Grilled strawberry shortcake kebabs are a fun and simple dessert recipe to make this summer. Fresh strawberries and pound cake are skewered and lightly grilled until warm and toasted. Served with homemade vanilla whipped cream.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Your favorite strawberry shortcake meets the grill! Sweet, juicy strawberries and tender vanilla pound cake are charred on the grill and served warm.
Fun and easy: Skewer your strawberries and pound cake, grill until lightly charred, then serve with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream on the side.
Yield: 6 skewers
You may also like: Grilled Apple S'mores and S'mores Cones
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Strawberries - You'll need one pound of medium to large sized strawberries for this recipe. Strawberries can be substituted with your favorite fresh fruit, like pineapple, apple, watermelon, or peaches.
- Pound cake - You'll need about 12 ounces of vanilla pound cake for this recipe. Store bought or homemade cake works, as long as it's dense and sturdy. Delicate, crumbly cakes do not hold up well to skewering and grilling.
- Heavy cream - Heavy cream is a must when making homemade whipped cream. Heavy cream works because it contains 36% milkfat and will hold its shape when whipped. Light cream, half & half, or whole milk will not contain enough fat to whip into whipped cream.
- Flavor - Confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract add sweetness and flavor to the homemade whipped cream.
Best skewers for grilling
Wood or bamboo skewers - Inexpensive and easy to find at your local grocer. They're also disposable, which is perfect for camping. However, you may have a bit of trouble with your cake and strawberries rotating on a round wooden skewer.
Flat metal skewers - Sturdy, lightweight, and reusable. Also prevents your food from rotating as you flip the skewers. I like using flat skewers for this recipe.
Two-prong skewers - If your strawberries are on the larger side, sturdy, two-prong skewers can work. They add extra stability for flipping delicate ingredients, like cake.
Skewers to avoid - Skewers with plastic pieces (not grill-safe), curved skewers (can't cook every side evenly), or very thin skewers (prone to bending).
How to make strawberry shortcake kebabs
- Add heavy cream, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla to a bowl and use a hand mixer with a whisk attachment to whip until medium peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Cube pound cake to a similar size as your strawberries. Remove greens from your strawberries.
- Add cake and berries to your skewers.
- Add to the grill and cook until lightly charred on all sides.
Tips and tricks
Use very cold cream - The colder the cream, the more easily it whips up.
Use a large bowl - Your cream will double in size and may splash a little while mixing.
Use a stand or hand mixer for best results - Heavy cream can be whipped by hand with a whisk, but will take longer and you'll need a bit of arm strength to do so.
Use indirect heat - Sugary cake can go from toasted to burnt in seconds when placed directly over hot coals.
Don't walk away - They only need about 1 to 2 minutes per side to get nice and toasty. You're not cooking the kebabs, they're only sitting on the grill long enough to get toasty and a little charred around the edges.
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📖 Recipe
Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Kebabs
Ingredients
- 12 ounce pound cake
- 16 ounces strawberries
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Whipped cream
- In a large bowl, add heavy cream, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until medium peaks form. Once you begin to see ripples in the cream from your mixer and it appears to be holding its shape, stop the mixer and pull the whisk out of the bowl. If the tip of the whipped cream mostly holds its shape and eventually droops slightly, your whipped cream is ready. Take care not to over-mix or your whipped cream will separate.
- Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Strawberry shortcake kebabs
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat, about 375 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If needed, clean grill grates.
- Slice pound cake into cubes, similar in size to your strawberries. Rinse strawberries, pat dry, and remove stems and leaves. Carefully thread cake cubes and strawberries onto skewers.
- Wipe grill grates lightly with oil, then place skewers perpendicular across the grill grate. Watching carefully (do not walk away), cook until cake is lightly browned on all sides. This should only take about 1 to 2 minutes per side, but will depend entirely on the heat of the grill.
- Remove from heat, carefully remove from skewers, and serve with a dollop of prepared whipped cream.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Must use heavy cream: Other dairy products like half & half, light cream, or whole milk do not contain enough milkfat to whip.
- Cream storage: Prepared whipped cream will keep for 24 hours in a covered container in the refrigerator. Over time whipped cream will begin to weep and lose its shape - it is best enjoyed within 24 hours.
- Make ahead: Prepare your whipped cream as written, cover, and store in the refrigerator. Assemble skewers and store in the refrigerator until ready to grill. Skewers are best grilled the same day.
- Storage: Leftover grilled strawberries will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
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