Best Recipes for Real Old-Fashioned Shortcake: American and European Style

Source: PDPhotos

Strawberries that in gardens grow 

Are plump and juicy fine, 

But sweeter far as wise men know 

Spring from the woodland vine. 

From Wild Strawberries. A poem by Robert Graves

Grandma's notebook moves gracefully from one season to the next. One can almost feel the melting snow and spring sunshine emerging on the pages. Strawberries came from her garden in abundance and she always made full use of them. Not only did she make shortcakes, she always had enough to fill her glass jars for a taste of summer all winter long. Yes, she not only made jam, but also canned the berries in syrup.

Shortcakes at Grandma's house were not the spongecake kind we find in the supermarket today.

Two distinctly different cakes

Sometimes, people made shortcake that was closer to a sweet biscuit consistency. It was tender, crumbly, and deliciously sweet. It was usually made with sour cream or buttermilk and very lightly mixed.

Another version was more cake-like in the traditional sense. It used more eggs and was perfect for creating a triple layer extravaganza. Cornstarch is added in a larger quantity than we are used to here in North America but it is a technique very common in France and other parts of Europe. In the notebook, this version is credited to Mrs. Day.

The first recipe in Grandma's book is the tender biscuit-like cake. I remember the edges being lightly browned and toasty while the tender cake inside filled with juice from the strawberries and tasted like pure ambrosia! In her notebook, Grandma has written good ! She was right. Even better news is that it's easy!

American Style Shortcake

• 3 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1-1/2 cups sour cream
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 425˚.

Stir the sour cream so it becomes slightly softer and more pourable. Dissolve the baking soda in a bit of water. Mix the beaten egg with the sour cream and add the soda water.

Sift flour, sugar and salt together in a separate bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or with two knives until mixture resembles course crumbs.

Add sour cream mixture and stir carefully until just combined. Do not overmix! 

You can spoon the mixture into a greased cake pan, spoon into greased muffin tins for individual cakes or spoon in mounds on a cookie sheet lined with parchment baking paper.

Optional: brush with a little heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until done. The smaller cakes will take about 15 minutes and the larger about 20-25 minutes. They should be puffed and golden. Cool until pleasantly warm. Slice open and fill with berries and whipped cream. Replace the top and serve. If you make a round cake, slice into wedges and serve topped with berries and whipped cream. This shortcake freezes beautifully, too. 

European Style Shortcake

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sweet milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup corn starch
• 3 teaspoons baking powder

Method II:

This cake is firm and very tender! What makes it European? The addition of cornstarch is what sets it apart. If you have seen recipes that call for cake flour and wondered what makes that different from regular flour, it is just the addition of a little cornstarch. This recipe has a bit more cornstarch than is found in cake flour and the method is still commonly used in Europe to ensure a very tender cake with a moist, firm texture.

Preheat oven to 325˚. Have ready 3 round cake pans (8-inch are ideal) greased and floured. Tip: Parchment paper rounds make it easier to remove the cake after but if you use it, either spray lightly with cooking oil or use butter and flour.

Have all ingredients, including eggs and milk, at room temperature.

Beat butter and sugar until nice and soft. Add eggs one at a time and beat until mixture is very light and fluffy.

Combine the same as you would for any butter cake. If you are unsure, go here to find tips and complete instructions for how to mix and bake a cake.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean or cake springs back when lightly touched in the centre. Cool in pan for about 5 minutes and then turn out onto racks.

Assemble as a triple layer spectacular dessert, filling with fruit and whipped cream.

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Not just for berries...

Yes, strawberries are the classic fruit for shortcake but equally good are raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and just about any other berry that grows in your region. But why stop at berries?

Peaches are wonderful with this cake! Or try some sliced bananas and crushed pineapple with a touch more vanilla in the whipped cream.

Need a lift before the fresh summer fruit is available? Try some canned dark cherries, drained and steeped in kirsch, with a dash of almond extract along with the vanilla in the whipped cream. The possibilities are endless!

If you have a special combination that you love, please let me know so we can share the joy.

Written in 1895