When March rolls around in Wisconsin, I start to crave strawberry shortcake. However, those tasty fresh berries are a couple of months away yet. How do I satisfy my cravings? I make the next best thing: Shortcut Shortcake.
This light cake has canned berries baked right into it! Since I've always been a sucker for a little crunch in my desserts, I also add some granola to the top of my version. If you're not fond of it, you can omit the granola too.
While I won't suggest that Shortcut Shortcake is the same thing as fresh Strawberry Shortcake, I will go so far as to say that it's got a beauty all its own. By baking in the strawberries, you give it a more cobbler-like feel that's perfect for the unexpected days that fill the month of March. If it gets unusually warm, pop your cake into the fridge for a bit for chilled shortcake. If it's blustery and cold, warm it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and you'll swear you're enjoying cobbler. Either way, it's delicious.
One other great advantage of Shortcut Shortcake is that you mix together all of the ingredients and pop it in the oven. It's fast and all in one pan. Quick baking, quick serving, and quick cleanup. Now that's enough to make you smile!
Shortcut Shortcake
- 1 pkg. white cake mix
- 1 can strawberry pie filling
- 1/2 c. granola
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, prepare cake mix as directed. Pour batter into a well-greased 9 x 13" baking pan. Drop pie filling by heaping tablespoons onto the batter, making sure that they are evenly spaced. Sprinkle granola over the entire surface.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with whipped topping
- Yields: 9x13" dessert
- Preparation Time: 1 hour