Strawberry Shortcake

This recipe for Strawberry Shortcake is great for summer using fresh berries.  When making this recipe for my family I toast the angel food cake which gives it a delicious twist on the typical strawberry shortcake recipe.

Angel Food Cake.  It is one of my husband’s favorite recipes that his grandma would make every summer with fresh strawberries and whipped cream on top. 

I remember he was always loved when she made that cake.  That cake was delicious!  But for some reason this is one cake I have yet to perfect..it can be a bit tricky to make.  I am still trying to get that one right!

What do you do if you are like me and can’t make a good sponge cake from scratch? I buy one at the local grocery store! It makes this easy dessert recipe even easier to make.  

To make this Strawberry Shortcake recipe will just need four ingredients…

• store bought angel food cake (unless you prefer to make it yourself)
• fresh strawberries
• sugar
• whipped cream

I love to make this Strawberry Shortcake recipe during the summer months using fresh strawberries.  There is just something about freshly picked strawberries!

This strawberry shortcake recipe has a great little twist on the angel food cake…it’s toasted!  By toasting it, the angel food cake has a little crisp to it.  Something different and it is really easy to do.

How do you toast angel food cake?

Whether you have a cake from the store or have made your favorite angel food cake recipe that you love to make, it is very simple to toast the angel food cake.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Cover your cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Slice the cake into small cubes.  I use a good serrated knife to do the job of slicing the cake.  Sponge cake is pretty soft and moist. 

Tip: To easily slice the cake into cubes, press down slightly on the cake while slicing it so the cake doesn’t stick to the knife.

Once you have all of the cake sliced into cubes, place the cake pieces on your prepared baking sheet.  Place them on the baking sheet in a single layer with a little bit of room between the pieces of cake.

Tip: Be sure to place the cubed cakes pieces on the baking sheet in a single layer with a little bit of room between them. By doing this it will ensure the cake pieces will toast evenly.   It is best to do two batches or use two separate pans for the best results.  

Place them in the oven for 8-10 minutes.  They are done when the cake pieces are golden brown.

Remove them from your oven and let them sit on the baking sheet to cool, about 30-40 minutes. Once they are cooled you can make the dessert.

The toasted angel food cake tastes best the day that you toast them.

How to prepare the strawberries:

Wash the strawberries.  While rinsing them with warm water, take off the stems and wash under there as well.  Pat them dry with a paper towel.  Let them sit on a paper towel to fully dry.

Slice the strawberries in half and then into thin slices.  While doing this, cut off the very top of the strawberries and discard.

Place the sliced strawberries in a bowl with one tablespoon of granulated sugar. Mix together the berries and sugar, cover and place them in the refrigerator for two hours. By doing this, you bring out the sweetness of the strawberries, soften them up and also create a sweet strawberry syrup.

It is best to do the strawberries ahead of time as they need in sit in the refrigerator with the sugar for two hours. 

Now, for the whipped cream…

I just recently made my own homemade whipped cream.  Oh my goodness it was so good and so very easy to make!  It literally took me five minutes to make.

However, if you don’t want to make your own whipped cream, buy it at the store and you are all ready to go.  Either way is fine for this recipe.

While homemade whipped cream is delicious and easy to make, I think Reddi Whip looks prettier with Strawberry Shortcake.  For my photos in this post, I used Reddi Whip.

How do your make your homemade whipped cream?

If you are feeling ambitious and want to make your own whipped cream, this is the recipe I used when I made it recently.  Here are the three ingredients you will need:

• Cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
• Sugar to sweeten
• Vanilla extract

How to assemble the Strawberry Shortcake with toasted angel food cake:

Once you have all the cake pieces cooled and the berries ready, get out your clear glasses and prepare the dessert.

Layer the Strawberry Shortcake by starting with some cake pieces on the bottom.  In our glasses I can fit 5-6 pieces in each layer of cake pieces. For this recipe, we use our 16 oz wine glasses.

Next, add some strawberries.  About 1/4 cup of strawberries for each layer of berries works well. 

Then add some whipped cream, either store bought or homemade…your choice.  A good dollop or two is good for each layer.

Repeat with another layer of each ingredient.  Make sure you finish the layers with the whipped cream so it has a pretty topping.

Tip: It is best to assemble the dessert just before serving. Serve it right away since the whipped cream will start to flop quickly.  It does not take long to assemble the dessert since most of the work is done ahead of time.

This recipe is enough for four individual servings using 16 oz. glasses.  If you want to make more, than double the recipe or adjust accordingly to how many servings you need.

Want to make this as a trifle for a larger crowd?  This recipe is written for four individual servings. If you want serve as a trifle, it will work. You will need to at least double the recipe, depending on how many people you want to serve and the size of your serving dish. 

Serve it on Fourth of July! This makes a great dessert for the Fourth of July. By adding both strawberries and blueberries, it is a festive and delicious recipe for your Fourth of July celebrations!

How to prepare the blueberries:

The blueberries just need to be washed with warm water and set aside on a paper towel to dry.  You can also pat them dry the blueberries with a paper towel.

Add them in with the strawberries as you assemble the dessert.

This recipe is perfect for summer parties, barbecues or when you want to use up some fresh berries.  This has become my daughter’s favorite summer dessert!

Homemade or store bought whipped cream for this recipe? 

Let’s talk about the pros of each…

Store bought:

• Will give the dessert a prettier topping. 
• You just need to buy it…no prep work needed!

Homemade:

• It holds its shape better and for longer than store bought whipped cream.
• It is thicker and creamier.
• While it is homemade, it only takes five minutes to prep.
• You know what is going into the whipped cream.

Recipe Tips:

Prepare the strawberries ahead of time as the strawberries need two hours to sit in the sugar to bring out their sweetness.

Make sure the cubed cake pieces are spread out on your baking sheet in a single layer so that they toast evenly.  It is best to do two batches or at least use two baking sheets.

Assemble the dessert just before you are ready to serve it.  If it is made earlier, the whipped cream might flop on you. The angel food cake will also get soggy from the strawberries if it sits too long. Prep all the ingredients before hand but assemble just before serving for best results.

The recipe is made for four individual serving glasses.  If you want to serve more than four people, increase the amount accordingly.

Want to make this for a crowd? To make this for more people, it can also be made in a trifle bowl.  You will need to double or triple the recipe, depending on the size of your bowl and people you are serving.

Love strawberries?  Here are a few more recipes for you to make…Spinach and Strawberry Salad, Strawberry Kiwi Popsicles, Chocolate Strawberry Ice Cream Pie.

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Did you make this recipe?  If so, I would love to hear what you thought by commenting and rating below.  Thanks and have a great day!

This post is not sponsored, but you will find affiliate links on this page.  The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but I may make a small commission based on your purchase. 

Update Note: This recipe was originally posted in 2017, but was published again in 2019 to include step by step directions and new photos.