Slices of buttery pound cake, grilled to perfection, pair beautifully with fresh, juicy strawberries and homemade whipped cream in this grilled strawberry shortcake. It's the ultimate dessert for a summer BBQ!
If you're looking to impress your guests at your next summer barbecue, then look no further!
When you've finished grilling your burgers and hot dogs, toss some slices of pound cake onto the grill, top the toasty cake slices with sweet macerated strawberries and light-as-air chantilly whipped cream, and get ready for the "oohs" and "aahs" from your family and friends.
You already know we love to put a fun twist on classic desserts here at Always Eat Dessert, and this grilled strawberry shortcake takes the cake.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
There are many reasons to love this easy summer dessert, and here are a few:
- It's impressive yet simple! Grilled desserts always impress, and despite being so simple to make.
- It's quick and easy! This recipe takes just minutes to make using simple ingredients.
- It's delicious! I mean... can't you just see how delicious this looks?!
- No oven required! If you've baked your pound cake ahead of time or if you're using store-bought then there's no need to turn on the oven. Always a plus on a hot summer day!
Why This Recipe Works
- While strawberry shortcake is traditionally made with sweetened biscuits, the buttery flavor and dense crumb of pound cake is perfect for grilling and makes an ideal base for this grilled shortcake recipe.
- By macerating the strawberries - letting them sit in sugar to enhance their juiciness and natural flavor - we're using the most flavorful berries possible.
- Technically we're using chantilly cream, not basic whipped cream, since we're flavoring the whipped cream with vanilla. It's just another simple way we've elevated the classic dessert.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredient list and measurements.
Pound Cake - While I of course prefer homemade pound cake, store-bought is also perfectly fine for this recipe.
Fresh Strawberries - Red, juicy, in-season strawberries are the star of this recipe! Be sure to wash, dry, hull, and slice the strawberries before using them.
Whipped Cream - Whipped cream is a must for strawberry shortcake, and you can't beat the flavor of homemade whipped cream, made with just three simple ingredients: heavy whipping cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract.
Special Equipment
In addition to essential baking equipment (like a mixing bowl and spoon), I recommend some special tools for making this recipe.
- Grill, for grilling the pound cake slices.
- Electric hand mixer (or stand mixer with the whisk attachment), for making the whipped cream
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed recipe instructions.
Step 1: Add sliced strawberries to a bowl with the sugar and stir to coat. Set aside until juice begins to pool in the bowl.
Step 2: Preheat grill to a medium heat (about 350°F/177°C) and grill the pound cake slices to the desired toasty-ness. (See Recipe Tips.)
Step 3: Make chantilly whipped cream. Beat heavy whipping cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until the mixture reaches medium peaks.
Step 4: Put grilled cake slices onto plates and top each with a spoonful of the strawberries. Top the strawberries with a spoonful of whipped cream.
Allison's Top Tips
For the best flavor, use ripe, in-season strawberries.
Do not include the juice in the bottom of the bowl when spooning the strawberries onto the grilled cake slices, since too much berry juice can could cake the cake turn soggy.
The time needed for grilling will vary by type of grill and temperature. I used a gas grill at a temperature between 350°F to 400°F and grilled the pound cake slices for about a minute and a half on each side. The goal is to add nice grill marks and a bit of toasted texture to the cake slices, so be careful not to overdo it.
Whipped cream should be whipped to between medium and stiff peaks based on your preferences. What are medium peaks? Read this article to learn what this means and how to adjust the consistency of whipped cream.
Recipe Variations
This recipe would be spectacular with many different types of fruit, from berries (blackberries, blueberries, or raspberries) to stone fruits (especially peaches).
Storage Instructions
I do not recommend making this recipe ahead of time. Grilled pound cake and whipped cream are both best when fresh, so it's best to make this dessert immediately before serving.
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Recipe
Grilled Strawberry Shortcake
Special Equipment
- Grill
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 grams) fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
- 2 Tablespoons (24 grams) granulated sugar
- 6 slices of pound cake
- 1 cup (238 grams) heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tablespoons (24 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add sliced strawberries to a bowl with the sugar and stir to coat. Set aside until juice begins to pool in the bowl, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat your grill to a medium heat (about 350°F/177°C).
- Grill the pound cake slices to the desired toasty-ness.* Flip the slices so that they have grill marks on both sides. Place grilled cake slices on a cooling rack and set aside.
- Make whipped cream. Add heavy whipping cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a handheld electric mixer (or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment), beat the mixture on medium-high speed until it reaches medium peaks.
- Put grilled cake slices onto plates and top each with a spoonful of the strawberries, being careful not to include the juice. Top the strawberries with a spoonful of whipped cream.
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