Strawberry shortbread squares
Prep time: 45 minsTotal time: 
Strawberry shortbread squares
Bashed shortbread fingers create an extra-buttery crumble topping, while sweet strawberries add a contrasting jammy layer in this teatime-ready bake
Prep time: 45 minsTotal time: 
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Head of Food. She loves the precision and creativity of baking, turning fridge odds-and-ends into a weeknight pasta, and is always bookmarking new restaurants to try. She's happiest hosting friends around a table overflowing with food (and insisting everyone has seconds) or planning holidays around what to eat.
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Head of Food. She loves the precision and creativity of baking, turning fridge odds-and-ends into a weeknight pasta, and is always bookmarking new restaurants to try. She's happiest hosting friends around a table overflowing with food (and insisting everyone has seconds) or planning holidays around what to eat.
Ingredients
- 160g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
- 240g icing sugar
- 4 medium eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 200g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp fine salt
For the shortbread crumble
- 100g all butter shortbread fingers
- 150g plain flour
- 100g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 50g light brown soft sugar
For the macerated strawberries
- 600g strawberries
- 20g light brown soft sugar
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Step by step
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Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, gas 5. Butter a 23cm square cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
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For the crumble, put the shortbread fingers in a food bag, seal and use a rolling pin to bash briefly to chunky crumbs. Put the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the brown sugar and continue to rub in until you have a chunky crumble. Lightly rub in the shortbread chunks and set aside in the fridge.
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Hull the strawberries and cut into 1cm-thick slices. Put in a bowl with the brown sugar, cornflour, lemon juice and a small pinch of salt. Toss to combine and set aside.
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For the sponge, beat the softened butter and icing sugar with an electric hand whisk (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Sift over the flour and baking powder, then add the salt. Beat in the dry ingredients on a low speed until just combined. Scrape into the prepared tin and evenly spread to the edges of the tin with the back of a spoon or spatula. Spoon over the strawberries and macerating juices, then scatter over the shortbread crumble.
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Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until goldenbrown on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cover with foil for the final 10 minutes if the topping is darkening too quickly. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin, then remove onto a serving board and cut into squares to serve. Leftovers will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
