Strawberry Shortcake
@belindayhughes (1096)
United States
February 7, 2013 4:31pm CST
One of my favorite dishes to make with my grandmother was Strawberry Shortcake. We would either pick up some prepared individual spongecake cups at the grocery store or start with homemade flaky buttermilk biscuits from scratch. Then we would slice up fresh strrawberries from my grandmother's garden. She had a whole patch of them, well mulched with pinestraw, and her plants produced so well, it was hard to keep them all picked. So we had to make Strawberry Shortcake to keep the plants picked, so they would continue to grow more fruit in the short span of their season. After slicing the berries into a bowl, we added sugar and stirred until they made their own delicious syrup with their fresh juices. Then we spooned the strawberries onto the cake or biscuits and topped the whole thing with whipped cream, usually Cool Whip. Finally, we would sink our spoons into our dishes, take a portion into our mouths and roll our eyes in pleasure. It was sooo good! I miss sharing my grandmother's Strawberry Shortcake Spring Celebration ritual with her. I'm growing my own strawberry plants now, but didn't have any last year. Maybe this year, they'll produce and I can make my grandmother's Strawberry Shortcake for my mom, dad and sis.
6 people like this
10 responses
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
7 Feb 13
Hello my friend, well that certainly had my mouth watering, I love everything with strawberries! Strange as it may sound but I find it near impossible to find a shop that sells strawberry ice cream, every other flavour under the sun, but try and find strawberry! No way! Out of luck. Save me a piece of strawberry shortcake please, go well with a cup of hot black coffee whilst working on Mylot!
4 people like this
@belindayhughes (1096)
• United States
8 Feb 13
Hey there, wolfie! :-) Hope today was a good day for you and yours. That's so odd you're having trouble finding strawberry ice cream. It's usually everywhere! Oddly enough, I had difficulty finding cherry poptarts last weekend, only strawberry on the shelves, both name brand and generic. But then we got the strawberry plants and I was showing off my two from last year, and it all got me thinking about Grandma's garden and her Strawberry Shortcake. As for the coffee, I'd be serving you cafe au lait with your shortcake, as it's Mardi Gras right now, and I'm Louisiana proud.
1 person likes this
@edvc77 (2140)
• Philippines
7 Feb 13
That seems wonderful and delicious. Strawberry is one of the favorites of my son. However, we could only buy fresh strawberries in Baguio City. That place has cold temperature so straberries grow there. We can buy here at the supermarket but not that fresh anymore. The strawberry cake seems delicious. :-)
3 people like this
@belindayhughes (1096)
• United States
8 Feb 13
Hiya edvc, and thanks for responding. Hope you can get to Baguio City or another fresh strawberry city someday soon. Fresh strawberries are the only way to go with Strawberry Shortcake. While it is possible to defrost frozen strawberries if absolute necessary, they're just not the same. Fresh is definitely best.
2 people like this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
8 Feb 13
I love strawberries but I do not like those sponge cakes. I guess what my mom used to make was more properly called a strawberry pie. She would bake a pie crust, then put sweetened, crushed strawberries in it. We would eat it doused with real cream. Oh, my. It's not strawberry season yet, but if it was... 
2 people like this
@belindayhughes (1096)
• United States
8 Feb 13
LOL Hey peavey, love your emoticon! I haven't had that much real cream since my sister yielded her kitchen and grill to her bf. Your mom's Strawberry Pie sounds absolutely scrumptious!! And you're right, the sponge cakes were no comparison to Grandma's homemade biscuits. I can hardly wait to go strawberry picking. Wish you could come along.
1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
7 Feb 13
I've had it both ways...with the spongecake and with the homemade biscuits..mmmmmm, it sounds soooo good right now! I must be hungry. I also remember when I was little my father mixing up whipping creme from the cartons and splashing it onto the shortcakes.
That's so sweet of you to grow your own strawberries and share them with the family. I'm sure your grandma is watching and smiling regardless. 
3 people like this
@belindayhughes (1096)
• United States
8 Feb 13
Thanks for the sweet reponse, Kash. That's great that your dad was a home chef to some degree. My grandmother inspires me a lot these days, from gardening to strawberry shortcake to hiking.
