Ingredients:
Shortcake Layer

• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter, cold
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1-2 tbsp heavy cream

Strawberries

• 1 ½ lbs fresh strawberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Cheesecake

• 16oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 4 oz white chocolate, melted

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp sour cream

Directions:

1. Prepare a blueberry mint simple syrup.
2. Wash, hull and quarter the strawberries. In a mixing bowl, combine the strawberries with the sugar and lemon juice. Refrigerate until juices develop, at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
4. Combine the sugar and lemon zest together in a large bowl. Rub the sugar and lemon zest between your fingertips to create a lemon sugar. This will release the natural oils and infuse more lemon flavour into the shortcake.
5. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
6. Cube the cold butter into small pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Work the butter into the flour with your hands until it is crumbly. If the dough starts to get too warm, place in the fridge for a few minutes to chill.
7. Create a well in the middle of the flour and stream in the buttermilk. Mix together with a fork. Mix just until it begins to come together and a shaggy dough forms. Don’t over mix or this will create a dense shortcake layer.
8. Pour the dough onto a clean lightly floured surface. Gently knead the dough, folding it over itself about 6 to 8 times until it comes together. Sprinkle extra flour on your hands as needed.
9. Lightly grease a 9-inch spring foam pan and press your shortcake dough into the bottom. Brush dough with heavy cream.
10. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until biscuit layer is golden brown on top.
11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
12. When the shortcake has cooled, make the cheesecake layer.
13. Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar together, either by hand or with an electric mixer.
14. Then mix in the vanilla, followed by the melted white chocolate. To melt, heat in the microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth.
15. Spread the cheesecake over the cooled cake and create deep swirls all over the surface. These swirls will create little cavities for the strawberries and juices to sit.
16. Chill the cheesecake for at least 2 hours or overnight until set.
17. Once cheesecake layer is set, prepare the whipped cream by beating the heavy cream until soft peaks begin to form, about 2 minutes. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla and sour cream and beat until medium peaks form.
18. To serve, remove cake from spring foam pan, top with strawberries and whipped cream and slice.
19. Enjoy!