The Evolution of the Strawberry Shortcake

Chandra “Chandi” Krohl is a longtime Washington, DC human resources professional who has provided leadership across various strategic assignments. A travel and food enthusiast, Chandi Krohl enjoys trying out local dessert items in the places she visits.

One traditionally American dessert with centuries of Old World history is the strawberry shortcake. Its foundation is the shortcake, a rich biscuit first recorded in an English cookbook of the late 16th century. In its original form, it has leavening provided by baking powder, combined with cream, flour, a touch of sugar, eggs, and butter or shortening.

The combination of shortcake with strawberries, while it may have occurred much earlier, was first printed in 1847 in the US-published Miss Leslie’s Ladies Receipt Book. While the recipe has the name “strawberry cake,” it defines the classic strawberry shortcake formulation of strawberries over biscuits. This contrasts with the heavy, thick pastry of early shortcakes, which were split apart after being baked.

Mashed, sweetened strawberries were then placed in the center, creating a type of “sandwich” that was finished with sugared frosting. While some still use a biscuit-based recipe, the dessert has evolved significantly since Miss Leslie’s recipe came out. Icing now usually takes the place of whipped cream, and biscuits are often replaced by angel food or sponge cake.