Strawberry Shortcake as a child and now my three year old is totally into it (I have yet to introduce her to the old shows since the new updated ones are torture enough) but all I can say about that is kids taste in shows has got to be like their taste buds, they mature and become more sophisticated as they get older. Why else would anyone torture themselves in that way! Thanks for the warning on Rainbow Bright, we will just steer clear of that one if we can. Thank you for this delicious looking recipe. I will have to try it soon, we love eating strawberry shortcake around here!
The story about the Strawberry Shortcake movie is so sad! Please tell me your dad at least bought the popcorn for you to eat on the drive home.
Alrighty this is getting just down right eerie. You guys saved me with your pork carnitas recipe because we bought the meat on a whim and then this morning we got a ton of strawberries and I wasn’t sure what I would do with them. How will you guys save me next? 🙂 These look delicious and I can’t wait to try them.
We’re mind-readers. It’s true. 🙂
Kate!!! You used the lemon poppyseed scone recipe for this?! Oh my word, I love you. Those are my favorite scones and one of my most favorite recipes from this blog – in fact, I just made them this past weekend for company. From someone who grew up with pound cake in strawberry shortcake, I am ABSOLUTELY trying this. So excited, thank you! 🙂
YAY! And you’re welcome! 🙂
I LOVED Rainbow Brite! I have often wondered why My Little Pony and Strawberry Shortcake have made a comeback but not Rainbow Brite. Although having not watched it at all in the past 25 years who knows if it would live up to my memories.
Right?! I once gave birth to Rainbow Brite, much to the horror of my mother.
I’m so glad that REAL strawberry shortcake is made with a biscuit type base. Thats how we always had it growing up and how I love it but I always felt like I had to explain myself when we served it to company. I’d always say “we are a biscuit type shortcake family” just to prepare people. This looks SO amazing, if you were eating it at may house you’d pour some half and half over the top for good measure!
LOVE.
I totally just started cracking up reading this!! So with you on the Caillou show. This looks so tasty I want to eat it right now!
Maybe I’ll have to try this one day. I always make the angel food cake version, which I’ve known for years isn’t technically right. But, I love it. AND….its a dessert I can eat without feeling guilty since angel food cake is fat free. This…most definitely ISN’T. 🙂 Still, I’ve always wanted to try the ‘official’ version. Love me some lemon….maybe this one is the one to try.
Hey! What’s wrong with Caillou??!!?? 🙂 I have always wondered if her mother is eternally pregnant. It’s funny you mention Strawberry Shortcake. I turned 4-0 (gosh, it’s even hard to type it!) last Saturday, and my sister used Strawberry Shortcake decor allover her house for the party.
This recipe looks amazing. You mentioned that, from the Lemon Poppyseed scones, you “swapped out the poppyseed and regular lemon grind for the grind of a regular lemon”… Was it too early? Has Caillou made you go insane??? Hehe. Thanks for a wonderful recipe, this looks so tasty!
Caillou was sent to Earth to teach children how to whine… 🙂
Wait, Caillou is a girl?????
This looks beautiful! I have not ever had a Meyer Lemon and did not know they were just a hybrid. I’ll have to try them when I can find them.
For me growing up, Strawberry Shortcake was lemon cake with strawberries. So I love that you have the lemon in a “real” version.
Yes! I hate Caillou. Such a whiney little bugger. And the “old” Strawberry Shortcakes are bad! I just want to slap Peppermint!
Looks delish! I won’t let my kids watch Caillou, I just can’t do it! He is so naughty! Made me smile!
Oh those scones look good enough to eat all on their own!!
Meyer Lemons – I made a meyer lemon vinegrette once with reg lemons since I couldnt find Meyer ones and it was good but now I wonder if it would be better with the meyer since you noted they were sweeter – but where do you find them? Do I need to go to Whole Foods or someplace like that? My local grocery store didnt have them
I live in the middle of nowhere, where I believe there isn’t a Whole Foods or that type of store within 500 miles, and I actually stumbled accross meyer lemons at my local Wal-Mart. They were actually cheaper than regular lemons. I think it’s slightly seasonal, but I think this is actually the time of year when I started seeing them there.
I, perhaps, could have fit the word “actually” into that comment a few more times! Not to be confused with “literally”.
Yep, what JConnolly said! 🙂 They seem to be seasonal and I found these ones at Walmart.
I also should have noted that the ones that I found were pre-packaged in a cute blue/clear bag with a handle in the top (they may have been Sunkist brand?).
The best line ever from Modern Family is Mitchell talking about the ways he’s plotting to kill Dora the Explorer. That and when Cam says, “Meryl Streep could play Batman, and still be the right choice.”
Living the lie here- my daughter wants “strawberry shortcake” for her birthday, but we all know she means angel food cake with strawberries. There’s just no obvious name for that dessert…
Anyway, this looks fantastic, and I have always wanted to try Meyer lemons!
I grew up with this kind of shortcake and I definitely prefer cake to shortcake. My mom is apalled! She considers the cake blasphemy.
Oh.my.gosh. I want to destroy Caillou, too! We had to have our girls quit watching it because it made them whinier and more disagreeable in general.
Plus, his theme song is insanely catching.
Caillou aside, I’m totally going to make these!
I TOTALLY echo your comments about Caillou! I watched it once and decided I would NEVER let any of my kids watch it. I hear enough whining from them on their own, let alone when they’re being inspired by that spawn-of-Satan-child!
I am SO excited you posted this recipe! We made the lemon scones for Easter and LOVED them and I actually wondered if it could be tweaked for strawberry shortcake. Unfortunately for me, I am not you, so I couldn’t create the actual recipe, but the idea was there! Thank you for bringing it to fruition, and for adding lemon, which only makes strawberries better! For the longest time I have been looking for a good strawberry SHORTCAKE recipe. I am SO not impressed with angel food cake or pound cake – I just don’t like the texture. But THIS is going to rock my world! Thanks for being wonderful!
Ahhh…Rainbow Brite! My sister & I were just talking about our favorite kid show growing up. We watched the Snorks, Rainbow Brite, Smurfs, Gummi Bears! The new Strawberry Shortcake DVD’s are much better – my daughter loves them!
Yes, the new Strawberry Shortcakes are MUCH better. Thank goodness.
lololol …. “I will cut you” …. lololol …. great start to my day!
As a mother of 2 little ones, I totally know where you are coming from about children’s programming… Caillou is always a source of agony in our house. Why is he bald? What’s up with his creepy laugh? And his little sis, Rosie, is just plain annoying. The show has been on for years, but it seems like we are always watching the same 3 episodes.
On the other hand, I have actually learned a lot from Dinosaur Train… But Don has got to go!!!
that story was halarious! i busted out laughing when i read the caillou thing! and totally agree!!
I love your story, how cute! These look delicious, gosh I just love strawberries!
Sounds delicious! I love strawberry and lemon together. I also love your rainbow brite whisk.
FYI, in the recipe you list the sour cream twice — once with the dry ingredients and once with the egg. I assume you really want it to go in with the egg, but I thought I’d mention it.
THANK YOU! Fixed it! 🙂
This looks awesome! I usually don’t make strawberry shortcake unless it’s berry picking time, but I don’t know if I can wait that long!
Haha! I have to laugh right out loud because I too grew up eating angel food cake with strawberries all the while being told by my mom that we were eating strawberry shortcake! I was pretty doggone old before I learned the bald-faced truth! I love your Meyer lemon and strawberry combo! This is a must for my first bbq of the season, for sure!