Chocolate shortcake is a fun twist on traditional strawberry shortcake cake recipe. Chewy, chocolatey, fudge like and studded with chocolate chips. A chocolate lovers dream for chocolate strawberry shortcake!
Preheat oven to 450°F (see notes for less gooey cake baking options in notes) Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender, food processor (careful not to over mix) or two knives or even your hands, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a measuring cup, beat egg and milk and vanilla together. Using a fork, gently stir liquid into flour mixture, just until blended, fold in chocolate chips.
Spread shortcake batter, pressing with your fingers evenly into prepared baking pan. This is not a pourable cake batter, more like a cookie or scone dough.
Bake in preheated 450° oven about 15 minutes for 8" pan, 15-18 for 9" pan. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, store the shortcake in airtight container on counter up to 5 days. Or wrap well in plastic wrap and place in ziplock baggie and freeze up to 3 months.
ASSEMBLE CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
Cut fresh strawberries into quarters or smaller chunks, place in bowl, sprinkle with 1-3 tablespoons of sugar (to taste), tossing to coat. This process is called maceration. Cover and allow the strawberries to sit on the counter for 20 minutes.
If desired, remove ¼ cup of strawberries and mash with fork or masher, returning to the mixture.
Place slice of shortcake cake on plate or bowl, spoon desired amount of berries over the top of shortcake, top with whipped cream or ice cream, serve immediately!
Notes
Tips & Substitutions
PAN OPTIONS | Our motto at TFC is “Make It Yours”! So try different pans, an 8×8 or 9×9 square, 7×11, press into a tart pan or maybe 1 ½ x the recipe and make it in a 9×13 inch pan. BERRIES | Try fresh cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, heck even mango, peaches, nectarines and pineapple would be amazing! ADDING SPICE | Try a teaspoon of cinnamon or Espresso powder. MAKE AHEAD | Make and cool the shortcake completely, then refrigerate (up to 7 days) or freeze (up to 3 months) in air tight container. CONSISTENCY | These directions will yield crispy outside, but chewy, gooey inside chocolate shortcake, see below baking if you want a different result: Cakier inside: Bake at 350-375 degrees F for 20-30 minutes.
GLUTEN OR DAIRY FREE SHORTCAKE
Substitute all purpose flour with a good cup-for-cup GF Flour.
Try using coconut oil in place of butter and plant based milk in place of whole milk.
*I have not tried either of the two, but think with the nature of the shortcake it should still turn out fine.HIGH ALTITUDE | No high altitude adjustments needed for this recipe.