Strawberry Shortcake In A Jar
Serving cakes in jars has become very popular lately and what a practical and pretty idea it is. Desserts in jars are also the perfect way to transport and serve cakes at a summer picnic. Suitable small jars can be purchased at kitchen shops or you can save and re-use your own jars at home for this purpose.
Strawberry Shortcake is such a popular afternoon or high tea treat and also looks so elegant served in a vintage demi tasse (coffee cup). Vintage coffee cups are too small for serving tea (or coffee!) but they are perfect for serving desserts and cakes and look so pretty lined up on vintage cake plates or tiered stands.
Shortcake Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup caster sugar
125 grams butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg
2/3 cup cream
Filling Ingredients
500ml carton cream, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence, 1 dessert spoon icing sugar
400gm punnet strawberries, extra caster sugar
Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees or 200 degrees fan forced, butter and line the bases of two 6cm-deep, 20cm (base) round cake pans with baking paper
Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add sugar and rub butter into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk egg and cream in a jug. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Mix until a soft dough forms.
Press dough into prepared tins and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
While the shortcake is in the oven, wash and hull the strawberries and chop into small pieces. Place strawberries in a bowl, add a tablespoon of caster sugar and mix well. Leave the strawberries to macerate, the longer you leave them the more syrupy they will become. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract to the cream and whip until soft peaks form.
Cut the shortcake in half crossways and cut out as many rounds as possible to fit into your jars, the leftover pieces can also be used in the layers or in vintage demi tasse cups.
Assemble the shortcakes with a layer of cake in the bottom of the jar, a layer of strawberries and syrup, a generous dollop of cream and another layer of cake at the top.
Refrigerate until ready to serve, stand back and be ready for the compliments!
Strawberry Shortcake served in vintage china coffee cups.
Strawberry Shortcakes in Jars. Perfect take along food for a retro picnic.