This Dessert Classic Is the Perfect Finish to a Mother’s Day Celebration

Is there a more iconic spring dessert than strawberry shortcake? (Hey, there’s a reason shortcake-eating competitions take place all over the U.S.A., from Florida to New York!) It’s so beloved that nowadays, you can find the recipe transformed into cookies and even into rice Krispies treats.

But our tastes lean more traditional. Our go-to recipe for Mother’s Day this year? This heirloom recipe, from Trisha Yearwood’s late Grandma Lizzie and mother, Gwendolyn. Done properly, with a beautiful cake stand and the right cake server (just look at this gold-and-white set!), it can be as elegant as you wish it to be. It hits all those right nostalgic notes, though. As Trisha’s sister, Beth, says, “It’s like a giant biscuit!“

Take a look at the tabletop line the country superstar threw together in collaboration with Beth as an homage to their late mother and bust out your strawberry huller and cake pans. We’re pretty sure this will be just the thing to celebrate your own Mom.

Strawberry Shortcake

Trisha Yearwood, award-winning country music superstar and best-selling cookbook author, said that her Grandma Lizzie prepared strawberry shortcakes like a regular cake: she baked the layers in standard round cake pans, then filled and topped them with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. “I even have a photo of my mom and me and my sister, Beth, at a Williams Sonoma book signing years ago with this cake in the background.”

Ingredients:

4 cups (1 lb./500 g) sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups (10 oz./310 g) sugar
2/3 cup (5 oz./155 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 eggs
1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) milk
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
3 pints (1 1/2 lb./750 g) fresh strawberries
1 cup (8 fl. oz./250) ml heavy cream, whipped

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 450°F (230°C). Grease the bottoms of two 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 cup (4 oz./125 g) of the sugar. Add the cold butter and cut in with 2 knives or a pastry blender to coarse-crumb consistency.

In another large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the milk and beat until fully combined. Gradually stir the egg and milk mixture into the flour mixture. On a lightly floured board, knead the dough for no more than 1 minute. Pat half of the dough into each cake pan. Brush the surfaces with the melted butter. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Turn the shortcake layers out onto wire racks and let cool.

While the layers are cooling, wash the strawberries and remove the hulls. Reserve a few berries for garnish. Cut the large berries in half, transfer to a large bowl and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup (6 oz./185 g) sugar. Let stand for about 30 minutes.

Place one shortcake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread half of the whipped cream over the cake and spoon half of the berries with their juice on top. Place the second shortcake layer on top, spread the remaining whipped cream over the cake and spoon the remaining berries and juice over the whipped cream. Garnish with the reserved whole berries. Serves 8.

Recipe courtesy of Trisha Yearwood.

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