Strawberry Shortcake

My kid has been begging for strawberry shortcake, so yesterday I picked up fresh strawberries at the farmers market and came home to make the cake. There are countless cakes you can use for strawberry shortcake, in our house the following recipe won. It's based on the traditional style with a scone like base (have you ever made fresh scones? nothing like you buy in the store). There is the also popular Scotish version with  a sweet bread, cookie like cake.

Base:
1 2/3 cups self-rising flour
scant 1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2- 2/3 cup milk
(dairy substitutions- earth balance, almond milk- work great)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 8 inch cake pan.
Sift flower in a large bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until a breadcrumb consistency, about 5 minutes. Add milk a tablespoon at a time, mixing in with hands, until you have a soft, but smooth dough.
Gently press dough evently into pan. Bake 15-20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in pan, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Topping:
4 Tbsp milk
1 lb marscapone cheese
5 Tbsp sugar
1 lb strawberries, hulled and quartered

Beat milk and marscapone cheese together, adding 3 Tbsp sugar, until smooth and fluffy. Put strawberries in a separate bowl and pour over remaining sugar. Let rest so juices run from strawberries.

Spread topping on cooled scone base. Pile strawberries on top, pour any juices from bottom of bowl over cake. Enjoy!

*Feel free to use a white frosting for those with dairy allergies