shortcake

noun

short·​cake ˈshȯrt-ˌkāk 

1

: a crisp and often unsweetened biscuit or cookie

2

a

: a dessert made typically of very short baking-powder-biscuit dough spread with sweetened fruit

b

: a dish consisting of a rich biscuit split and covered with a meat mixture

Examples of shortcake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Vang said the s'mores, strawberry shortcake and raspberry lemon cheese cake are the most popular flavors. —Cathy Kozlowicz, jsonline.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Dolly wrote the book with her sister, Rachel Parton George, and in addition to the recipes spanning strawberry shortcake and rustic chicken and dumplings, the two share heart-warming anecdotes about their relationship and family, plus useful tips on how to be the host with the most. —Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 19 Jan. 2026

Beyond standard coffee drinks and light bites, the café goes hard on seasonal specials like its pretty-as-can-be strawberry shortcake. —Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026

Enjoy eating them fresh, frozen, or dehydrated in recipes like strawberry shortcake for a yummy treat. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shortcake

• awake
• backache
• beefsteak
• betake
• cheesecake
• cupcake
• daybreak
• earthquake
• eastlake
• forsake
• handshake
• headache

Kids Definition

shortcake

noun

short·​cake -ˌkāk 

: a dessert made of rich biscuit dough baked and served with sweetened fruit

strawberry shortcake