Once Upon A Thyme – Strawberry Shortcake

0
443

Adina Yaakov
This strawberry shortcake is a light and fluffy dessert that’s perfect to welcome the warm months ahead. Featuring layers of tender vanilla cake, homemade strawberry jam, and sweet whipped topping, it stays true to the charm of the classic while offering a fresh and elegant presentation. Try layering small pieces of cake, jam, and whipped cream into mini jars or cups for an individual style dessert alternative. It’s an easy crowd-pleaser that’s sure to impress at any occasion!

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 1 stick margarine
  • 1 cup almond or soy milk
  • 3 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tsp canola oil
  • Cooking spray

Strawberry Jam

  • 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice

Whipped Cream

  • 8 oz Rich Whip, defrosted
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions

To Make the Cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a small pot over low heat, melt margarine with almond or soy milk. Do not boil. Remove from heat.
  4. In a separate large bowl, beat eggs with sugar for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
  5. Gently fold in the dry ingredients. Do not overmix.
  6. Stir vanilla and oil into the melted margarine-milk mixture.
  7. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg-flour mixture, stirring gently until combined.
  8. Spray a long cake pan well with cooking spray and pour batter until about ¾ full.
  9. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  10.  Let cakes cool completely on a wire rack.

To Make the Strawberry Jam:

  1. Combine strawberries, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice in a wide pot.
  2. Cook on very low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
  3. After 15–20 minutes, mash strawberries with a potato masher to your desired texture.
  4. Continue cooking for 5 more minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.

To Make Whipped Cream:

Beat Rich Whip with vanilla until stiff peaks form. Do not over whip. Set aside.

To Assemble:

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

Slice the cooled cake in half horizontally, creating 2 layers.

On the bottom layer, spread a generous amount of strawberry jam.

Add the top cake layer and add the remaining whipped cream and garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.