One of the first dessert recipes I posted when this blog started over 6 years ago was a basic shortcake recipe. It was one Eric’s family had made and enjoyed for many years before we started making it for our own celebrations. The kids loved it and it was quick and easy to make. It worked for a planned gathering or for something last minute. Any sort of fruit goes well with shortcake, or even no fruit at all, just ice cream, which was Kelly’s usual preference! We’d start making it in Spring and would bake some almost weekly throughout the summer and into the fall, for as long as we were getting sweet, juicy, just-picked fruit.

To add interest to this warm weather staple, this version replaces some of the regular flour with almond flour. That adds another layer of flavor to the dessert. A hint of almond sweetness added to the cake enhances whatever fruit the shortcake is paired with, be it strawberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, or peaches!

Almond Shortcakes

Almond Shortcakes (adapted from foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 20 minutes, Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 10 minutes, Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups almond meal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar, plus some for sprinkling
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• ice cream or whipped cream, and berries for serving

Directions:

Whisk together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and vegetable oil.

Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another.

Stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

Drop scoops of the dough on a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet and sprinkle them with additional sugar.

Make 6 mounds with the dough.

Bake the cakes at 475º F until golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Take them from the oven and put them on a cooling rack.

Bake the shortcakes.

When the shortcakes are cool enough to handle, split them and fill them with ice cream or whipped cream, and berries to serve. Wrap any leftover cakes in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store for up to 2 days at room temperature.

Fill the split cakes with ice cream & berries.

Patriotic & delicious!  ~Linda

Almond Shortcakes (adapted from foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 20 minutes, Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 10 minutes, Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups almond meal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar, plus some for sprinkling
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• ice cream or whipped cream, and berries for serving.

Directions:

Whisk together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and vegetable oil, then stir the wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Drop scoops of the dough on a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with additional sugar and bake the cakes at 475º F until golden, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Take them from the oven and put them on a cooling rack. When the shortcakes are cool enough to handle, split them and fill them with ice cream or whipped cream, and berries to serve. Wrap any leftover cakes in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store for up to 2 days at room temperature.