Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

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This sourdough strawberry shortcake is light and airy and perfect for soaking up strawberry syrup. With a simplified process, you just bake it in a cake pan, slice, and layer it with sweetened strawberries and homemade vanilla whipped cream. No rolling or cutting biscuits required!

Lately, it's been strawberry everything: sourdough strawberry Pop-Tarts, pickled strawberries on toasted sourdough, sourdough strawberry chocolate chip sourdough scones.

But the real star this year? Sourdough strawberry shortcake!

To keep things simple (always), I made this recipe so you can bake the shortcake in a cake pan, slice it, and serve it individually. It’s much easier than rolling and cutting biscuits or making little shortcake cups.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Seasonal Flavors: It’s perfect for spring and summer desserts, and for Valentine’s Day, pair it with Valentine’s Day heart cupcakes.

Sourdough: Using discard from your regular sourdough starter feeding routine prevents food waste, and it also adds depth of flavor.

Make-Ahead: This cake is even better the next day, so it is a great make-ahead option. Just wait to assemble it before serving.

Simple Ingredients: Sourdough strawberry shortcake is made with simple pantry staples that you likely have on hand.

Key Ingredients

Sourdough Starter: Active or inactive starter will work. If you are new to sourdough, check my sourdough starter guide.

Strawberries: Use fresh, ripe strawberries. I used strawberries that we picked at a local farm.

Flour: I used all-purpose flour. You can also use fresh-milled soft white wheat. If you are new to grain milling, check out my fresh-milled flour beginner’s guide.

Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream adds flavor and tenderizes the cake. Low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt will also work.

Eggs: You will need whole eggs and egg whites. You can use freeze-dried eggs for the whole eggs, but don’t skip the fresh egg whites. They make this cake so light and fluffy!

Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.

Variations

Stawberry Jam: For a quick option, spread canned strawberry jam between the cake layers.

Mixed Berry: Substitute or combine strawberries with blueberries or raspberries.

Lemon Strawberry: Add lemon zest to the shortcake batter and a splash of lemon juice to the strawberries.

Almond Shortcake: Add almond extract and sprinkle sliced almonds on top.

Coconut Strawberry: Use coconut whipped cream for the topping.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the strawberries and granulated sugar. Mix until combined. Set aside.

Making them first will give them time to release their juices and form a syrup.

Step 2: Gather the ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease or line a 9×13-inch cake pan with parchment paper.

Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. I usually whisk them together by hand, but you can also use a paddle attachment.

Step 4: Add the whole eggs, egg whites, vanilla, sour cream, milk, and sourdough starter to the flour mixture. Mix on low with a paddle attachment until just combined.

There should be no dry bits in the bowl, but do not overmix.

Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. I use a spatula to spread the batter, then jiggle the pan to even it out.

Step 6: Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool.

Step 7: While the cake cools, add the milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer.

Step 8: Use the wire whisk attachment to combine. Start on the lowest setting, then incrementally increase the speed (this prevents splashing).

Whip until the cream forms soft or stiff peaks. I prefer soft peaks, but you can whip it to your liking.

Step 9: Once the cake has cooled enough to not melt the whipped cream, cut it into squares.

Step 10: Slice the square in half horizontally. I like to cut it into thirds to create more layers.

Spoon a little strawberry syrup from the sweetened berries, a dollop of whipped cream, and strawberries onto each layer.

And don’t forget a little extra whipped cream and a strawberry on top!

Tips for Success

• If time is of the essence, skip cutting the cake into squares and just spread the whipped cream and strawberries on top.
• For sweeter berries or extra syrup, add more sugar to the berries.
• To adjust the amount of whipped cream, halve or double the recipe as preferred.
• To use fresh-milled soft wheat, increase the flour by 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (or 62 grams), or grab my free fresh-milled conversion chart for more conversions.

Serving Suggestions

Coffee: Serve with a cup of coffee with vanilla and brown sugar coffee creamer.

Lemonade: On warm days, this is perfect served with my recipe for cucumber lemonade.

Ice Cream: Serve with my easy vanilla ice cream recipe or old-fashioned strawberry ice cream.

Brunch: Pair with slow cooker egg casserole, yogurt, fresh fruit, and high-protein cottage cheese.

Storing

• Store the leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• The sweetened strawberries can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• Store whipped cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
• Assemble just before serving, as assembled shortcake does not store well and will become soggy.

Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake FAQs

More Sourdough Discard Recipes

If you tried this Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks, y’all!