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
7 Feb 13
The mention of those spongecake cups just gave me a bad flashback. My mother would add a few strawberries to them, douse them in sugar and milk and call it "strawberry shortcake." 
It's a miracle that I grew up to know how to actually prepare good food, because I certainly didn't get any help on that front from my mother.
When strawberries are in season here, I will have to make some real strawberry shortcake and top it all with real whipped cream. Maybe, I'll get a tad crazy and add some shredded coconut as well. 
It's a miracle that I grew up to know how to actually prepare good food, because I certainly didn't get any help on that front from my mother.
When strawberries are in season here, I will have to make some real strawberry shortcake and top it all with real whipped cream. Maybe, I'll get a tad crazy and add some shredded coconut as well. 3 people like this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
7 Feb 13
You are making me really want these now. I never thought of putting shredded coconut on them...yummy! I love coconut! I will certainly try that and maybe I'll get all these ingredients next week when I go shopping. It just all sounds delicious!
3 people like this
@belindayhughes (1096)
• United States
7 Feb 13
I'm with you, wilson & kash. Coconut would be the perfect finishing toucnh on strawberry shortcake.
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
8 Feb 13
You make me hungry... my dad used to bring my mom here baskets of strawberries. We new the next night we would have strawberry shortcake. Mom has been gone 1 1/2 years now. I havent had in since. Your posts brings back some great memories of her.
2 people like this
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
8 Feb 13
now your talking.. flan is this girls favorite... Have a great day there.
1 person likes this
@belindayhughes (1096)
• United States
8 Feb 13
Ooh, what about Strawberry Shortcake using Tres Leches Cake or Flan?
1 person likes this
@belindayhughes (1096)
• United States
8 Feb 13
Hello, ctryhunny, nice to meet you. I feel the same way about Strawberry Shortcake. Whether spongecake cups or homemade biscuits, just gimme! :-) If I could, I'd send you a dozen right thru the monitor.
@dainy1313 (2370)
• Leon, Mexico
8 Feb 13
Hello Belinday, I´m happy to read you again. Learning to do pastry and cakes with our grands is very special. You´ll never remove those sweet memories from your mind. It arrives to me. My grand tought me to bake breads and cookies. Each time I smell or taste something that recalls her to my mind, I know she is with me, she lives in my mind.
I hope you can grow your own strawberries soon! Good luck!
Blessings Belinday... dainy
Belinday, I´m happy to read you again. Learning to do pastry and cakes with our grands is very special. You´ll never remove those sweet memories from your mind. It arrives to me. My grand tought me to bake breads and cookies. Each time I smell or taste something that recalls her to my mind, I know she is with me, she lives in my mind.
I hope you can grow your own strawberries soon! Good luck!
Blessings Belinday... dainy
2 people like this
@belindayhughes (1096)
• United States
8 Feb 13
Strawberry Shortcake blessings to you, dainy. :-) - Belinda
You're right, simple things like baking bring my grandmother very much to mind. Memories of watching her baking in her kitchen, presiding over her dining table all come flying back and make me smile when I make her Strawberry Shortcake.
2 people like this
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
8 Feb 13
Strawberry shortcake is certainly a tasty dessert. I never really cared for the store bought shells for this dessert. We always madour own oused angel food cake. Either way it was so good and it still is.
1 person likes this
@belindayhughes (1096)
• United States
8 Feb 13
Welcome, sender, and thanks for the kind response. Strawberry Shortcake is sooo good! I could practically live on it in season. Angel Food Cake is a great idea for substitution. It's so light, fluffy and sweet, and just that little bit of crust is a great complement to the tanginess of the strawberries and the liquid of the cream.
1 person likes this
@vivek19 (218)
• India
8 Feb 13
That sounds very delicious and tasty. I also like strawberry shortcakes and always buy them from market but have never tried to make on my own as i don't have my own strawberry plants. Now, after reading to your post, i will try having my own strawberry garden. Thanks for the idea...
@belindayhughes (1096)
• United States
8 Feb 13
Hiya vivek, long tiime no see, friend! Strawberry Shortcake is amazing in both its simplicity and absolutely decadent texture and flavors. Growing your own strawberry plants will make it easier to have fresh strawberries in season, or year-round, if you grow them in a greenhouse. Also, it saves money on going to the store.
1 person likes this
