reverse strawberry shortcake;

August 2, 2024Katie

Strawberry shortcake turned on it's head! Instead of cake piled high with strawberries, an iced strawberry gazpacho topped with toasted pound cake makes for a bright and delicious twist on a classic.

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Hand lifting a glass of reverse strawberry shortcake with partially submerged pound cake

Originally posted October 17, 2016. Updated August 2, 2024 for content and clarity.

This reverse strawberry shortcake recipe is a cool twist on a classic! You can never go wrong with a classic strawberry shortcake, but I love this as a light and refreshing option in the heat of summer. Take all the same ingredients, but play with the ratios of strawberry to cake. I really love this recipe because it’s a snap to whip up, can be made in advance, and really is an elevated dessert. So you can feel fancy. Pinkies out!

Reverse strawberry shortcake was actually one of the first recipes I ever made. Which should let you know–it’s simple! I made my own food, but it was mostly recipes from my mom. I didn’t cook much on my own or go outside my comfort zone. But I was on a food network kick, and grabbed this recipe after watching Giada one afternoon! I love Giada’s recipes, and kind of attribute my start to cooking partially to her. Her recipes are made with fresh, easy-to-find ingredients, and despite the elevated dishes you’re making, they’re not particularly hard or over-complicated.

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Let’s start with the cake. You can make your own, of course. But this recipe becomes such a breeze when you simply buy it from the store. Here I opted for a light and airy angel food cake loaf. I find it really delicate and lets the strawberries shine through. But another option I sometimes opt for is pound cake. A pound cake loaf is more buttery, and more dense, and really rounds out the flavor. I’ve used both. When I want sweet and light, I opt for angel food cake; when I want decadent and more of that classic flavor, I opt for pound cake.

When I want sweet and light, I opt for angel food cake; when I want decadent and more of that classic flavor, I opt for pound cake.
secret to success

Then comes the star of the show. The strawberry gazpacho. I call it gazpacho because it lands somewhere between a daiquiri and a soup. The key is red, ripe strawberries. You want full flavor and full sweetness strawberries, and while I most often use fresh, frozen can work in a pinch too. Frozen fruit is often frozen at its prime, so it does have that classic strawberry flavor. Just allow them to mostly thaw before jumping into the recipe.

Glass of reverse strawberry shortcake topped with cake and strawberries

The strawberries really shine when combined with the other ingredients. Lemon brings out the brightness in the strawberry soup, hitting both zest and juice to amp up the flavor profile. I typically mix in a little sweet dessert wine. My favorite is a Sweet Lucia from our favorite winery Mediterranean Cellars. The name says it all–it is sweet! But you could use a nice buttery chardonnay as well that will compliment the cake topping.

You want full flavor and full sweetness strawberries, and while I most often use fresh, frozen can work in a pinch too.
secret to success

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I tend to make this recipe when I have slightly past-their-prime strawberries…shhhhh. Once you blend them up, no one will know and you get a delicious, quick recipe, and get to feel good about using up what’s in your fridge!

Spoon lifting out strawberry gazpacho with pound cake

I also include a recipe for a delicious mascarpone cream topping. The mascarpone cheese brings a little depth to your typical whipped cream. In a pinch or if you’re feeling lazy, then a classic whipped cream or whipped topping can also do just fine. But the mascarpone cream topping is just so light and delicious and really rounds out the reverse strawberry shortcake.

Bonus tip: toast your cake!
secret to success

Reverse strawberry shortcake is a perfect recipe to share with guests. Make the strawberry gazpacho ahead of time and cut up your cake cubes, and all you need is to pour it into a glass and serve. Bonus tip: toast your cake! It makes it extra warm, brings out the buttery decadence and makes it a little more resistant to soaking up all the strawberry soup. That way they’ll last a little longer perched on top of your reverse strawberry shortcake.

Glass of reverse strawberry shortcake piled high with cake and strawberries

secrets to success;

Want all the best tips and tricks to make this recipe a success? Check out the blog post above to find out more!

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