Picture this: it’s 70 degrees outside, you’re sitting on a lawn chair with the sun warming your face, and you’re devouring every bite of this strawberry rhubarb shortcake, a dessert that feels nostalgic yet still new and exciting.
It’s the kind of dessert you accidentally eat too fast because the biscuits are still a little warm and crisp, the strawberry rhubarb mixture tastes like peak summer, and the mascarpone whipped cream somehow feels both rich and light at the same time. It’s buttery, jammy, fresh, a little tangy from the rhubarb, and honestly tastes like the perfect way I want to kick off summer.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it keeps the strawberries fresh instead of cooking them (my non-negotiable for shortcake!). The rhubarb gets gently simmered in all the juices released from the strawberries while they macerate, creating this glossy sweet-tart syrup situation that tastes incredible spooned over the shortcakes (or honestly straight out of the bowl). Add a flaky orange-zested biscuit and mascarpone whipped cream that tastes like a cloud? Now we’re talkin.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The biscuits are crisp on the outside, flaky inside, and not overly sweet. The orange zest adds a nice pop of freshness that I love so much I now will never skip it.
- The strawberries stay fresh and juicy instead of jammy or mushy and the rhubarb adds just enough tartness to balance everything out
- The mascarpone whipped cream is cloud-like, and the mascarpone stabilizes it, perfect for hosting or making ahead
Tips for the Best Shortcake Biscuits
- Keep everything cold. Cold butter = steam pockets = flaky layers. If your kitchen runs warm, don’t skip chilling the dough between steps. I decided to test this on an 80 degree day, and let me tell you the difference in the biscuits with chilling vs without was crazy.
- Don’t overwork the dough. The dough should look shaggy and a little messy before shaping. Overmixing makes biscuits tough instead of tender.
- Stacking the dough creates layers. That folding + stacking step is what gives you those classic flaky layers.
- Do not twist your biscuit cutter. Press straight down and lift straight up — twisting seals the edges and prevents the biscuits from rising properly.
- Freeze before baking. A quick chill right before the oven helps the butter stay cold and gives you taller biscuits with crisp edges.
Make Ahead Tips
This recipe is surprisingly hosting-friendly because almost every component can be prepped ahead:
- Biscuits: These biscuits actually benefit from being made ahead, as they cook beautifully straight from the freezer. Cut the biscuits and freeze them unbaked on a sheet tray, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. Bake straight from frozen, just adding an extra 2-3 minutes if needed.
- Mascarpone whipped cream: Can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept in the fridge. The mascarpone helps stabilize it so it stays fluffy.
- Strawberry rhubarb mixture: Best the day it’s made so the strawberries stay fresh, but you can absolutely prep it a few hours ahead and refrigerate until serving.
A Few Extra Notes
- If rhubarb is hard to find near you, you can make this with only strawberries. Just substitute another pound of strawberries and prepare the mixture the same way as the strawberries (macerated, not cooked). Depending on how ripe your berries are, you may want to slightly reduce the sugar.
- When I want a really easy dessert, I’ll skip the biscuits entirely and just serve the strawberry rhubarb mixture with the mascarpone whipped cream. SO yummy.
- If you happen to have leftover strawberry rhubarb syrup at the bottom of the bowl, do not throw it away. It’s incredible mixed into a spritz with soda water and champagne.
One of my favorite flavor combinations this time of year is strawberry and rhubarb. Whether it’s baked into a pie, tucked under a crisp crumble, spooned over ice cream, or even mixed into a spritz, I genuinely don’t think I could ever get tired of it. So I’m pairing that sweet-tart combo with one of my favorite summer desserts — one that really lets the fruit shine — these strawberry rhubarb shortcakes. They’re bright, buttery, flaky, and taste like the perfect dessert to kick off summer. You guys are going to love these!
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Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake
- Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes (including chill time)
- Yield: 6-8 shortcakes
Description
This strawberry rhubarb shortcake starts with flaky orange-zested biscuits, fresh macerated strawberries, gently cooked rhubarb, and mascarpone whipped cream for the ultimate spring and summer dessert.
Ingredients
Strawberry Rhubarb Compote:
- 1 lb strawberries, quartered
- 2 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into ½” pieces (about 4 large stalks)
- Zest from ½ orange
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup granulated white sugar, divided
- Salt to taste
For the Shortcake Biscuits:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
- 3 tbsp granulated white sugar (37g)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Zest from ½ orange
- ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed (113g)
- ¾ cup cold buttermilk (180g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp heavy cream or buttermilk for brushing
- Turbinado sugar and flaky sea salt for topping
For the Mascarpone Whipped Cream:
- 8oz mascarpone
- 1¼ cups heavy cream (10oz)
- 2–3 tbsp granulated white sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake:
- Add cubed butter to the freezer to chill for 10 minutes before making your biscuits.
- Add quartered strawberries, ¼ cup of sugar, and a small pinch of salt to a large bowl and mix to combine. Set aside for 1 hour while you prep the rest of your ingredients to let the juices release from the strawberries.
- Meanwhile, make the biscuits. In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest and whisk to combine. Add the cold butter and work it into the flour using a pastry cutter or your fingers until you see mostly pea sized pieces, with a few slightly larger chunks (this creates flakiness!)
- Pour in the cold buttermilk and vanilla and gently mix with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. You want to work the dough as little as possible, so you get a crumbly flaky texture vs tough. It should look a little dry and messy – this is good, as working the dough as little as possible results in the flakiest layers. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and using a floured rolling pin or your hands, roll into a 1” thick rough rectangle. Using a knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 4 square pieces. Stack each piece of dough on top of each other, pressing in any loose bits of dough between the layers. Roll into a rectangle again, then repeat the stacking process one more time. Roll the dough into a 1” thick rectangle.
- Using a biscuit cutter or glass, press down to cut dough into ~3” round biscuits. Do not twist the dough cutter, just lift straight up. Twisting seals the edges which prevents rising.
- Transfer the biscuits to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 10-15 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- While the biscuits are chilling, make the strawberry rhubarb filling. To a saucepan, add the rhubarb, sugar, orange zest, vanilla, and salt. Strain the juices from the macerated strawberries into the pan and set the strawberries aside for later.
- Bring the rhubarb mixture to a gentle boil, then stir and reduce to simmer for 5-7 minutes or until soft but not mushy. Shut off the heat and let cool slightly, before folding into the bowl of strawberries.
- Bake your biscuits. Brush the tops with buttermilk or heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar and flaky sea salt.
- Bake at 425°F for 18-22 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the edges are crisp. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
- While the shortcakes are baking, make the mascarpone whipped cream. To a bowl with a stand mixer (or regular bowl with an electric whisk), add the mascarpone, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla bean extract. Whip on high until soft peaks form, usually 2-3 minutes. You do not want to overwhip, as it can result in the cream being grainy. If you accidentally overwhipped, just fold in a bit more heavy cream. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
- To assemble your shortcakes, halve the shortcakes lengthwise. Top with a hefty dollop of the mascarpone whipped cream, then the strawberry rhubarb mixture, then top with the other half of the shortcake. Serve immediately!
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Dessert