Strawberry Shortcake Scones

I have been an absolute airhead lately! SHAME on me! Three very important dates, and I haven't even mentioned two of them, and completely forgot the third!

First of all, yesterday was Bracken's birthday! My Beastie is now two years old, still as snuggly as ever, silly and gorgeous and still my little girl. We spent her birthday camping, which is about as awesome as a dog's birthday can get, plus we fed her watermelon!

Fruit is her favorite treat in the whole world. I also figured out how to get her to pose, and capture at her most photogenic... all I have to do is say the word "Squirrel". I love you Beastie!

Second, today is The Geologist's birthday! I won't tell you how old he is, but in his words he's "officially old." I beg to differ, but who listens to me? I'm going to gush all about the love of my life when I post his birthday recipe next week. He deserves his own post, full of chocolate. Happy Birthday my Love!!

Last, and perhaps least, but still exciting: I've been blogging for a year! I completely missed the date! In fact, my "blogiversary" was on the 20th of June, and I didn't realize it until the end of the month! Then it slipped my mind, over and over again... Anyway. A whole year of recipes. I may not have blogged every single day, but I've made friends for life, learned so many new things, recovered from surgeries, graduate degrees, moves, "real life", and saltwater taffy addictions. (Well, that one is a work in progress...) I still love blogging so very much. I was worried I'd burn out in six months! I've found my groove, settled in, and am comfy in my blogging space. I love all of my readers, whether you comment, try recipes, or not! The fact that you read my ramblings makes this fun, every day. Thank you so much!

Strawberry Shortcake Scones (inspired by King Arthur Flour)
Printable Recipe

1 3/4 cups cake flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
heaping 1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
1 large egg
2 teaspoons
1/4 cup milk, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more, if needed

sliced strawberries

whipped cream

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, zest, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the cream cheese and butter, using a pastry blender, fork, a mixer, or your fingers, until the chunks of butter are the size of small peas.

In a separate bowl (or glass measuring cup) whisk together the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir together until the dough is evenly moistened.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and fold it together several times, until it holds together and all floury bits are incorporated. Pat the dough into a rectangle, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. 

Using a large round biscuit cutter, cut out the scones. Press remaining dough back together and continue to cut out until all of the dough is used (this made 8 scones for me) You can also just cut into squares, or use a wide glass to cut out circles. They will be very thick. 

Place the cut-out scones on the lined baking sheet, and put in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

Before baking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. When preheated, remove the scones from the fridge, brush the tops lightly with milk or cream, and sprinkle with sugar. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the tops are light golden brown. Let cool a few minutes, and serve, split in half, with berries and whipped cream.

When I made King Arthur Flour's Apricot Cream Cheese Scones last month, their richness immediately made me think of strawberry shortcakes. I suppose my title may be a bit misleading, because the scones are the shortcakes, not strawberry shortcake-flavored.

With the addition of a bit more sugar and some cake flour for lightness, voila! Shortcake scones!

The cream cheese makes them a little richer, the outside has that gorgeous tender scone crunch, they're light and flaky without being cakey, and I think they're heavenly paired with these berries and freshly whipped cream!

Strawberry shortcake is just about classic summer on a plate. But of course, I can never leave well enough alone, can I? That's the fun of thinking outside the box. The sky's the limit!

I think it's obvious that scones are just about my favorite thing to bake. What do you bake over and over, that never gets old?