Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake with Vanilla Cupcakes

two plates of strawberry shortcake with whipped cream overhead view

Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake with Vanilla Cupcakes

A gluten-free strawberry shortcake recipe made with gluten-free vanilla cupcakes instead of biscuits. Quick and easy to make with a gluten-free flour blend! Top with fluffy whipped cream for a luscious strawberry dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Resting Time 30

Total Time 1 20

Servings

Calories 305kcal

Author Elaine

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes

1 ⅓ cups gluten-free flour blend, with xanthan gum
1 cup granulated sugar (white sugar)
1 ½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
¼ cup avocado oil
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
½ cup water

Strawberry Sauce

1 pound strawberries, fresh or frozen, plus a few more for garnish
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoon warm water
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ medium lemon, zest and juice of

Whipped Cream

1 ½ cups heavy cream (whipping cream)
2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar (or more, depending on taste)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Vanilla Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350°F. and line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.
Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) in a large bowl.
Combine the egg, sour cream, oil, vanilla extract and water in a smaller bowl.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until no trace of flour remains. Cover the bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes. This step is important! * see Notes
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling them about ⅔ full.
Bake for 19-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Strawberry Sauce

In a medium saucepan, make a slurry by combining 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 3 tablespoons warm water. Stir with a fork until no lumps remain. If you don't make a slurry first, you'll end up with lumps of cornstarch in the sauce.
Add the lemon juice, sugar and most of the strawberries to the pan and stir to combine. (Reserve a few strawberries to slice to garnish the finished dessert.)
Cook over medium heat, bringing it to a simmer. You can mash the berries slightly if you like a chunky sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken slightly.
Remove from the heat. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Whipped Cream

Add whipping cream to a bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (or to the bowl of a food processor) and beat on high. Once it starts to thicken slightly, add vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Whip until it forms stiff peaks. Be careful not to overbeat, as it may turn to butter.

How to Assemble Individual Strawberry Shortcakes

Remove the cupcake liners from the cupcakes and split in half horizontally. Place the bottom half on a small plate, top with a generous scoop of strawberry sauce and a few freshly sliced berries. Lean the top half of the cupcake against the bottom half and top with whipped cream. Add a few sliced fresh berries and a mint leaf to the plate if you'd like.

Notes

Allowing gluten-free batter to rest gives the flours and starches time to absorb the liquid before baking and improves the structure of baked goods. It also helps to thicken the batter and prevents it from becoming overly sticky.

Nutrition