Southern Shortcake Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch baking pan.
• Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg and milk in another bowl; stir into flour mixture until batter is just blended. Spread batter in the prepared baking pan.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

SOUTHERN PEACH SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter a 9-inch cast iron skillet and set aside. Reserve remaining butter.
• Combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup cold butter with a pastry knife until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pour in milk and stir just until the dough starts to come together.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Divide ball in half and lightly knead each half. Gently roll each half into a 9-inch circle.
• Place 1 dough circle into the prepared skillet, and dot with reserved butter. Place second dough circle on top of the butter pieces, and place the skillet in the center of the preheated oven.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is lightly browned, 22 to 25 minutes.
• While the shortcake is baking, prepare peaches. Slice 1 peach, toss with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and set aside. Chop the remaining peaches, yielding about 4 cups, and toss with remaining lemon juice.
• Turn shortcake out onto a rack to slightly cool, about 5 minutes. Slice in half crosswise, using the edge of the second layer as a guide. Place bottom half on a serving plate, cut side up.
• Sprinkle 1/4 cup white sugar on a plate and lightly mash 2 cups of peaches into the sugar. Spread out mashed peaches and sugar over the shortcake layer on the serving plate. Cover mashed peaches with the second shortcake layer, cut side up.
• Toss remaining chopped peaches with remaining sugar and distribute on top of the second layer. Toss peach slices in any remaining juice, and place in a decorative pattern on top of the shortcake.

SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven 450 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in butter and shortening. Mix in half-and-half. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown. Cool and eat with berries, ice cream and/or whipped cream.

SOUTHERN-STYLE BISCUIT SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F. Lightly grease large cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray. In medium bowl, stir together flour and 2 tablespoons sugar. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add half-and-half; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
• On lightly floured surface, knead dough just until smooth. Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with floured cutter or knife into desired shapes. Place about 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
• Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cool.
• In small bowl, beat whipping cream and 1 tablespoon sugar with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Split shortcakes; place on individual dessert plates. Fill and top each with fruit and whipped cream. Store in refrigerator.

GENUINE SOUTHERN STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix well. Add the butter and, using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the mixture till crumbly.
• In a small bowl, combine the egg and half-and-half and beat till well blended, then add to the flour mixture and stir till thoroughly moist.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead very briefly. With your hands, pat out the dough to about a 1/2-inch thickness, then, using a floured 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 6 biscuits.
• Place the biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake on the upper rack of the oven till slightly brown on top, about 12 minutes.
• While they're still hot, split open the biscuits, spread lightly with butter, and arrange close together on a crystal cake plate.
• Spoon the berries and cream onto the biscuits and serve while still warm. (For attractive individual servings, prop one biscuit half at an angle on the other on small dessert plates and spoon berries and cream over the tops.
• Note: I've used Bisquick Mix for the biscuits when I don't have the time to make the real deal, and in my opinion they are quite acceptable, too. Just be sure to use only the freshest, ripe, sweet strawberries, and serve the biscuits warm with butter.

SOUTHERN PEACH SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a mixing bowl.
• Stir in brown sugar; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
• Stir in chopped pecans. Separately, whisk egg with milk.
• Add milk and egg mixture to dry mixture; stir with a fork until blended.
• Turn two round cake pans upside-down and grease bottoms.
• Spread half the dough on each bottom to within about 1/2-inch of edge.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden.
• Peel, slice and sweeten peaches with about 1 1/2 cups sugar or to taste.
• In a small bowl, whip cream with flavoring until stiff.
• Place one shortcake on a plate, top with about half of the peaches and whipped cream.
• Top with second shortcake and remaining peaches and whipped cream.