Each spring I look forward to strawberry season and heading down to my favorite U-pick farm with my mom. Sometimes, because we’re in the South, it can get pretty warm during the berry-picking process, but we each leave with a bucket filled to the brim with juicy, fresh strawberries. When we get home, we’ll wash them and divide them up between us, leaving some fresh and stashing the rest in the freezer to enjoy later. Aside from just eating them straight away, I’ll usually bake something—a cake or a quick and easy cobbler. There are just so many ways to bake with them, which is one of the things I love the most about these sweet little gems.
If you find yourself with your own basket of freshly picked berries, or cartons fresh from the farmers’ market (or maybe even your own garden!), here are a few ways to enjoy them if you’ve got the itch to bake something. Our favorite strawberry layer cake is always a classic and there are a couple of pies to choose from. If you happen to also get your hands on some rhubarb, there’s an extremely easy cobbler recipe we’ve had on repeat this season. And you can never go wrong with good old strawberry shortcakes.
Strawberry-Rhubarb Biscuit Cobbler
Peach cobbler is a must-make summer treat, and this cobbler is the must-make treat of the spring. Gather up some fresh strawberries and rhubarb while they’re both in season, and you could be pulling a warm and bubbly cobbler out of the oven in a little over an hour! The filling is sweet and jammy with a bit of tang from the rhubarb. With those buttery, golden-brown biscuits on top (and served with vanilla ice cream, of course), this cobbler is a delightful way to enjoy strawberry season.
Get the recipe for Strawberry-Rhubarb Biscuit Cobbler.
Three Layer Strawberry Cake
What could be better during strawberry season than a classic strawberry cake? A local favorite in Birmingham, Alabama, Edgar's Bakery’s strawberry layer cake garners more than 50,000 orders per year. But now you can make it for yourself. It’s flavored with fresh strawberries and also freeze-dried strawberries, which add tons of flavor without adding extra liquid to the batter. The whole cake is covered in the dreamiest strawberry cream cheese frosting, so no wonder it’s so beloved! This vibrant and delicious cake is perfect for all occasions, from spring brunches to baby showers to a random spring day that just calls for a slice of something sweet.
Get the recipe for Three Layer Strawberry Cake.
Strawberry-Lemonade Angel Pie
This isn’t your average pie, but there are so many things to love about it. There’s tart flavor from the citrusy filling and sweetness from the strawberries, and there’s also the juxtaposition of textures with the creamy filling, juicy berries, and soft crunch and pillowy inside of the meringue. This classic mid-century American confection is basically a reverse lemon meringue pie! Instead of a traditional pie crust, a sweet meringue takes its place, which also means that it’s naturally gluten-free.
Get the recipe for Strawberry-Lemonade Angel Pie.
Brandied Strawberry Shortcakes with Malted Whipped Cream
Shortcakes are a classic when strawberry season rolls around. Buttery, sweet biscuits, juicy berries, and freshly whipped cream are a magical combination that just can’t be beat! In this recipe, the berries are marinated in brandy, which gives them a deeper and richer flavor. We also added a little malted milk powder to the whipped cream to give it some more flavor and depth as well. So if you’re a fan of classic shortcakes, you might just love these even more.
Get the recipe for Brandied Strawberry Shortcakes with Malted Whipped Cream.
Double-Strawberry Pie with Classic Crust
What’s better than a strawberry pie? Yes—a double strawberry pie! What makes it double, you ask? The filling starts with pureeing strawberries and making a jam-like filling. Then whole strawberries are folded into that. It all goes into an extra flaky pie crust and topped with a mountain of whipped cream. You can find this pie alongside other classics at Sugaree's Bakery in New Albany, Mississippi. This recipe is actually the family recipe of Sugaree's owner, Mary Jennifer Russell.
Get the recipe for Double-Strawberry Pie with Classic Crust.
Strawberry-Almond Crumble Pie
If you just can’t get enough pie, here’s another one for you that’s a little different than the last. This crumble-topped pie was inspired by the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival in Louisiana, which started as a small-town berry bonanza block party in 1972 (and now draws upward of 100,000 visitors!). Featuring a crust made with ground almonds in the pie dough and a crumbly almond topping, this jammy pie is perfect for a picnic, outdoor celebration, or spring brunch.
Get the recipe for Strawberry-Almond Crumble Pie.
Strawberry Shortcake Ice-Cream Bars
Good Humor’s vanilla-and-strawberry-filled Strawberry Shortcake Bars, complete with its signature cake coating, have satisfied the sweet-toothed for more than 100 years. If those classic ice cream truck pops hit you with nostalgia like us, these bars are a fun and easy way to make them yourself (no fooling with popsicle sticks). Featuring homemade strawberry sorbet (made with fresh berries!) and crushed shortbread cookies, these Strawberry Shortcake Ice-Cream Bars will inspire the same sort of dessert devotion.
