Strawberry balsamic shortcake with fresh basil is so easy to make. Sweet plus some savory Italian flavor equals a spectacular strawberry short cake.
If you enjoy this recipe, try my French Strawberry Cake next!
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I am a firm believer that you can never have too many strawberry desserts. Strawberry season is my favorite. Sweet or savory I am a strawberry girl through and through. I love macerating the summer’s freshest strawberries with sugar and balsamic vinegar. Sweet and salty, sweet and savory is the best combination of flavors. They compliment each other and make the sum of its individual parts that much better. I wanted this dessert to be so simple. So the shortcake is mixed in one bowl and baked like a cake. Then topped with some vanilla gelato in keeping with the Italian-inspired theme.
More strawberry season recipes
Ingredients for balsamic strawberry shortcake recipe
- Strawberries – This recipe is perfect for showing off fresh strawberries. But buying a pint from the grocery store is just fine too.
- Sugar – Helps both make the strawberries juicy and sweetens the shortcake.
- Balsamic Vinegar – The sweet and tangy notes of balsamic vinegar compliment fresh berries perfectly.
- Basil – Fresh basil is sweet, peppery and a little bit minty. It adds a sophisticated flair to this Italian-inspired dessert.
- Dry Ingredients – All purpose flour, baking powder and salt are all that is needed for this simple, one-bowl shortcake.
- Butter – A little melted butter adds richness to the cake.
- Egg – Just one large egg is needed.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract is the best choice for this recipe.
- Buttermilk – I always use full-fat buttermilk for baking.
Instructions
There’s no need for a stand mixer. The shortcake is made in one bowl and bakes up light and fluffy in just about 25 minutes.
Slice the strawberries and add 2 tablespoons each of sugar and balsamic vinegar. Then let them sit (macerate) on the counter while you’re preparing the shortcake.
Whisk together the melted butter, remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Then add the egg, vanilla and buttermilk and whisk until smooth. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and chopped basil until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to mix together the batter so that there are no lumps.
Spray an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread the shortcake batter evenly into the dish and bake for 20 – 25 minutes at 350 degrees F until it is golden brown.
For complete instructions, keep scrolling to the bottom of this post for my free printable recipe card.
Serving suggestions
Go all out and make an Italian-inspired feast to go along with my Italian-inspired strawberry shortcake. Or just take it along to a BBQ. This dessert goes great with grilled meats!
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Italian Pinwheel Sandwiches
- Open Face Grilled Steak Sandwich
- Grilled Lemon Chicken Alfredo
Storage directions
Store the leftover shortcake, tightly covered or wrapped in plastic wrap on the counter for up to three days. Store the macerated berries in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days as well.
Kitchen tools
- The beautiful 8×8 baking dish I use for testing many of my dessert recipes
- My trusted set of Pyrex measuring cups
- Magnetic measuring spoons and set of measuring cups I use for all my baking recipes
- Set of mixing bowls with lids I use all the time
Strawberry Balsamic Shortcakes
Ingredients
- 1 pint strawberries sliced
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp butter melted
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk full-fat
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp basil chopped
- vanilla gelato and more fresh basil for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Slice the strawberries and place them in a clean bowl. Add two tablespoons each of sugar and balsamic vinegar to the berries and stir well to combine. Allow them to rest on the counter and macerate (get juicy) while you are preparing the shortcake.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. Then add the egg, vanilla and buttermilk. Whisk vigorously until smooth.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and chopped basil.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to mix the shortcake batter together until well combined and no lumps remain.
- Spread the shortcake batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the cake is firm to the touch.
- Allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Slice and serve topped with the juicy strawberries and scoops of vanilla gelato. Garnish with more fresh basil.
Nutrition
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Even more strawberry desserts
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