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My Almond Flour Strawberry Shortcake Is A Lighter Treat In Just Minutes
This strawberry shortcake in a jar is probably my favorite 5-minute dessert of all time. And I don’t use that label lightly. It feels like a treat, but it’s surprisingly light and balanced enough to start the day. Here’s why this recipe has it all:
- Classic shortcake layers – Think moist vanilla sponge cake, juicy strawberries, and fluffy sugar-free whipped cream in every bite. It’s the mix of textures in this almond flour strawberry shortcake that makes it so irresistible.
- Ready in just 5 minutes – Unlike a regular baked version, my mason jar strawberry shortcake takes just minutes to make from scratch, with no oven involved! And as the name implies, I make this whole thing in a jar (yes, even the cake part).
- Macro friendly enough for breakfast – This recipe has 6 grams of protein, a few grams of fiber, and no refined sugar, and it’s even gluten-free. So while I love it for an actual (healthier) dessert, I’ve enjoyed it as a summer breakfast, too. (If it’s not quite enough protein for you, just add some Greek yogurt layers.)
If you like strawberry treats and want a super fast way to enjoy one last-minute, it doesn’t get any easier than this strawberry shortcake in a jar. Make it with me!
“This was fabulous! I tripled it and microwaved it in a small rectangular glass pan to have enough for breakfast for me and 3 little kiddos. 🙂 It cooked in about 4 minutes. The cake was fantastic — perfect texture, flavorful, and a lovely base for strawberries and whipped cream!”
-Jaimie
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my strawberry shortcake in a jar recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Strawberries – They’re sweetest in the spring and summer (strawberry season!).
- Healthier Flours – I use a combination of my Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour and Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour to create the moist, fluffy pound cake without white flour. I recommend using both for the best texture — they work together in a way neither does alone, and I’ve tested it both ways. If you do want to use almond flour by itself, use 1/4 cup. Coconut flour is too difficult to swap in here, you’d really need a different recipe, such as the base of my coconut cake.
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Use this natural sweetener for best results, because it makes the cake super moist, and other options won’t do that. You can reference my sweetener conversion guide if you need to swap, but be aware your cake might turn out more dry.
- Butter – If you need a dairy-free option, butter-flavored coconut oil is my favorite to get a similar buttery flavor. (You’d also need to replace the whipped cream below with a version without dairy.)
- Egg – For structure. You can swap in a flax egg if needed.
- Baking Powder (for lift), Vanilla Extract (for flavor), and Sea Salt (to bring out the sweetness)
- Whipped Cream – You can use store-bought, but I don’t like the artificial ingredients in them, so I make my own whipped cream without refined sugar.
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How To Make Strawberry Shortcake In Jar
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Melt the butter in a mason jar. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients. Stir in the almond flour, coconut flour, Besti, baking powder, sea salt, and egg until combined. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
- Cook the cake layer. Heat in the microwave or the oven until firm. Let it cool slightly before removing.
- Cut the cake. Run a knife along the edge first to release cleanly, then cut it into cubes.
- Whip the cream. Sometimes I use my (sweet) sugar-free whipped cream recipe (shown below), but the almond flour strawberry shortcake is actually pretty sweet on its own. So, oftentimes I like unsweetened, plain whipped heavy cream for contrast against the vanilla cake and juicy strawberries. For the unsweetened version, my easiest way to make it is using this cream whipper — and (bonus!) you can even store it for later. I love mine.
- Assemble the strawberry shortcake in a jar. Add half the cake cubes, half the strawberries, and half the whipped cream to a jar, then repeat. I like to finish these strawberry shortcake jars with a generous dollop of whipped cream and a fresh strawberry on top.
My Recipe Tips
- I highly recommend a wide-mouth jar this size. It’s the ideal size to fill to the top, and the wide mouth makes it easier to remove the cake cleanly. I also find it easier to assemble the layers in it compared to my narrower mouth jars.
- A mug or ramekin works too, but you likely won’t fit all the layers into those. So, you’d need a larger bowl or something to layer the actual almond flour strawberry shortcake.
- If the cake batter seems thin, let it sit for a couple of minutes to thicken. It gets thicker as it sits, and I don’t recommend adding more dry ingredients.
- The cake will expand a lot as it cooks, more than doubling in volume. Toward the end of cooking, it’ll settle and shrink to its final size. Make sure your jar or mug is large enough for all that expansion, so it doesn’t overflow!
- Let the cake cool slightly before cutting and assembling. The texture improves as it cools, plus it can melt the whipped cream if it’s too hot (warm is fine, though). I don’t usually have to actively wait, because by the time I cut the fruit and whip the cream, the cake is good to go and I can assemble the strawberry shortcake in a jar right away.
- For the most beautiful presentation, use a separate jar for the cake part and then the assembly. That’s what I did for my pictures in this post. You can use the same one, but some cake will be stuck to the sides.
- Variation: Add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest to the cake batter. And if you really love lemon, layer in my homemade lemon curd!
- Want a more intense strawberry flavor? Toss the fresh strawberries in a tablespoon of my real fruit strawberry syrup before layering.
