Vegan Strawberry Shortcake

We love Elise Museles paradigm shifting outlook on rewriting our ’Food Story’. If you haven’t listened to our podcast with her listen now, while you bake! These individual Strawberry Shortcakes are from her collection of recipes that we love. They are fluffy, creamy, sweet, and layered with fresh berries and dollops of homemade coconut whip cream. You can practically taste summer with each bite of this vegan, gluten-free, and delicious treat!

NOTES: You can swap out equal amounts of other berries, such as blackberries or raspberries for the strawberries or use a mixture of berries. Look for gluten free flour blends that are free of gums or dairy. Save any leftover coconut milk for another recipe!

INGREDIENTS

*Makes 6 shortcakes

Shortcakes:

2 cups (12 oz) gluten-free flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

4 tablespoons coconut sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 cup cold coconut oil, plus 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

1 cup well-shaken canned coconut milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberries:

1 lb ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced

2 tablespoons maple syrup or coconut sugar, or to taste

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coconut whip: 

1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk, chilled overnight in the refrigerator

1 tablespoon maple syrup or coconut sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, 3 tablespoons coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the 1/4 cup cold coconut oil and use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the oil into the flour until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add the coconut milk and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until well combined. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, press the dough into a round, about 3/4 inch thick. Using a round 3-inch cutter, cut out six rounds of dough (cut as many as possible, then press the scraps together and continue cutting). Transfer the shortcakes to the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven.

Preheat oven to 400F. Brush the tops of the shortcakes with the 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, dividing evenly. Bake until the outside is crisp and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Increase the heat to 450F continue to bake until golden brown, 5 minutes more. Let cool on the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer the shortcakes to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir together the strawberries, maple syrup or coconut sugar, and vanilla. Taste and add more sweetener if you like. Set aside.

To make the coconut whip, put a mixing bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes. Without shaking or tipping the can, remove the can from the refrigerator and use a can opener to open the top. Scoop the solid part of the coconut milk into the cold mixing bowl, leaving the liquid in the bottom of the can (don’t discard). Using an electric mixer, beat together the solid coconut milk, maple syrup or coconut sugar, and vanilla until smooth, soft peaks form. If the coconut whip is chunky or overly thick, add a little of the liquid from the can to smooth it out.

For each serving, carefully slice a shortcake in half crosswise. Place the bottom half on a plate and top with some of the sliced strawberries and a dollop of the coconut whip. Place the top half of the shortcakes on top. Add a few more sliced strawberries and coconut whip as the final layer and serve immediately.

Original Recipe by Elise Museles