A match made in summertime
Nothing says summer like cake topped with juicy strawberries and oodles of whipped cream. It’s a simple dessert with a humble reputation as casual food, homebaked for backyard parties.
But these days, strawberry shortcake is going fancy. Jacqueline Berman and Tamera Clark, co-owners of Rustique Pie Kitchen, a popular bakery and caterer in Montreal, say shortcake is one of their customers’ favourite desserts (along with strawberry-rhubarb pie and strawberry cheesecake). It’s even sought out as a wedding cake among brides and grooms looking for a less formal alternative to the traditional multi-tiered, flower-topped fondant-frosted wedding cake.
“For weddings, what’s popular now is the ‘naked cake,’ which allows the cake layers to show through,” Berman said. “It’s part of the trend toward outdoor weddings and events that are more laid-back and rustic.”
Clark shares her favourite family recipe for strawberry shortcake, Rustique style. Though the original shortcake was English, made with scone-like biscuits, a fluffier version became popular in North America in the early 1900s. Rustique’s version sticks to this tradition, with strawberries and Chantilly cream piled onto angel food cake.
In the winter, Rustique uses the same angel cake, but replaces the fresh berries with homemade raspberry jam.
Here’s the recipe for Rustique’s famous strawberry shortcake. It’s the shortcake Clark grew up with in Vancouver, the recipe passed down from her grandmother to her mother to her.
“Every time I bake this cake it brings back childhood memories,” Clark said. “It is so light and fluffy, all the elements working together, nothing overpowering the other.”