Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs

If you show up at my place on a sunny Saturday, odds are you will catch me threading strawberries on sticks while swatting curious hands out of the bowl. Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs are my go to when I want something that looks a bit fancy but takes, what, fifteen minutes tops if I do not get distracted by the dog. The first time I made these, my niece called them strawberry on a stick cake, which is adorable and, honestly, accurate. I once packed them for a picnic and forgot plates. No one minded. We ate right off the skewers like happy campers and it was a whole vibe.

Quick sidenote, because my brain is already wandering. If you have a neighbor with a backyard strawberry patch, bring them a plate later. It is good karma and also they will probably send you home with more berries than you can carry. Ask me how I know.

Why you will love this, or at least why I do

I make this when the grill is going and I do not want the oven anywhere near me. Cold dessert, happy cook.
My family goes wild for the bite size thing. Kids feel like they are at a fair, grown ups pretend they are being reasonable because the pieces are small.
If I am short on time, I grab store bought pound cake and no one blinks. I have tried from scratch, but some days I cannot be fussed.
They travel well. I have carried a tray across town on the bus, only lost two berries to gravity, which is a win.
Whipped cream clouds, which, yes, melt if you dawdle. I used to panic about that, now I just keep the bowl on a bag of ice; problem mostly solved.

What you need, with a few cheats I fully endorse

1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled. If they are tiny, keep them whole. If they are chonky, halve or even quarter them.
250 g pound cake or angel food cake, cut into 2 cm cubes. I sometimes use store bought sponge when I am in a hurry, and it is totally fine.
1 cup heavy cream, cold. My grandmother always insisted on Brand X, but honestly any decent cream works fine.
2 tablespoons sugar, plus a pinch more if your berries are tart.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Or swap in almond extract for a little bakery vibe.
Optional but fun: a small handful of white chocolate chips for drizzling, or a spoon of cream cheese whipped into the cream for tang.
8 to 12 wooden skewers, about 8 inches. Metal skewers work too, but the wooden ones feel more picnic to me.

If you want to whip the cream like a pro, this guide is great: how to get soft peaks without overdoing it.

Let us make Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs

Prep the strawberries. Rinse, pat dry, remove the stems. If you salt a little, then rinse, the flavor pops, but that is a whole other rabbit hole. I usually just dry them super well so they do not slip.
Cube the cake. Aim for bite size. Do not stress if some cubes look wonky, they still taste like cake. This is where I usually sneak a taste and then pretend the piece just fell off anyway.
Whip the cream. In a chilled bowl, beat the cold cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft to medium peaks. Do not go too stiff or it will look clumpy on the skewers. I once tried rushing this step and regretted it because I over whipped and it went grainy. If that happens, gently fold in a splash of fresh cream to bring it back.
Thread the kabobs. Go strawberry, cake, strawberry, cake, strawberry. Or do whatever pattern makes you happy. I like ending with a strawberry because it caps the skewer nicely.
Drizzle, if you want. Melt the white chocolate in short bursts in the microwave, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle with a spoon in casual zigzags. Do not worry if it looks a bit weird at this stage, it always does until you add the cream.
Serve with swoops of whipped cream. Spoon the cream into a small bowl and set it on the platter. Or pipe little dollops onto each kabob if you are feeling extra. I am usually not.

On second thought, if you are feeding a crowd, you can assemble the kabobs ahead and add the cream right before serving. Actually, I find it works better if the cream stays chilled separately.

Notes from my slightly messy kitchen

Room temp berries thread easier than fridge cold berries; cold ones sometimes split.
If your cake is too soft, toast the cubes for 2 to 3 minutes to firm them up. I said no oven earlier, but a quick toast saves a crumbly situation.
Skewers can splinter. A quick soak in water for 10 minutes smooths the rough edges. Or just use cocktail picks and make mini kabobs, cute as anything.
I thought powdered sugar would be cleaner than granulated in the cream. It is fine, but I think the texture with regular sugar is nicer.

Variations I played with, some winners, one not so much

Chocolate shortcake vibe: swap pound cake for chocolate loaf cake, add a pinch of cocoa to the cream. Very good.
Lemon twist: brush the cake cubes with a little lemon syrup and grate a whisper of zest over the finished kabobs. Bright and zippy.
Berry mash up: half strawberries, half blueberries. Patriotic in a low key way and pretty on a platter.
The oops: I tried balsamic glaze once. Thought it would be fancy. It tasted like salad met dessert and no one reached for seconds. We laughed, we moved on.

Gear that helps, plus a workaround if you are short a tool

Wooden skewers. Essential for the kabob look. But if you do not have them, layer strawberries, cake, and cream in small cups and call it kabob parfait. No one will complain.
Hand mixer or whisk. A stand mixer is lovely, but a whisk and a bit of elbow grease work if you put the bowl over a bag of frozen peas.
Small piping bag or zip top bag. If you want neat cream dollops, snip a corner and you are set. Or spoon rustic swoops, which I prefer.

If you are curious about a simple sponge for future projects, this tutorial is solid: classic sponge cake step by step.

Storage, such as it is

Keep the assembled kabobs without cream in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Add cream right before serving so the cake does not get soggy. If you have leftovers with cream on them, eat within 6 to 8 hours. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day. For food safety on cut fruit, this page is helpful if you like nerding out like I do: produce handling basics.

Serving ideas we keep coming back to

Big platter in the middle of the table with a bowl of cream and a bowl of chocolate shavings. Everyone builds their own. Chaos, but fun.
For birthdays, I stand the skewers upright in a jar of sugar. Looks like a bouquet, my mom loves that bit.
Little drizzle of honey and a tiny pinch of flaky salt just before serving. Sounds odd, tastes like summer got dressed up.

Pro tips I learned the hard way

I once tried using very ripe, super soft berries. Beautiful, but they slipped right off. Firmer berries hold better.
I rushed the cake cubing and ended up with a lot of crumbs that stuck to the berries. Now I wipe the knife every few cuts and, boom, neat edges.
I thought more sugar in the cream would make it bakery level. It just got cloying and you loose the berry flavor. Less is more here.
Do not assemble in a hot kitchen. The cream will wilt while you look up the playlist. Ask me how I found out, twice.

FAQ I actually get, plus my two cents

Can I make Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs ahead of time
Yes and no. Assemble the fruit and cake up to a day ahead, keep covered and cold. Whip and add the cream just before serving so it stays fluffy. If you need to travel, I pack the whipped cream in a chilled jar and pipe when I arrive.

What cake is best
Pound cake is sturdy so it stays on the stick. Angel food cake is lighter and lovely, but it can tear if you go too fast. Sponge is a nice middle ground. If you only have cupcakes, tear them into chunks and go for it.

Can I use frozen strawberries
I have tried. Once thawed they are too soft and a bit watery for skewering, which is not ideal. They are great layered in cups though. So if frozen is what you have, make parfaits and call it a day.

How do I keep the cream stable for a party
Whip to soft peaks and fold in 2 tablespoons of room temp cream cheese. It holds like a champ. Or use stabilized whipped cream with a bit of gelatin if that is your style. There is no one right way.

Do I need to soak the wooden skewers
Not for a cold dessert, but I soak for 10 minutes anyway because it softens any splinters. If you forget, a quick rub with a damp towel helps. See, not a deal breaker.

Any tips for picking strawberries
Look for dry berries with bright green tops and a sweet smell. If the container is damp, skip it. And if you can get them form a local market, they will probably taste better because they were picked riper.

If you want to read more about keeping berries happy in the fridge, this university resource is handy without being fussy: keeping fruits and veggies safe. Anyway, enough rabbit holes, go make kabobs.