Things I’m currently excited about:
Spring Sprunging Everywhere
Asparagus
RuPaul’s Drag Race
This shortcake sitaution
I might be most excited about this shortcake situation because that means there’s wine in my food which means I get to go hang out with my girl Whitney on her youtube channel and shoot the opening to our possible Japenese game show, wine in your food.
If you don’t already follow Whitney across the board you should def do that. Her snapchat (ubriaca) is so so funny, and her youtube videos are both educational and funny, a combo we can all use more of.
The last time we made a video together I made a quick simple ragu and then did my best impression of a deer in the headlights for 4 minutes. This time around we’re going the dessert route with strawberries because they’re everywhere right now, on sale, and maybe not the sweetest, which is perfect for a little rosé soak maceration.
The best partner for a macerated strawberry is either some ice cream, orrr a shortcake, maybe some yogurt if you want wine in your breakfast no judgement. Usually with shortcake it’s a biscuit situation that sort of sandwiches some strawberries and cream, or if you’re from the store bought childhood it means those little sponge cakes or slices of pound cake topped with strawberries and reddi whip, represent.
Even though the biscuit/scone story is v classic it usually yields something that makes me want way more strawberry and whipped cream action. All that biscuit usually makes everything a little dry for me, enter a like things wet joke here.
This cake that we’re going with now is kind of the perfect thing for shortcake. It’s a little dry, but not too much, and not very sweet so it has a chance to soak up all the fruit juices and become this perfect marriage.
I’ve also opted to go the triflin’ route because baby shortcake trifles are the cutest, and it lets me use up all my drinking glasses that fill up one cupboard because I’m a psycho. You could really use any vessel you want, but you get bonus points if the bottom resembles a stripper lucite platform heel.
Of course this could also be made into the original setup with a slice of cake and a mountain each of strawberries and whipped cream. You live your life, you do you.
Rosé-Soaked Strawberry Shortcakes
Serves 4-6, easily doubles to serve more
Shortcake from this recipe, just different pan and baking parameters
For the Shortcake:
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 c white granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 t pure vanilla extract
1/4 c unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2-3 tablespoons turbinado (crunchy) sugar for topping (look for this in the bulk section if it’s not something you use often)
For the Rosé-Soaked Strawberries:
1 lb strawberries, hulled and sliced (or try some peaches or nectarines)
1/4 cup Rosé Wine
1-2 tablespoons white granulated sugar, range depends on how sweet your strawberries are
For the Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
To make the shortcake, grease an 8×8″ baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper long enough so there’s a sort of handle on two sides. Preheat the oven to 350*.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
In a large measuring cup, 4 cups is perfect, measure out the buttermilk then add the eggs and vanilla. Beat with a fork until the eggs are incorporated then stir in the melted butter. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients just until everything is combined, being careful not to overmix.
Use a rubber spatula to get all the batter out into the prepared pan and sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly over the batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes then use the parchment sling to lift it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
While that cools prepare the strawberries by tossing them in a bowl with the rosé and the sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and let these bebes hang out in the fridge.
When the cake’s cool and the strawberries are ready to go, cube up the cake (I like to make 1/2″ slices, lay the slices down, cut in half lengthwise then make 1/2″ cuts going the opposite direction. Whip the heavy cream, sour cream, and sugar until soft peaks form.
When everything’s good to go make the shortcakes in glasses by layering a few cubes of the shortcake, a layer of the rosé-soaked strawberries, and a dollop of the whipped cream. Repeat all that over again so each glass has two sets of the layering with an extra amount of whipped cream on top because life.
If you want to make this ahead, the cake can be made the day before, and the whipped cream and strawberries can be made a couple of hours before you need them, assemble right before serving.
