Strawberry shortcake with whipped cream is a delicious summertime treat that many people enjoy. However, like many desserts, it can also be high in calories. In this article, we will break down the calorie counts of strawberry shortcake with whipped cream to help you make informed choices about this dessert.
The Calories in Strawberry Shortcake
The main components of traditional strawberry shortcake are sweet biscuits (or cake), strawberries, and whipped cream. Let’s look at the calorie counts for each component:
- Sweet biscuits/cake: A standard size biscuit or piece of white cake will have 150-300 calories, depending on thickness and other ingredients like sugar, butter, etc. Dense pound cake could be over 400 calories per serving.
- Strawberries: 1 cup of sliced fresh strawberries has around 50 calories.
- Whipped cream: 2 tablespoons (1 oz) of heavy whipping cream has about 50 calories before being whipped. Once whipped with air, it becomes 1⁄4 cup whipped cream with about 30 calories.
When combined together for a typical serving of strawberry shortcake, the total calories can range from:
- 250 calories for a lighter version with smaller biscuit and light whipped cream
- 400-450 calories for a more indulgent version with larger, dense cake and heavy whipped cream
The exact calorie count will depend on the specific ingredients, portion sizes, and preparation methods. But in most cases, a serving of strawberry shortcake with whipped cream will have 300-400 calories.
Variables that Impact the Calories in Strawberry Shortcake
There are several factors that can raise or lower the calorie count of strawberry shortcake:
Biscuit or Cake Base
Using a heavier, dense cake base like pound cake versus a light flaky biscuit will add more calories. The more oil, butter, and sugar in the base, the higher the calorie count.
Portion Size
The bigger the portion of strawberry shortcake, the more calories it will contain. Many restaurants serve large slices of cake that are 500 calories or more.
Whipped Cream or Ice Cream
Heavy whipped cream has more calories than light whipped cream or whipped topping. And ice cream has even more, with around 145 calories per 1⁄2 cup. So substituting whipped cream for ice cream increases calories.
Sweetness
The sweeter the cake and the riper the strawberries, the higher the calorie count will become. Ripe strawberries have more natural sugars than tart, unripe berries.
Additions & Toppings
Adding extra ingredients like chocolate sauce, caramel, sprinkles, nuts, or fruit glazes will drive up the calories of a strawberry shortcake dessert.
Low Calorie Options
Here are some tips for lightening up traditional strawberry shortcake to reduce the calories per serving:
- Use a light, airy angel food cake or low-fat biscuit base instead of heavy cake.
- Reduce portion sizes of the cake and limit to one biscuit or thin cake slice.
- Use reduced-fat whipped topping in place of full-fat whipped cream.
- Go easy on toppings like chocolate and caramel sauce by drizzling lightly.
- Slice strawberries and serve them raw instead of in a sugary syrup.
- Substitute Greek yogurt for whipped cream, with around 100 calories per 1⁄2 cup serving.
With some simple substitutions and smaller portions, you can enjoy strawberry shortcake for under 250 calories per serving.
Calories in Different Strawberry Shortcake Recipes
To give you a better idea of actual calorie counts, here is the nutrition information for strawberry shortcake from various recipes and restaurants:
| Strawberry Shortcake Recipe | Calories |
|---|---|
| 1 slice Red Lobster Strawberry Shortcake | 440 |
| 1 piece Olive Garden Strawberry Shortcake | 670 |
| 1 piece Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake | 880 |
| 1 serving Betty Crocker Strawberry Shortcake | 382 |
| 1 piece Southern Living Strawberry Shortcake | 624 |
| 1 serving Paula Deen Strawberry Shortcake | 279 |
As you can see, restaurant versions tend to be higher in calories, with some well over 600 calories per serving. Simple homemade strawberry shortcake is often around 300-400 calories when using normal ingredients.
More Calorie-Conscious Options
To make strawberry shortcake lower in calories, look for lightened up recipes like these:
| Low Calorie Strawberry Shortcake | Calories |
|---|---|
| 1 serving Eat This Much Strawberry Shortcake | 139 |
| 1 serving Cooking Light Strawberry Shortcake | 148 |
| 1 serving Skinny Ms. Strawberry Shortcake | 127 |
With some simple substitutions like using less sugar and oil in the cake base, light whipped topping, and smaller portions, you can cut the calories of strawberry shortcake recipes down to around 150 calories per serving.
Nutrition Facts for Strawberry Shortcake
Understanding the full nutrition profile of strawberry shortcake can help guide calorie-conscious choices:
| Nutrition Facts | 1 slice strawberry shortcake (about 3/4 cup) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 382 |
| Total Fat | 12g |
| Saturated Fat | 7g |
| Trans Fat | 0.4g |
| Cholesterol | 26mg |
| Sodium | 353mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 61g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1g |
| Sugars | 40g |
| Protein | 3g |
As you can see, a typical slice of strawberry shortcake contains a significant amount of fat, carbohydrates, and sugar along with the high calorie count. The nutrition values can fluctuate based on specific ingredients and portion size.
Tips for Enjoying Strawberry Shortcake While Managing Calories
Here are some final tips for enjoying strawberry shortcake as part of a healthy diet:
- Split one piece between two people to reduce portion size and calories by half.
- Select a lighter cake or biscuit base made with low-fat ingredients.
- Use reduced-sugar strawberry glaze or raw berries rather than syrup.
- Substitute Greek yogurt or light whipped topping to lower the calories versus heavy whipped cream.
- Share your strawberry shortcake as part of a meal, rather than eating it by itself as dessert.
- Savor each bite, eating slowly so you feel satisfied with less.
- Drink water with your shortcake to help fill up.
- Exercise portion control and enjoy strawberry shortcake as an occasional treat in moderation.
The Bottom Line
Strawberry shortcake can range from around 250 calories for a lighter homemade version to over 600 calories for an indulgent restaurant slice. The type of cake base, portion size, whipped topping, and other additions impact the total calorie count. Follow some of the tips in this article to keep your strawberry shortcake relatively low in calories so you can enjoy this summery dessert without going overboard.