Strawberry Shortcake In A Jar
By
My almond flour strawberry shortcake in a jar takes just 5 minutes, with layers of fresh berries, whipped cream, and light vanilla cake.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Melt the butter in a mason jar, mug, or ramekin in the microwave (about 30 seconds). Stir in the vanilla extract.
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Add the almond flour, coconut flour, Besti, baking powder, sea salt, and egg. Stir until well combined. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
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Microwave for 90-120 seconds, until firm.
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Run a butter knife along the edge and flip over a plate or cutting board to release. Cut the cake into cubes.
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Place half of the cake cubes at the bottom of a mason jar (the same one or a new one). Top with half of the sliced strawberries, then half of the whipped cream. Repeat the layers of cake, strawberries, and whipped cream.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you assemble the strawberry shortcake in a jar more easily and get the best texture.
- Storage & meal prep: I’ve made the cake ahead plenty of times (it’s good in an airtight container for a day on the counter or 3-5 days in the fridge), but I recommend waiting to add the strawberries and whipped cream until right before eating.
- Freeze: The cake keeps well in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to make multiple batches for later. Just thaw and add the strawberries and whipped cream when you’re ready to serve.
- Note on nutrition info: Although this cake is lighter than most, it’s quite filling, so half the jar is plenty for serving. Perfect for sharing!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Strawberry Shortcake in a Jar
91 Comments
Jenni
0Wonderful!! Quick, easy, and very satisfying snack for that sweet tooth cravings.
Cee
0Can we just substitute the Coconut flour for the Almond flour? I don’t like the taste of the almond flour.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Cee, Sorry coconut flour and almond flour are not interchangeable.
Kate cordova
0Great! Easy! My 10 year old daughter made them for the family. Added a topping of cinnamon. Delicious. Thank you!
Susan
0Can you share which cream whipper you use? It takes me to the Amazon site, but there are several to choose from. I had one years ago but it was brought from Scotland. I’d like to get a new one since whipped cream is now a staple in our home as we put it in our coffee being on the KETO inspired diet. Appreciate you taking the time to respond. Thanks! Susan
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Susan, This is the cream whipper I use. I hope this helps!
Rachel
0This was delicious the texture of the shortcake is so good
Love that it’s a quick treat
Tracey
0This strawberry shortcake recipe is easy and put of this world!
Jessica P Sloderbeck
0Oh my goodness this is soooooo good I can’t believe I didn’t try it sooner!!!
Adriana N Teles
0How would you make this for a large group, in larger quantity?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Adriana, You can multiply this recipe to make a trifle instead of individual jars for desserts. I hope this helps!
Ines
0This was delicious! Husband loves strawberry shortcake so this will be made a lot! I used Lakanto monk fruit sweetener and added a few more strawberries. So easy and quick to make too.
Ciera
0Sooo delicious! Recipes like these are what keep me on track with keto.
Patricia Smith
0I loved this recipe! I was pleasantly surprised of the flavor of the shortcake.
Colleen
0This was one of the best keto desserts I have eaten in the last year and a half! Awesome, I did add a few slivered almonds! Great job
Jaimie
0This was delicious! I tripled the recipe and baked it in 6 sections of a scone pan. It was light and fluffy, like a really good yellow cake, not the “pound cake” texture the recipe describes (although I know from experience that microwaved cakes have a different texture than oven-baked cakes, so that might be the difference). Topped it with diced strawberries and cream whipped with a hand mixer, not a fancy gas-injecting gadget 😉 I’ll definitely be making this again!
MJ
0Hi
Made this recipe twice everyday for the past 3 days for my hubby and myself. Today, I used your cake recipe, left out the sweetener and vanilla and added in some seasoning and about a tsp of olive oil and used it as a bread! Made a glorious grilled cheese (with some delicious trimmings) and it’s really the VERY first time since I’ve started Keto that I feel that I’ve had an actual sandwich! Each recipe gives me 2;x 2 ‘slices’ or 4 ‘slices’ in total. Just wanted to say thanks ! ! !
Cathy Aros-Heller
0I made this just last night! It was so delicious. I will definitely make this again!
Karen Edwards
0Made this and it was amazing even hubby liked. Thank you for making my keto journey more interesting.
Gina
0Easy peasy to make! I had a sweet tooth and this hit the spot.
Yoli
0Hi there, how do we get away from the taste of Almond flour baked goods? No matter how much flavoring I put I still taste (not almond-ey) but something else. I don’t like the taste of a total coconut flour baked goods. Is there any hope? Thanks so much
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Yoli, Have you tried making fathead dough for your baked goods? It does contain either coconut or almond flour, but the dough is mostly made from mozzarella cheese, so it has a more neutral flavor. I have recipes for Cinnamon Rolls, Dinner Rolls, Cheese Bread, Bagels, and Soft Pretzels all made with a fathead dough base.
Dana
0Just made this and surprisingly it came out really good (I haven’t had the best of luck with keto/low carb homemade snacks in the past). I would have like it a bit sweeter but erythritol has a burning sensation to me, however, I will be making this again. Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Dana, I’m glad you liked it. Try allulose instead if erythritol has a burning sensation for you.
Laura
0This is the best low carb cake I ever had! Great texture and flavor.
Danielle
0Amazing! I am so glad I came across this recipe! Super easy to make and turned out better than I could have imaged.