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A beautiful homemade strawberry shortcake with cool whip piled high, garnished with fresh mint, ready to be served.

Strawberry Shortcake with Cool Whip

This Strawberry Shortcake with Cool Whip is the ultimate easy, no-bake dessert perfect for summer gatherings. Featuring fresh strawberries macerated with a secret lemon zest and black pepper twist, it's a moist and creamy treat that comes together effortlessly in a 13x9 baking dish, creating beautiful layers that everyone will love.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Calories: 500
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 16-oz carton fresh strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • Pinch black pepper
  • 1 1-lb prepared pound cake
  • 3 16-oz tubs frozen sliced strawberries in sugar
  • 1 12-oz tub Cool Whip

Equipment

  • Small bowl
  • 3-quart 13x9 baking dish
  • Pepper grinder
  • Wide spatula

Method
 

Prep Your Components
  1. First, thaw your frozen sliced strawberries (which will be referred to as 'strawberry sauce'), the Cool Whip, and the pound cake if it was frozen.
Macerate Fresh Strawberries with the Twist
  1. Carefully wash, trim, and slice your fresh strawberries. Combine them with the sugar in a small bowl. Add the 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and a tiny pinch of black pepper to the berries.
  2. Cover the bowl and let the mixture rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. This allows the berries to soften and release their natural juices, forming a lovely syrup.
Layer the First Foundation
  1. Take one container of the thawed strawberry sauce and spread it evenly in the bottom of a 3-quart 13x9 baking dish. This creates the essential moist base for your cake layers.
Build the First Cake Layer
  1. Cut the pound cake into small, uniform cubes, about 3/4 inch in size.
  2. Arrange half of these cake pieces directly on top of the strawberry sauce in the dish.
  3. Spoon half of your macerated fresh strawberries, along with their delicious syrup, over the cake.
  4. Follow this with the second container of strawberry sauce, spreading it over everything.
Complete the Layers
  1. Arrange the remaining pound cake pieces and fresh strawberries over the contents of the dish.
  2. Finally, top this layer with the third container of strawberry sauce, ensuring all the cake is well covered and moistened.
Finish and Chill
  1. Gently spread the Cool Whip over the top layer of strawberries and sauce, creating a beautiful, fluffy white cloud.
  2. Refrigerate the dessert until you are ready to serve it. For the absolute best results and texture, plan to serve this delightful Strawberry Shortcake with Cool Whip within 24 hours of preparing it.

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 4gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 150mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 3gSugar: 50gVitamin C: 25mg

Notes

For peak quality and texture, this dessert is best consumed within 24 hours of preparation; exceeding this may lead to a soggy texture. This specific recipe is not suitable for freezing after assembly, as fresh strawberries will release too much water and Cool Whip may break down. Ensure the dessert is well chilled before serving to maintain its shape.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.

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