Strawberry Shortcake Parfaits
A light, sweet, and nostalgic dessert featuring layers of juicy macerated strawberries, fluffy whipped cream, and buttery shortcake crumbs. Perfect for quick, easy, and impressive dessert occasions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450 grams) fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced
- 2–3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 8 ounces (225 grams) shortcake or pound cake, cut into small cubes or crumbled
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: fresh mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Macerate the Strawberries: Toss sliced strawberries with granulated sugar in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes until syrupy.
- Prepare the Shortcake: Cut shortcake or pound cake into small cubes or crumble lightly.
- Whip the Cream: Chill mixing bowl and beaters for 10 minutes. Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 3-5 minutes.
- Assemble the Parfaits: Layer shortcake crumbs, macerated strawberries with syrup, and whipped cream in clear glasses. Repeat layers and finish with whipped cream and garnish with strawberry slices or mint leaf.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate parfaits for at least 30 minutes before serving to meld flavors and soften shortcake slightly.
Notes
Chill bowl and beaters before whipping cream for best results. Macerate strawberries to bring out sweetness and avoid soggy shortcake. Layering is forgiving, so don’t stress about perfection. For dairy-free, substitute heavy cream with coconut cream and use dairy-free cake. Store parfaits covered in fridge up to 24 hours; add shortcake layer just before serving for crunch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240 ml) parfa
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
Keywords: strawberry shortcake, parfait, easy dessert, whipped cream, fresh strawberries, shortcake, summer dessert