Weight Watchers Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry shortcake dessert is versatile and customizable. I took advantage of this and created a lighter version, a WW Strawberry Shortcake with pound cake.

This easy strawberry shortcake recipe will blow you away! Depending on where you’re from, you might have only tried this dessert in other forms, like traditional Strawberry Shortcake with scone-like biscuits or angel food cake, but it’s equally delicious with pound cake!

I urge you to give it a shot if you’ve never tried this variation, as it is one of the most popular takes on the dessert and so incredibly scrumptious.

This homemade pound cake has a crunchy crust while remaining tender inside, allowing it to absorb the strawberry sauce from the macerated strawberries. The sweet and slightly firm strawberries taste phenomenal with the crusty Weight Watchers pound cake.

For the topping, I used fat-free canned whipped cream, which was low-point, and I macerated the strawberries with lemon juice and zero-calorie sweetener. Typically, macerated strawberries require sugar to extract the juice, but the acidic lemon juice works just as well!

If you’re a fan of strawberry shortcake, this recipe is perfect for you. You can split the pound cake into eight servings and enjoy a delicious, Weight Watchers-friendly treat for you and your loved ones. For a pristine look, layer the strawberries and cream on top of the loaf slice, or for a more rustic look, break up the pound cake into pieces first.

Why You Should Try This Recipe

• It’s light and refreshing. This fruity Weight Watchers dessert is perfect for when you want something that can satisfy your sweet cravings while also being nice and light!
• It has a simple preparation method—it’s a one-bowl cake batter! You don’t need to know any fancy baking techniques; you can even mix it by hand if you don’t have an electric mixer.
• Strawberries are nutritious! Strawberries are a fantastic source of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, and they also contain a good amount of potassium and fiber. If you prefer to have more strawberries on your shortcake than what this recipe suggests, go ahead and add more! They are zero WW points, anyway.

• Serving Size: 1 slice (77 g)
• Number of Servings: 8
• Time to Cook: 1 HR – 1 HR 15 min
• WW Points: 4 points per serving, 32 for the entire recipe

Ingredients Needed for WW-Friendly Strawberry Shortcake

Pound Cake Batter

• 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 cup zero-calorie sweetener (cup-for-cup sugar replacement)
• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 2.5 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

• 1 can fat-free Reddi Wip (or other fat-free whipped topping)
• 1 lb fresh strawberries
• 1 lemon (juice from half of a lemon)
• 2-3 tbsp zero-calorie sweetener

How to Make WW Pound Cake Strawberry Shortcake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Make the batter: in a mixer with a paddle or by hand with a whisk, mix the sweetener with the eggs until combined and slightly lighter in consistency.
3. Add the wet ingredients, then add the dry ingredients in two increments. Stop mixing once smooth and thoroughly combined. You don’t want to accidentally overmix it!
4. Transfer batter to a greased 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes, then cover with foil.
5. Bake for 15 minutes longer, checking on it at the 1 HR mark. It should be done or close to done. Insert a knife into the center to make sure that the center isn’t gooey. You may need to bake it 10-15 min longer, but the foil will prevent it from becoming too dark.
6. While the pound cake is baking, make the macerated strawberries by removing the stems, cutting them into quarters, and mixing them with two to three tablespoons of zero-calorie sweetener and juice from half of a lemon.
7. Cover the strawberries and let them rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour until the lemon extracts more juice from the strawberries and the sweetener dissolves to form a sauce.
8. Once the pound cake is finished and cooled, slice it into eight even slices. Serve a slice as the base of the WW Strawberry Shortcake, or break it up into smaller pieces and serve it that way. Top it with the macerated strawberries and about 2-3 tbsp of fat-free Reddi Wip per serving. (4+tbsp of the topping will increase the WW points).

Variations and Substitutions

Don’t have a certain ingredient? No worries! There are substitutions you can make. Note that these modifications will not affect how the pound cake bakes, but they might affect the WW points amount.

• Sugar: You can also use an equal amount of sugar in this recipe to replace the zero-calorie sweetener. However, this will increase the WW points from 4 to 12 points per serving, which is why using zero-calorie sweetener is so beneficial here.
• Milk: You can easily use skim milk or other types of milk, and the cake will still bake nicely!
• Oil: Any neutral oil will work, such as vegetable, light olive oil, or sunflower oil.
• Serving: If you can’t find or don’t prefer the fat-free Reddi Wip, another low-point alternative is the fat-free whipped topping that comes in a tub. If you have extra points to use up, you can also make homemade whipped cream!

Tips and Tricks for the Best Strawberry Shortcake

• If you overmix the batter or overbake the pound cake, it might be crumbly; don’t worry, though, it is still delicious to eat, as the strawberry syrup will soak into it still. As long as you follow the directions, you shouldn’t have a problem, though.
• For a better presentation, cut the pound cake with a serrated knife. Since it forms a crunchy outer crust, trying to cut it with a regular knife might cause the crust to crumble.
• Cover the pound cake with foil for the last 15-30 minutes of baking. At this point, the inside still needs longer to bake, but you don’t want the outer edges to burn!
• The longer you let the strawberries sit, the more juice will be released for the strawberry syrup. You can always start macerating them ahead of time and keep them in the fridge if you want them really juicy by the time the cake is ready to serve.
• Allow the cake to rest after baking. Don’t try to cut into it too soon. You can unmold it from the pan after 10-15 minutes and then let it cool a bit longer.
• The macerated strawberries are best enjoyed the same day, so I don’t suggest refrigerating or freezing them. However, the pound cake can be stored tightly wrapped and in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. You can also freeze it for 2 – 3 months.

Related Recipes

Strawberry Shortcake Muffins with Fresh Whipped Cream

Strawberry Torte

Strawberry Cheesecake Shooters

Strawberry Donuts