Hurray for strawberry season! Try this easy recipe for No-Bake Strawberry Shortcakes that are filled with beautiful, ruby-red juicy strawberries and topped with strawberry whipped cream for a perfect summertime dessert.
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Enter no-bake desserts
Today’s recipe is a twist on a classic dessert because it’s always fun to mix things up sometimes and everyone’s favorite strawberry shortcake is becoming a no-bake dessert. Yes, that’s right, no oven is required.
No-bake recipes are great anytime but are a summer must-have. These shortcakes are light, luscious and so easy to make. You are going to love them!
Whether you buy your berries from the store, farmer’s market, or maybe a u-pick your own stand this dessert comes together in no time with store-bought pound cake and a sweet strawberry sauce all topped with a luscious dollop of strawberry flavored whipped cream. Fresh strawberries are just the best fruit ever🍓
📜 Simple Ingredients
🥄 Let’s make dessert
- You want to make the strawberry sauce first so it has time to cool. Wash and hull the strawberries. Slice the strawberries to make three cups.
- Put two cups of the sliced strawberries in a medium-sized saucepan along with the sugar, cornstarch, lime zest, and nutmeg. The remaining strawberries will be used later.
3. Use a potato masher to mash the berries and to combine the ingredients. Over medium heat bring the sauce to a simmer until it thickens. This takes about five minutes.
4. When the sauce is done cooking pour it into a small bowl and place it in the refrigerator to cool while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
5. Cut the pound cake into small bite-sized cubes.
6. Pour the heavy cream into a medium-sized bowl and using a hand mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Next, add 2 tablespoons of the chilled strawberry sauce to the whipped cream ad beat again to incorporate.
Homemade whipped cream is always so tasty, but if you don’t want to make your own, dollops of Cool Whip would be just as good.
How to assembly the shortcakes
I’m using vintage martini glasses. They are the perfect size for a dessert and it gives me a reason to use them. These martini glasses are a modern update and would definitely be fun to use. If you’re not a martini drinker, Mason jars or glass dishes are always perfect for serving dessert.
This is an easy layered dessert
- Fill the bottom of each glass with two tablespoons of the cooled strawberry sauce.
- Alternate adding the pound cake cubes and the reserved sliced strawberries.
- Top with more strawberry sauce and a nice big dollop of the strawberry whipped cream.
This is seriously one of the easiest desserts to make. It looks elegant with those beautiful berries topped with the strawberry whipped cream, and it tastes sweet and fresh.
More strawberry desserts
Strawberry Curd Tarts are filled with a sweet cream strawberry curd and topped with just a hint of whipped cream.
Strawberry Chardonnay Gelee is a classic homemade gelatin dessert that has the most wonderful velvety texture and delicious strawberry flavor with a hint of fruity wine. Move over grandma’s jello and say hello to gelees.
Strawberry Grilled Cheese Sandwiches are a fun way to serve dessert when you are cooking out. No one expects to have such a wonderful dessert come off the grill.
Frozen Strawberry & Raspberry Cheesecake Mousse. This is another super quick dessert to make, and don’t be surprised how fast it disappears.
Other fruits and cakes variations
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Apricots
- Peaches
- Raspberries
- Mango
- Or mix a few different fruits together!
- For a lighter alternative to pound cake, you can use angel food cake.
- Try using a cubed lemon loaf bread.
Questions and answers
Strawberries love warm days and cool nights that means you can get really good extra sweet berries from April to September in many places. June, when the weather is just right, is the peak season.
Yes, it can be made an hour or two ahead of serving. If made too far ahead the pouncake will get soggy and the whipped cream could start breaking down.
Best strawberry tip
Make sure to check out the One Hot Oven post on How to Keep Strawberries Fresh. This trick will keep your strawberries fresh for over a week.
When to serve
These pretty as can be dessert cups are perfect for serving for any day, but if you can find strawberries in May this would be a perfect dessert to serve for Mother’s Day, but don’t forget dad likes pretty as can be desserts too. He just won’t tell you that!
Have a dinner party or special occasion coming up, serve these shortcakes for dessert time, everyone will think you spent hours making this treat.
Making these shortcakes with the beautiuful fresh red strawberries is always a welcome treat for Memorial Day and 4th of July.
Recipe
No-Bake Strawberry Shortcakes
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Ingredients
No-Bake Strawberry Shortcakes
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 tbls cornstarch
- 1 tsp. lime zest use extra for garnish
- pinch nutmeg
- 3 cups strawberries – sliced save 1 cup of sliced berries
- ½ pint heavy whipping cream
- 16 oz Pound Cake I used a thawed Sara Lee frozen poundcake
Instructions
Strawberry Sauce
- Combine the sugar, cornstarch, lime zest and nutmeg in a small saucepan, stir to combine
- Add 2 cups of the sliced strawberries to the saucepan and mash with a potato masher.
- Bring the strawberries to a simmer over medium heat; stir until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and pour into a small bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool.
Preparing the pound cake
- If using a frozen pound cake make sure it has been thawed. Cut the pound cake into thick slices and cut the slices into bite-size cubes. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.
Making the Strawberry Whipped Cream
- Pour the whipping cream into a small bowl and beat on low for a minute until the cream starts to thicken. If you immedately beat the cream on high speed the cream will possibly splatter. Once the cream starts to thicken raise the speed to medium high and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the cooled strawberry sauce to the whipped cream and whip to combine. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Dishing up the Strawberry Shortcakes
- Select four small cups or dessert dishes.
- Put 1 – 2 tablespoons of the cooled strawberry sauce in the bottom of the cup/bowl
- Alternately add the reserved sliced strawberries and cake pieces
- Top with 1 – 2 tbls of cooled strawberry sauce.
- Top your dessert with a large dollop of strawberry whipped cream and sprinkle on extra lime zest.
- Keep this dessert refrigerated until ready to eat.
Notes
Try other fruits in place of strawberries
- Apricots
- Peaches
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
Nutrition
First published: July 12, 2019, Last updated: June 25, 2021 for better readability.
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About Jere’
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory recipes with all my baking friends.
Liz
These look so good!! I love strawberry shortcake and this is a new summer favorite!
Jere Cassidy
They are delicious and so easy.
Sarah Baumeister
A delicious way to enjoy strawberry shortcake in a different vessel. Love these for entertaining.
Scarlet
Delicious, easy twist on a strawberry shortcake. The cooking of the berries makes them even sweeter!
Terri Steffes
Strawberry desserts are my go-to in the summer. I cannot wait to try this one.
Glenda
You had me at no-bake. lol Absolutely scrumptious and a beautiful presentation for a summer get-together!
Kate Hackworthy
Such a tasty looking desserts. I love the zing of lime in there too.
Jere Cassidy
That little bit of lime just makes this dessert extra tasty.
Tisha
Anything no bake is high on my list for favorite desserts!
Liz
It’s been so hot here, I’ve been looking for no bake desserts. This is so perfect! And I love strawberries!
Jere Cassidy
When the temps get to 100 degrees there is no way I am baking.
Traci
What a delicious an adorable idea… Especially for summertime! No baking required?…Genius!!!
Beth Pierce
What a delicious dessert! Looks like it came straight from the bakery window! Delish!
Cindy @ A Uniquely Edible Magic
This reminds me of the cartoon! So cute and sweet.