Quick and Easy Shortcake Recipe

I know summer is over, but I saw some beautiful organic strawberries in the grocery store today. I decided we needed one last strawberry shortcake hurrah. When we were kids, Paw Paw grew his own, and every now and then, my grandmother, also known as Ma Ma, would make biscuit-based strawberry shortcakes for breakfast. Yes, for breakfast. Yum. Of course, they also make a fabulous dessert that no one can turn down.

If you want a homemade biscuit base for your shortcakes, click on the recipe link to the left for Buttermilk Biscuits. For a shortcake shortcut I learned from Myrl T., grab a box of Bisquick and see below. Scroll beyond the recipe, and you'll see that I've included some special touches I've tried over the years. Also check out the post on Flavored Whipped Cream for a holiday-worthy addition Enjoy!

Simple Shortcakes
2 1/3 cups Bisquick baking mix
3 Tbsp butter or buttery spread such as Smart Balance, melted
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbsp sugar / Splenda granular

For the Berries:
2 containers fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 Tbsp sugar / sugar substitute

Ahead of time, combine the berries and sweetener. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to allow juices to develop.

To make the cakes, heat the oven to 425°F. Stir Bisquick, melted butter, milk, and 3 Tbsp of sugar in a bowl until soft dough forms. Drop by 6 spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Top with berries and whipped cream.

Try these alternatives for a nice surprise:
Cooking Idea for the Cakes: For prettier shortcakes, I drop the dough into 6 sections of a muffin tin greased or sprayed with cooking spray (fill six empties halfway with water). You can use a dampened paper towel or dampened finger tips to smooth the uncooked dough once you’ve filled the tins for a nice, even surface.

Berry Nice: add a ¼ c. fruit juice to the berries to complement your meal. Like what? Orange juice is always a nice complement. Try pineapple juice, guava, or mango nectar for an extra special touch.

Also, try mixing a special fruit with the strawberries. Almost any fruit makes this dish even better than the original. Choose fresh fruits for the best results: blueberries, blackberries, mandarin or blood oranges, pineapple, mango … the possibilities are endless.