Amish Strawberry Shortcake is unique because of the streusel topping that gets baked on top of the shortcake. Amazingly good with fruit, or by itself! You may also love our strawberry shortcake pancakes!
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Amish Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
My mom grew up near an Amish settlement, and when my family goes up to visit her parents, we go to one of Mom’s favorite Amish restaurants. When my mom first got married, she got an Amish cookbook, Amish Cooking
. We highly recommend this cookbook. It is full of some wonderful, comforting, Amish recipes! But today, let’s talk about this streusel topped homemade shortcake
Easy Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
You’re going to love this recipe because it is quick and easy. You know those little packaged shortcakes you see in the store sitting by the strawberries? Those don’t come anywhere close to the taste of this easy strawberry shortcake. It’s a thick batter that bakes up biscuit-like. The sweetness comes from the streusel topping. Yes, it’s an extra step to add the streusel topping, but you do not want to skip it.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake
- You can make this recipe in an 8×8 pan. Many times that amount of shortcake is just not enough, so I double it and put it in a 9×13 pan. I didn’t have to bake it any longer when I did this, and was surprised by that. If you decide to double the recipe, leave extra time for a few more minutes baking, just in case. And sometimes when I double it, I double the topping…because like I said…the topping is the best part!
- The recipe calls for shortening. For those of you who don’t like to use shortening, I have made it with butter and it turned out just as good!
- Use a pastry cutter to cut together the shortening, sugar and flour.
- Be careful not to overmix. Overmixing this type of batter may result in the cake being too tough.
Streusel Topping
The shortcake itself has a nice biscuit-taste, but what makes it spectacular is the flour, sugar, and butter streusel that you toss together and sprinkle on top. The streusel bakes into the shortcake just the perfect amount.
How do you make strawberries for shortcake?
For the strawberries, cut and quarter about 4 pounds of strawberries and sprinkle about 1/2 cup of sugar on them. Add more or less sugar, depending on the sweetness of the berries and the taste you would like. This process is called macerating strawberries. How long does it take to macerate strawberries? Prepare the strawberries at least 3-4 hours ahead of time so they will make juicy syrup that is sooooooo good poured over the shortcake!
Spoon some strawberries over the shortcake, then top with whatever you like best. You can squirt on whipped cream or put a big scoop of ice cream on top. You can even do as my dad does and pour milk over it. You can experiment a lot with this cake!
More Strawberry Shortcake Recipes
- Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes
- Strawberry Shortcake Scones
- Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake
- Donut Strawberry Shortcake
Amish Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
For the Shortcake:
- 2 cups flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 large egg (beaten)
For the topping:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3 tablespoons butter
For the strawberries:
- 4 pounds strawberries (cleaned, hulled and quartered)
- 1/2 cup sugar (to taste)
Instructions
- Make crumbs with the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and shortening. Add the milk and egg to the crumbs, mixing just until combined. Spread the mixture into a greased 8x8 cake pan. Set aside.
- Make the topping by mixing together the flour, sugar and butter. This mixture will be crumbly. Spread it on top of the batter in the cake pan. Bake the cake at 350 for 25-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, mix the prepared strawberries with 1/2 cup of sugar. Put the strawberries in the fridge and allow them to refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours. Add more or less sugar, depending on your tastes.
- Top pieces of cake with strawberries (or your favorite kind of fruit!), whipped cream, or ice cream.
Video
Nutrition
Audra says
I made this for our family’s Easter celebration. I served about 20 people with one 13×9 pan (I doubled the recipe as well as the topping) and everyone LOVED it!!!! I’ve made several homemade strawberry shortcakes over the years, but this is by far my favorite and will be the recipe I use every time! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Lizzy T says
Thanks, Audra! I’m so glad your family enjoyed this. <3
Amy says
Incredilbe! It’s wheat harvest time, here in Kansas, took this out to the field last night for supper! Yummmmy! I hope you don’t mind I shared the think to your recipe! Thank you!!
Lizzy T says
That sounds so fun!! Glad you all enjoyed it, and thanks for sharing the recipe!
Renae Pilok says
OMG….this is the best strawberry shortcake recipe….I also made this with mixed berries and peaches….delicious!!!!
Lizzy T says
I’m jealous you got to eat this! I haven’t made it in ages. I LOVE the idea of mixed berries and peaches! Thank you!
Laura says
I made this tonight to go with the fresh strawberries we picked today. Thank you for sharing! It is my favorite short cake recipe so far. The top crunch layer gave it the extra grand texture and flavor.
