Our Strawberry Shortcake Cake with Mascarpone and Orange liqueur is not only the ultimate summer dessert but a year round elegant classic. With juicy strawberries tossed in maple syrup and liqueur, creamy mascarpone and whipped cream and a moist cake, this dessert is versatile and the perfect pack and go vehicle, ideal for backyards and picnics.
Do you remember the children's skipping rhyme, Strawberry Shortcake? Strawberry shortcake, huckleberry pie, who will be my lucky guy? You repeat the letters of the alphabet until the skipper stops on a letter, which is the first letter of their lucky guy's name. One of my favourite rhymes and desserts, strawberry shortcake was dreamed about even as a child, and today is still an elegant dessert dating back to the 16th century.
But what makes a strawberry shortcake, well, a strawberry shortcake? Juicy and ripe strawberries are a must whether grown locally or purchased at a farmer's market, the freshness definitely adds to the experience. Whipped cream or an airy dairy topping is crucial, and of course the buttery, flakey and crisp texture of the shortcake. While shortcakes require technique and a moist prayer, we swapped out the classic for a simple cake, making our Strawberry Shortcake Cake the perfect make ahead or pack and go vehicle for summer backyards and picnics.
With strawberries infused with a splash of maple syrup and orange liqueur, the flavour affinities add to the sweetness of the strawberries to create an electric sensation – of course, you can swap the alcohol for vanilla. The cake, folded with cream, is airy and light, and a lot easier to execute than a traditional shortbread. And no shortcake recipe is complete without a dollop of fresh cream. Folding mascarpone and whipped cream together for a richer yet lighter consistency, the mascarpone adds firmness and a subtly sweet addition to the strawberries, making each bite even more heavenly.
Sweet and flavourful, our Strawberry Shortcake Cake with Mascarpone and Orange Liqueur is one of those recipes you print out and pin to your refrigerator. It's one you go back to over and over again for it's simplicity but strong enough to impress company. With fresh strawberries on hand, this recipe is sure to make your summer a memorable (and delicious) one.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake with Mascarpone Cream
Ingredients for Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberries, maple syrup, orange liqueur, mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, flour, baking powder, salt, butter, sugar, eggs.
Macerate the Strawberries
Macerating is a term used to describe soaking food in liquids. For our Strawberry Shortcake, we are using orange liqueur to provide a bright and citrusy note to the recipe that matches beautifully with the strawberry flavour. For this recipe, we mix 2 cups of chopped strawberries with a tablespoon of maple syrup and splash of liqueur.
How to Make Mascarpone Cream Topping
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk ½ cup of heavy cream until it starts to thicken. Add ½ cup of mascarpone cheese, 1 tbsp maple syrup and 1 tbsp orange liqueur and continue to whisk until smooth and stiff peaks form. Scrape the cream into a bowl or container and place in your fridge until ready to serve.
How to Make Shortcake Cake
Pour ½ cup of heavy cream into the mixer bowl. Whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form. Scrape into a bowl and set aside. Prepare the dry ingredients by sifting 1 cup of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and salt onto a large piece of parchment paper.
Switch the whisk for the beater on your stand mixer. Add ½ cup of butter and ¾ cups of sugar to the bowl and beat on high until light and fluffy with a pale colour. One at a time, add the 2 eggs, continuing to beat until shiny and silky. Stir in the orange liqueur, then slowly add the dry ingredients. Continue to mix on low until a thick batter has formed. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the batter. Pour the batter into a loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes at 350° F. Allow the cake to cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from the pan to cool to room temperature.
How to Assemble and Style the Strawberry Shortcake Cake with Mascarpone Cream
For serving, slice the cake into 1 inch pieces using a serrated knife. Place on a small plate and top with a few heaping spoons of strawberries. Top with a dollop of mascarpone cream, then drizzle with the syrup from the bottom of the strawberry bowl.
Helpful Tools for Making Our Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
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Strawberry Shortcake Cake with Mascarpone Cream
Ingredients
Strawberries
- 2 cups strawberries halved
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp orange liqueur
Mascarpone Cream
- ½ cup mascarpone
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp orange liqueur
Cake
- ½ cup whipping cream
- 1 cup pastry or cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter + additional for greasing the pan
- ¾ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp orange liqueur
Instructions
- No.1 | Preheat your oven to 350°.
- No. 2 | In a bowl or container, gently toss the strawberries with 1 tbsp of maple syrup and 1 tbsp of orange liqueur. Cover and place in your fridge until serving.
- No. 3 | In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk ½ cup of heavy cream until it starts to thicken. Add ½ cup of mascarpone cheese, 1 tbsp maple syrup and 1 tbsp orange liqueur and continue to whisk until smooth and stiff peaks form. Scrape the cream into a bowl or container and place in your fridge until ready to serve. Re-attach the mixer bowl to your stand mixer.
- No. 4 | Pour ½ cup of heavy cream into the mixer bowl. Whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form. Scrape into a bowl and set aside. Re-attach the mixer bowl again.
- No. 5 | Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt onto a large piece of parchment paper and set aside.
- No. 6 | Switch the whisk for the beater on your stand mixer. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl and beat on high until light and fluffy with a pale colour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and turn the mixer on low. One at a time, add the eggs, continuing to beat until shiny and silky, about 1 minute. Stir in the orange liqueur, then slowly add the dry ingredients. Continue to mix on low until a thick batter has formed. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer.
- No. 7 | Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the batter. Pour the batter into a loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Test the doneness, by inserting a knife or bamboo skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done, if not place it back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for at least 5 minutes before removing from the pan, and an additional 15-20 minutes before serving.
- No. 8 | For serving, slice the cake into 1 inch pieces using a serrated knife. Place on a small plate and top with a few heaping spoons of strawberries. Top with a dollop of mascarpone cream, then drizzle with the syrup from the bottom of the strawberry bowl.
Video
Notes
Mary-Anne says
This is absolutely stunning! Always love fresh strawberries from the market and nothing better to make than shortcake. Looking forward to making this!
Chef Sous Chef says
Thanks Mary-Anne. Let us know how they turn out! It tastes even better than it looks 😉