This Strawberry Maca Shortcake Will Be Your Go-To Summer Dessert

Strawberry shortcake has always been one of my favorite desserts. It brings back memories of picking strawberries in the summer and of growing up in the South, where Sunday mornings were spent in the kitchen with my mom. We’d cover the countertop in flour and roll buttermilk biscuits from scratch. As an adult, strawberry shortcake just feels like summertime on a plate.

You can see why the thought of a healthier version without all the guilt — and with the added health benefits of maca and flaxseed to boot — would be so enticing. This shortcake with coconut crème hits all of the right notes: a tender, flaky biscuit topped with fluffy whipped crème and glorious strawberries in the peak of their season.

This recipe is a summer staple, and a great one to keep in your back pocket anytime you need to please a crowd. Once strawberry season has come and gone, you can simply substitute the strawberries with whatever summer fruit is at the height of its season. Can you imagine this dish covered in ripe peaches?!

While I’ll be swapping my fruit of choice in this recipe all summer long, the use of maca powder is sure to become a staple in all future shortcake endeavors. Plus, when you consume maca in powder form instead of as a standardized pill, you’ll get even more healing benefits. So while you’re enjoying this tasty dessert, the rich nutrient profile of the maca powder is going to work to increase libido and fertility, balance hormone levels, alleviate PMS, and provide energy. The list of benefits goes on and on. Not to mention, the natural sugars in maca give these shortcakes a delicious taste. All the more reason to indulge in this healthy take on the classic summer recipe.

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Strawberry Maca Shortcake with Coconut Crème

Author Laura Wallace

Ingredients

• 2 pints strawberries washed and sliced
• 1/2 cup sugar for strawberries
• 2 cans coconut milk chilled overnight
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Shortcake: 

• 3 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons butter cubed
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons maca powder
• 1 tablespoon flaxseed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small bowl combine the sliced strawberries with ½ cup of sugar and stir. Let sit for at least an hour.
3. To make the biscuits or shortcake: Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, maca powder, flaxseed, and salt. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using your hands or pastry cutter until the butter is the size of peas. 
4. Next, combine the milk, cream, and vanilla. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pout the milk mixture in. Combine with a spoon or fork until a loose dough forms. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead a few times. 
5. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out about 1 to 1 ½-inch thick. Cover with parchment and chill for 20 minutes. Once dough has rested, cut into biscuits using a biscuit cutter. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
6. To make the coconut crème: Open the cans of chilled coconut milk and pour out the water reserving the coconut milk fat. Using a hand-held blender or stand up mixer, beat on medium high speed until peaks start to form. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until thick and creamy.
7. Assemble your shortcake by slicing the biscuits and layering them with the strawberries and coconut crème.