The origin of shortcake is Europe. Shortcake got its name from the baking procedure wherein butter or shortening is added to flour to create dough that is light and airy. The tradition of referring to fat or lard as a type of shortening stems from the 15th century term, “to shorten” which means “easily crumbled.” Its tender texture comes from its flaky mixture as opposed to the tougher breads.
The crumbly and tender shortcakes found in early recipes, which resembled scones, became round in shape when the usually triangular shaped pastry kept crumbling to pieces. The round ones held their shape better, making this a practical choice for bakers.
Putting strawberries and shortcake together with whip cream is more of an American tradition. Strawberry shortcake parties became very popular in America around 1850. It was a tradition to celebrate the coming of the season of summer.
