Gluten-free Shortcake Cake

Gluten-free Shortcake Cake
gluten-free | tree nut free
by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | June 26, 2025
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Nothing says summer quite like a slice of shortcake topped with your favorite fresh berries…. and a big dollop of whipped cream! This quick and easy shortcake recipe is super easy to make and uses ingredients you probably already have stocked in the homestead pantry. It yields a cake that is soft, slightly sweet, and perfect for layering with whatever toppings you like best. Whip up this cake for fun summer gatherings or simply to enjoy a delicious treat made from scratch. I can guarantee it won’t last long in your homestead kitchen!

Modern Pioneer Recipe

I debated whether to call this a modern pioneer recipe or if it really did qualify as a pioneer recipe. The ingredients are pretty simple and I have a feeling the early pioneers probably did make cakes for special occasions. However, they probably didn’t have access to fresh berries (at least not right away), and what berries they did eat were probably wild-harvested.

Even though this shortcake recipe is right on the line of being a heritage pioneer recipe, it is certainly still a staple recipe for the modern pioneer kitchen! It’s not as allergy-friendly as some of my other recipes, but it is still gluten-free, made with clean ingredients, and easy to make from scratch.

Here are some ways that this recipe can help you bake like a modern pioneer:

• use fresh eggs from your homestead flock
• use homemade butter
• make your own yogurt
• make your own oat flour

If you need a shortcake recipe that is grain-free, make sure you check out my Grain-free Strawberry Shortcake recipe that is just as simple and delicious!

Shortcake Topping Ideas

This shortcake cake is such a versatile platform for any of your favorite cake toppings! It is not like a traditional vanilla cake in the sense of being moist, fluffy, and light. BUT, it is still a soft and subtly sweet cake that creates the perfect base for fresh, seasonal toppings.

Strawberry Shortcake:

You can easily serve this cake like a traditional strawberry shortcake. Cut the cake into slices and top the slices with fresh strawberries and cream. You can make the shortcake in an 8″ cake pan or an 8×8″ glass baking pan depending on if you want triangle slices or square slices.

Berry Cake:

Or you can make a berry cake like shown in the pictures! Top the cake with dollops of whipped cream and pile on your favorite fresh berries. I like using strawberries and blueberries since those are seasonal fruits that I can usually find during the summer.

Layered Cake:

Make two of these cake and layer them together with your favorite frosting and fresh berries. Keep in mind that this is a shortcake recipe, so the cakes will be a little more dense than traditional vanilla cakes.

If you’re looking for a true layered cake recipe, then you’ll definitely want to check out this grain-free vanilla cake or this dairy-free chocolate cake recipe!

Topping Ideas:

Strawberries and shortcake go together like peanut butter and jelly. However, you do have the freedom to get as creative as you want with your shortcake toppings! Turn this shortcake into a chocolatey dessert or the perfect base for an ice cream sundae. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake: top the shortcake with fluffy chocolate frosting, fresh strawberries, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup
• Cherry Shortcake: use fresh cherries instead of strawberries to top this shortcake
• Ice Cream Cake: serve slices of this cake with scoops of ice cream and all your favorite ice cream toppings
• Breakfast Shortcake: enjoy a slice of shortcake with slices of banana, your favorite fresh berries, a scoop of yogurt, a drizzle of peanut butter, and whatever else you crave in the morning

But seriously, if you want shortcake for breakfast, then you definitely need to check out these Gluten-free Strawberry Shortcake Waffles! They are perfectly crispy, sweet, and absolutely delicious when topped with fresh berries and cream!

Recipe Questions

How to Make Oat Flour:

Making your own gluten-free oat flour for this shortcake recipe is super easy! Just blend whole, rolled oats in a high-speed blender or food processor until they are fine and reach a flour-like consistency. I use a Vitamix and blend up several cups of gluten-free whole, rolled oats at a time. Then I transfer the oat flour into glass mason jars to store for whenever I need oat flour.

I have not tried using alternative flours in this recipe. The combination of gluten-free all-purpose flour and oat flour creates the correct batter consistency to keep the shortcake from being too soggy or too dense.

Can I make the shortcake dairy-free?

I have not tried making this shortcake dairy-free. Shortcake is traditionally made with lots of butter, and this cake recipe uses a combination of oil and butter. You can use coconut oil or avocado oil for the oil in the recipe. And I would also assume that dairy-free ‘butter’ sticks could also be used in place of real butter in the recipe without too much trouble.

What sugars can I use instead of cane sugar?

You can use coconut sugar or maple sugar in this shortcake recipe. I try to minimize how much cane sugar I use in my baking, but when I wanted this cake to be light in color I knew I had to use cane sugar. Coconut sugar will yield a dark colored cake and maple sugar will yield a light brown cake.

Can I make the shortcake egg free?

I do not recommend making this cake egg free. The egg in this recipe is essential for helping the cake hold together as well as preventing the cake from being too dense.

How to Store Leftover Shortcake:

Leftover shortcake cake can be stored in an airtight container after it has completely cooled. It can be kept at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or in the fridge for up to 5-6 days. You can also freeze the shortcake for later! Just allow it to unthaw at room temperature before enjoying it.

If you have toppings on your shortcake cake, then you will need to consider if the toppings need to be kept chilled or if they are fine at room temperature. For berries and cream, I recommend you keep the cake stored in the fridge.

This gluten-free shortcake cake recipe is perfect for summer! It is a simple recipe that bakes up quickly (no need to run the oven for long!) and is delicious when topped with fluffy cream and fresh berries.

Where to Find the Ingredients:

• King Arthur gluten-free all-purpose flour
• Anthony’s gluten-free oat flour
• Otto’s Naturals baking powder
• Redmond real salt
• Primal Kitchen avocado oil
• Wholesome organic cane sugar
• Simply Organic vanilla extract
• Supplies: 8″ cake pan, parchment paper

This gluten-free shortcake is soft, sweet, and absolutely delicious when layered with fluffy whipped cream, slices of fresh strawberries, and a sprinkle of fresh blueberries. It can be festive, fun, and perfect for summer gatherings. Or, simply whip up this cake to enjoy as a sweet summer treat on the homestead. Cut it into slices and enjoy it like shortbread, or treat it like a cake and get fancy with fresh fruit toppings! No matter how you like your shortcake, this recipe is versatile and simple enough to pair with whatever you have on hand in the homestead kitchen… whether it be fresh strawberries, blueberries, cherries, or other seasonal fruits!

Want to start eating seasonally? Check out the resources in The Trading Post that will help you create a self-sufficient homestead lifestyle that involves eating seasonally, cooking from scratch, and using wholesome ingredients!