Julie Clark says
The topping is the best, isn’t it?! Thank you for the feedback!
Erin says
I can’t wait to make this! Will the cake still be good if I make it the night before my event?
Julie Clark says
I think it will be. We love eating leftovers the next day for breakfast. 🙂
Amy says
This recipe was very good with one exception. I thought it tasted too salty. I used salted butter in place of the shortening, but otherwise followed the recipe to the tee. Next time I would use the shortening and eliminate the salt.
Julie Clark says
I could see how salted butter + salt would make it taste salty. Thanks for the feedback!
Tina says
LOVE LOVe LOVE, this. I have made this at least 10 times and each time it was a hit.
Julie Clark says
THANK YOU!!!
Mariah says
How should you store the leftover shortcake?
Julie Clark says
I’d store it in an airtight container just on the counter. You can refrigerate it if you’d like.
Anonymous says
Sounds delicious. Going to make a double batch for a group of friends this week. Will use butter crisco I have on hand and add a little lemon zest. Can’t wait to try the struesal topping. Thanks for the recipe.
Dottie says
I find recipes for shortcake r 2 dry I use a little orange liqueur with sugar to macerate berries and add one small frozen Berry bag along with it for juice. Use fresh whipped cream what’s difference it makes
Cindy says
Made this for Easter and it was a huge hit! I doubled it, and accidentally forgot to add the sugar in the cake itself and it still turned out great. The topping is amazing and it looked exactly like the picture too. Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Mary says
OMG! I love to bake and I have tried several biscuits for shortcake…this is awesome! I did use butter in the cake, as well as in the topping and it was incredible…It doesn’t happen often, but I am writing this one down on a card and it is going into my recipe box! Thank you!!!!
Jessica says
How far in advance can I make the recipe? I have company coming and am wondering if I can make it ahead and refrigerate for two days or if I should just put it in the oven when we are serving dinner. Thanks! Look forward to sharing the shortcake love!
Julie Clark says
It’s a drier, biscuit like cake so I think it would be ok in the fridge!
Bob Gurth says
By far the best shortcake I have ever made, great crumb and holds up well to the juices and ice cream. Added a little cinnamon, nutmeg & cardamom to the topping. Great recipe and easy to make. I’ll use this for fresh peaches as well. My friends agree, my mistake for inviting them for ‘a’ bite.
Thanks
Bob Gurth
David Franks says
I made this shortcake as the foundation for strawberry shortcake for breakfast this morning (and one or two future uses). The recipe is elegant: easy to make, requires no floured surface, and neat in baking and serving. The streusel adds a nice unexpected texture. My lovely wife enjoyed it very much.
Possible variants:
— Add a teaspoon or so of molasses to the egg as you beat it before mixing it with the milk.
— Use half-and-half instead of milk, and ignore the nutrition facts kindly provided above.
— Use plain bread crumbs instead of flour for the streusel.
Julie Clark says
Thank you so much for your kind words!!
Angela says
Thanks for the recipe! I like that it has the traditional biscuit texture without the work of rolling and cutting. The streusel added a nice, buttery crunch.
I use unbromated flour, and I always forget to reduce the amount of flour accordingly, so my streusel was a little too dry. A tablespoon of heavy cream made it come together nicely. I also added a pinch of salt to the streusel, since I use unsalted butter.
I made my cake with lard, and it was very tender and fluffy. (Like many of you, I grew up in a predominantly-Amish area. Lard seemed most authentic, although butter would probably work, too.) I’m thinking it may also make a good breakfast, warmed up, with a bit of butter and maybe some jam.
Julie Clark says
Thank you!!!
Hazel says
I totally WOWed my office with this. I made real whipped cream to go with it: 1pint heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 tsps vanilla and powdered sugar to taste. I used 1/4 cup. People were amazed by it.
Julie Clark says
That whipped cream sounds amazing!
Joy says
Fantastic!
Anonymous says
Ionwould use store cups now I will make this all the time I dibbled added 1 1/2 table spoons sugar to mix and 1 table to topping I eat it alone and have been eating strawberry all week so so good love it oh i dont bake much as a man i only like making pies
Craig says
So so hood and I dont do alot of baking I added a extra spoon of sugar to both mixes and it was just right with my sweet strawberrys love it
Liz says
Soooooo good!!!! I grated the cold butter and barely had to stir it in. I also melted the butter for the topping, which made easy mixing. This recipe is going in my recipe book! TY!