The begining of summer means many things: warm weather, longer days, gardens, running through sprinklers, and more. But one of my favorite things about the start of summer is strawberry season! And it isn’t really summer until you’ve made STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE, am I right?!
If you thought that being plant based meant you had to miss out on something this delicious, think again. This vegan strawberry shortcake is everything you’ve ever wanted it to be: Fluffy, buttery shortcake, juicy red berries, and clouds of smooth whipped topping. (Are you drooling yet?) Let’s do this!
The beginning to any good strawberry shortcake recipe is… the shortcake! This recipe was inspired by Minimalist Baker’s biscuits. Because, let’s be honest – they are perfect (but did any of us expect anything less from Dana?).
Tips for Perfect Biscuits
There are a few tips to making beautiful vegan biscuits and shortcake. First, make sure your vegan butter is COLD. I keep mine in the fridge until right before I cut it in to the dry ingredients. Also, the kind of vegan butter you use makes a difference. Please, do yourself a favor and don’t use margarine. You will get the best results if you use vegan butter baking sticks. Earth Balance, Melt, and Country Crock all have some great options.
Second, don’t overwork the dough, and don’t roll it out with a rolling pin! Instead, gently fold the dough over onto itself and pat down. You should do this about 6 times, or until the dough isn’t quite as sticky. The multiple layers of dough are what will give you the flakey biscuit layers. Cut it out quickly, before the dough has a chance to warm (these biscuit cutters are my all-time favorite!). And last but not least, make sure your oven is HOT. Don’t fudge on the 450º temp. 😉
Once you have your shortcake in the oven, use that time to prep your strawberries! I like to slice mine, and toss them in a bowl with a little maple syrup or cane sugar, then set them aside to get nice and juicy before we eat. But you could also just use plain strawberries without any added sweetener!
Of course, don’t forget your whipped topping. 😀 My go-to recipes are aquafaba whipped topping, and the coconut whipped cream that I used in my Banana Cream Pie recipe. The aquafaba has a lighter, fluffier texture that is very close to cool whip, while the coconut whipped cream is thicker and richer. Just know that if you use coconut whipped cream, it requries a little fore-thought, while aquafaba can be whipped up last minute. On the flip side, you can make the coconut whipped cream ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, but aquafaba needs to be made right before it is used. Either way, you can’t go wrong! They are both delicious. 🙂
Once your shortcake is ready, layer lots of beautiful berries and fluffy whipped topping on top – and enjoy!!
I hope you’ll make this recipe part of your summer plans. And as always, remember to rate it and tell us what you thought of it! Have a beautiful, sunshiney weekend, friends!
- 1 cup plant-based milk
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder (aluminum free)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 4 Tbsp cold non-dairy butter (I use Earth Balance baking sticks)
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup (or cane sugar)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Extra cane sugar for sprinkling shortcake (optional)
- 4 cups sliced strawberries, drizzled with maple syrup
- Nondairy whipped topping*
- Preheat oven to 450º. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or heat up your favorite pizza stone!
- Mix milk and lemon juice, set aside to thicken.
- Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Add butter to dry ingredients, and cut in with a pastry cutter or a fork until mixture resembles wet sand.
- Stir in milk mixture, maple syrup, and vanilla until completely combined. Dough will be very sticky.
- Turn dough out onto a clean, floured surface. Fold over and gently pat down about 6 times. (do NOT knead!).
- Form into a disc that is about ½ inch thick. Using a cup or biscuit cutter, cut out your shortcakes! You should have about 7.
- Bake for 12 minutes, or until shortake is slightly golden.
- Serve with strawberries drizzled in maple syrup and your favorite whipped topping!
*NOTE: As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from items purchased through the links in this post at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I use and love.Thank you for helping to keep Seasoned with Sunshine on the web!
Here are my favorite whipped toppings: