Name: Strawberry Shortcake Jar
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour; 1 cups white (caster) sugar; 1 tablespoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla essence; ½ cup butter (unsalted (or don't add salt if using salted butter)); 1 egg; ¼ cup and 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoons milk; 1 cup heavy cream (double cream) (whipped); 1/2 cup cream cheese (full fat); 1/3 cup icing (confectioners) sugar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 punnet strawberries (or whatever quantity you have); 2-3 tablespoons icing (confectioners) sugar (optional)

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Perfect summer treat, homemade vanilla shortcake layered with fresh cream and strawberries.

Why make this recipe?

Light summer dessert
Looks amazing layered in a jam jar or a glass
Easy to make
Keep the shortcake leftover to make a different fruit variation or freeze them for next time

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What exactly is shortcake?

Shortcake is a variation of shortbread, which is buttery hard biscuit traditionally baked in Britain and Scottland.

The shortcake is in between regular cake and biscuits in as much as that the texture is tighter and the crumb is not as light. It’s perfect for making triffle, layered cream jars (like this one) or other layered puddings.

Any specialist equipment needed?

You will need a whisk to whip the cream, but it can be done by hand if you don’t have an electric whisk.

Time saving tip

I’ve included the whole batch of shortcake, but you’ll probably only need 1/2 of the finished shortcake to layer your jam jars. The shortcake layer can be frozen for up to 3 months, which means that next time you can have your Strawberry Shortcake Jar ready in no time, at all!

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Ingredients

Shortcake Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1 cups white (caster) sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
½ cup butter unsalted (or don’t add salt if using salted butter)
1 egg
¼ cup and 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoons milk

To make the cream layer

1 cup heavy cream (double cream) whipped
1/2 cup cream cheese full fat
1/3 cup icing (confectioners) sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

You can also use any of my frosting suggestions for lemon sponge cakes, which would work with this strawberry recipe really well.

To finish the strawberry shortcake jar

1 punnet strawberries or whatever quantity you have
2-3 tablespoons icing (confectioners) sugar optional

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The method – Instructions

To make the shortcake

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease and line an 8-inch baking tin or similar large shallow baking tin.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Cut in unsalted butter with a knife until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You can also do this with your fingertips, but don’t over mix the dough.

Beat egg, vanilla extract and milk in another bowl then pour into the flour mixture until everything is just blended.

Spread the shortcake batter in the prepared baking pan.

Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 15-20 minutes.

Place on a cooling rack and leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. You can remove the baking parchment (if using) to let the cake cool down completely.

To make the cream layer

Whip the heavy cream (double cream) in a large mixing bow using electric hand mixer or a whisk.

In a separate bowl mix together the cream cheese, icing sugar (confectioners – powdered sugar) and vanilla extract.

Add the cream cheese mixture into the double cream (heavy cream) and carry on whisking until you get firm peaks.

To assemble the strawberry shortcake jar

Cut the shortcake layer with a round cutter (slightly smaller size than your chosen jam jars or glasses) or use a knife. You can also break the shortcake and lightly crumble it if you don’t have any suitable cutters.

Using a jam jars or drinking glasses, start layering them with the shortcake first, then the whipped cream and strawberries and carry on until you fill the jar, finishing with the strawberries and light dusting of icing sugar.

Serve straight away or keep in the fridge until needed.

Variation on this recipe

Use a different fruit – raspberries, blueberries, pineapple, tropical fruits, blackberries etc.
Use only cream instead of a cream, cream cheese and icing sugar
Use crumbled biscuits
Use shop bought vanilla cake instead of homemade for a quick version of this recipe

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Serving size

Depending on how big your jam jars are, the shortcake will be enough to make about 8 jars, but the cream is calculated for 4 servings. If you need more cream layer, just double the amount.

Can this recipe be made in advance?

It’s best to bake the shortcake first and freeze it until you need it. The cream layer should be made on the day that you intend to serve the pudding. Don’t assemble the jars until you are ready to serve them, to make sure that the cream and strawberries don’t run into each other and make the shortcake layer too soggy.

How to store this recipe

Best kept in the fridge once assembled and it should be eaten on the same day. Can be eaten within 1-2 days, but the cream and strawberries will make the shorcake soggy.