Enjoy a classic easy Strawberry Shortcake (gluten free and vegan). This Summer cake uses real fresh strawberries with an egg free shortcake topped with a dairy free creamy coconut cream.
Strawberry picking season has arrived! Have you ever gone to one of those pick your own fruit farms? This is something I have always wanted to do with my kids. I have fond memories heading out to our local strawberry farm every year this time to pick the freshest berries.
The place I went picking as a child, truly was a real farm with cows, horses and big tractors. Big wagons would show up and take us out to the strawberry fields. What was really unique about this ride was it wasn’t pulled by a tractor or regular horses. Instead, HUGE working Clydesdale horses would pull the wagon.
If you’re not familiar with a clydesdale, there are know from the Budwiser beer commercials. These enormous beasts tower over a regular horse, which as a kid already seems like a giant animal.
After getting out the fields, we’d go crazy finding strawberries. Searching for the one perfect one. We’d get on our hands and knees a search for that perfect bright red berry. It was such an exciting thing to see how strawberries (or any food for that matter) was grown.
Of course, if you’ve ever berry picked, you know most of the strawberries are super tiny compared to those found commercially grown for the stores.
But that didn’t bother us one bit. We were plenty happy sampling the berries (dirt, dust and all) straight from the bush to our mouths.
Great memories…
Another great memory is eating strawberry shortcake from some of those berries we picked. My mom never baked so she always bought the small sponge cakes from the grocery store and the canned whipped cream that you shake. (a little gross but still good!)
This strawberry shortcake replaces the wheat based one with a new baking technique. I’ve heard of using seltzer water a long time ago to aid the rise in gluten free bread from Jules Sheppard of GF- Jules. I still haven’t tried it for breads (in part since I always forget to look for plain seltzer water). I used a sugar based white soda since this was all I could find. It makes this cake very sweet, like a bakery… and since I’m replicating that childhood memory, I’d say a little extra sweet is more authentic. ;-D
- CAKE
- 1¼ cups gluten free all purpose white mix
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup + 2 Tbsp white soda or seltzer water
- ¼ cup oil
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla optional
- 1 batch of whipped coconut cream
- 1 pint fresh strawberries
- Preheat oven to 350 degree for 20 minutes. Grease or line a 8 inch round cake pan.
- Combine all dry ingredients and mix well.
- Quickly add all liquid ingredients and mix vigorously until smooth. Pour into pan and bake 15 minutes or until a tooth pick come out clean in the center.
- Allow to cool completely before adding topping.
- Throughly wash strawberries and pat dry. De steam and chop into bite sizes.
- Take ½ cup strawberries in a bowl and crush using a fork or masher. Set aside.
- Top with coconut cream, fresh strawberries and serve with strawberry sauce.
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Some other things you may enjoy:
Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Cake (Dairy Free)– egg free, nut free, soy free
Strawberry Ice Cream Cake- dairy free gluten free vegan
Fruit Gummy Lollipops- dye free gluten free dairy free
Hello, I’m Laura! Thanks for stopping by… I hope this blog will help you or someone you know and love. 
That looks delish! Love that the cake is vegan, it sounds just wonderful 🙂
Thanks so much June! Great for party since I doubt anyone would even know it’s vegan. 😀
Laura, I have fresh strawberries sitting on my kitchen countertop right now! I’m pretty sure that after seeing this beautiful recipe, I know just what to do with them!!
Glad to help you find a good use of strawberries! Thanks so much Sara!
Strawberry shortcake reminds me summers of yesteryears as my mom would make this quite often. Looks so good!
I think that’s why strawberry shortcake is so special to many people, good memories! Thanks so much!
Summer is one of my favorite seasons just for all of the berry picking! This looks so delicious!
Thank you so much Michelle!
Yay for strawberry season! This cake is the perfect way to use showcase fresh berries. It looks gorgeous and I love that it’s vegan! The seltzer water is such a fantastic idea!
Thank you so much Kelly! Cake is always good and fresh berries make anything better, right?
This strawberry shortcake looks amazing!! Love that it is tied to childhood memories. Berry picking is the best!
Thank so much Mariah! I totally agree. 😀
I love me some strawberries! This is so bright and pretty, Laura!
Thanks so much Andi!
I used to pick strawberries with my family growing up and we’d sit in the fields and eat them – so good! This is a beautiful strawberry shortcake – wish I could grab a bite 🙂
Thank you so much Jeanette! I’m taking the boys strawberry picking tomorrow and hopefully will remember it when they’re much older.
I just looove this gorgeous cake! All the strawberries are at their peak season right now around here so I’m looking for any and every way to use them! This cake looks absolutely perfect for summer. 🙂 Pinned!
Aww, thanks so much Sarah! We’re going picking today and I can’t wait for more strawberries!
Thank you for sharing. This is a wonderful recipe, super easy and great for my son’s special diet. I’ve made it twice already and on the grill even (my oven is in the process of being replaced). So good! A million thank yous!
So easy…so delicious and we thank you so much for sharing your recipes.
Everything that I have made from your blog has been perfectly perfect in every way!!!
You are my hero!!!
Could some people say what soda or seltzer they’ve used? Perhaps for a less sweetened taste. I have club soda and tonic water. Would either work? Or what brand or what type? I’m in California. I’m not sure what white soda is. Like 7up? Is soda water the same as club soda? Please hurry! Shopping today!
Yes, a seltzer, tonic would be best (less sugar) but I used 7-Up. All use the carbonation to help give extra rise and fluffiness.