Stacked Strawberry Shortcakes

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
• 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter melted
• 6 cups cake flour 
• 1 bunch basil leaves fresh thinly sliced
• 0.8 cup milk 
• 3 pounds strawberries stemmed sliced
• 1.5 cups sugar 
• 24 servings whipped cream sweetened with sugar, to serve

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• baking paper
• oven
• wire rack

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine the strawberries, sugar, balsamic vinegar and basil.
3. Let sit for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the juices to come out of the berries.
4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, milk and melted butter to make a batter. Spoon out dollops of batter onto the prepared baking sheets and shape into rounds. Space the batter dollops out about 1 1/2 inches apart. Do not overcrowd the sheets. You may have to bake in batches if all the batter does not fit on the 2 baking sheets.
5. Bake the shortcakes until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
7. Slice each shortcake in half lengthwise and top the bottom half with some strawberries.
8. Place other half of cake on top, and top with whipped cream.
9. Serve immediately.
10. This recipe was created by a contestant during a cooking competition. The Food Network Kitchens have not tested it for home use, therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.