This is my all-time favorite strawberry shortcake recipe. It is a little unusual in that the shortcake has a crumbly topping.
To begin, a couple hours before you plan on having the dessert, prepare your strawberries.
Wash them up, then remove the tops.
Slice them up and place them in a bowl.
When you have them all sliced, pour over about 1/3 – 1/2 cup of sugar. I usually use about 1/3 c for a pint of strawberries. Give them a stir to coat them.
Now put them in the fridge and let them sit. Over the next couple hours, they will develop their own sauce. Stir every once in a while.
For the shortcake:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9×9 cake pan. Set it aside.
In a bowl, combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 cup sugar.
Cut in 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter with a pastry blender until it is crumbly.
Scoop out about 1/2 cup of the mixture and set aside.
Now, to the bowl, add 2 teaspoons baking powder.
Measure out 3/4 cup of milk and stir in a teaspoon of vanilla.
Pour the milk mixture into the bowl and stir to combine.
Spread the mixture into a buttered 9×9 (or comparable size) baking pan.
And sprinkle the reserved mixture over the top.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow it to cool.
To serve, cut out a square of the cake, add some whipped cream or ice cream, and top with the lovely strawberries.
Enjoy!
