Vegan Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry shortcake is a summer classic, and this vegan version hits the spot. Sweet, syrupy macerated strawberries and fluffy vegan whipped cream are sandwiched between flaky "buttermilk" biscuits.
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240g
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 38g
- 1 tablespoon baking powder 12g
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3g
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 3g
- 1/2 cup very cold vegan butter 112g
- 1/2 cup cold vegan milk 120ml
- 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or regular vinegar, 7ml
- 1/3 cup extra all-purpose flour for rolling and folding, up to 40g
Filling & Assembly
- 3 cups macerated strawberries 450g
- 2 cups vegan coconut whipped cream 480ml
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Freeze the butter. Place the vegan butter in the freezer for 10-15 minutes while preparing the other ingredients. Very cold butter helps create flaky biscuit layers.
- Make the vegan buttermilk. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the cold vegan milk and vinegar. Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes until slightly thickened and curdled.
Make the biscuit dough:
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Grate the butter. Remove the butter from the freezer and either grate it using the large holes of a box grater or cut it into very small cubes.
- Cut in the butter. Add the butter to the flour mixture and gently work it in using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces still visible.
- Form the dough. Pour the vegan buttermilk mixture into the bowl. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently fold the dough together just until no large dry flour patches remain. The dough will look shaggy, soft, and slightly sticky.Avoid over-mixing, as this can make the biscuits dense and tough instead of light and flaky.
Create flaky layers:
- Press. Lightly flour your countertop and hands. Turn the dough out onto the surface and gently press it into a rectangle about 1 inch (2.5cm) thick.
- Fold. Lightly dust the top with flour. Fold the dough in half, then gently press it back into a rectangle. Rotate the dough slightly and repeat this folding process 4-5 times. This creates distinct flaky layers in the baked biscuits.If the dough feels sticky while shaping, lightly flour your hands and the surface, but avoid adding too much extra flour or the biscuits can become dry.Finish with the dough about 1 inch (2.5cm) thick.
Cut and bake:
- Cut. Using a biscuit cutter, drinking glass, or mason jar lid, cut out 6 biscuits as closely together as possible.
- Bake. Place the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits have risen tall.
- Brush. If desired, lightly brush the tops with a little melted vegan butter immediately after baking for a softer finish and extra flavour.
- Cool. Let the biscuits cool before assembling.
Assemble:
- Slice. Carefully slice each biscuit in half using a serrated knife.
- Fill. Spoon macerated strawberries over the bottom half of each biscuit, including some of the juices.Top with a generous spoonful of vegan coconut whipped cream.
- Finish. Place the biscuit tops over the filling and finish with more strawberries and whipped cream if desired.
- Serve. Serve immediately while the biscuits are still slightly warm.
Notes
- COLD butter. You want to keep the butter as cold as possible and handle it as little as possible. The colder the butter is when the biscuits enter the oven, the flakier the biscuits.
- Don't overmix. This can melt the butter (goodbye flaky layers) and can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop, yielding tough, dense biscuits.
- Cool completely. Let the biscuits cool all the way before you stuff 'em with strawberries and cream. If they're warm (even a little), the whipped cream will melt.
- Storage. Seal the various components (biscuits, macerated strawberries, and vegan whipped cream) in separate airtight containers and assemble when ready. The biscuits will keep on the counter for up to 3 days. The whipped cream and berries can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Need more time? The biscuits and strawberries can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months and thawed in the fridge. You'll want to whip up a fresh batch of whipped cream, though.
Nutrition
Serving: 1shortcake | Calories: 605kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 690mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 1300IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 3mg