Mini Strawberry Shortcakes

Recipe Credit: Nicole Kendrick @goldengracekitchen

Ingredients

For Cake:

2 cups of flour (I used gluten free) 

1/2 tsp salt 

3 eggs room temp 

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup butter softened 

1 1/4 cup sugar 

1/3 cup almond milk room temp 

1 tbsp OliveNation Organic Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract 

For Whipped Cream: 

1 cup cold heavy cream 

1/3 cup powdered sugar sifted

1/2 tsp OliveNation Strawberry Emulsion

1/2 tsp corn starch (to stabilize the whipped cream and keep it from melting) 

Method

For Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of each square with a pastry brush and coconut oil. If you don’t have this pan you can use a 9x13 pan. First, in a medium sized bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Then, in an electric mixer beat butter for 2 minutes until creamy. Next, add sugar and mix again for another 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, lightly mixing after each addition. Then, add vanilla and mix. Pour in half of the dry  mixture and mix until combined. Then, add in remaining dry ingredients and mix again. Lastly, pour in milk and mix until just combined. Batter will be thick. add batter to prepared pans. If using the 12 square pan, place 22 inch cookie scoops of batter into each one. Bake the 12 square pan for 21-27 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Bake a 9x13 pan for 25-33 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 mini cakes.

For Whipped Cream

In a mixer, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, and strawberry emulsion. Beat on high until it begins to thicken and soft peaks form. Add in corn starch and beat again for about 20 seconds. Do not over mix. Place cream into a piping back, or use a spoon to place onto mini cakes. Using the strawberry huller, remove the hull from the clean berries. Then cut the berry in half long ways. To assemble, take a toothpick and place one half of a strawberry onto the toothpick with a fresh mint leaf and then place it on top of the mini cake with whip cream.