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Definition of shortcake

shortcake

/ˈʃɔːrtˌkeɪk/
short · cake
Plural:shortcakes
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shortcake Lexical Profile

shortcake Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A sweet, crumbly cake or biscuit made with a high proportion of fat to flour, traditionally split and served layered with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Example

"For the summer barbecue, we prepared a classic strawberry shortcake topped with dollops of fresh vanilla whipped cream."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for shortcake

Word Nuance & Usage

In North American culinary tradition, an authentic shortcake is a crumbly, biscuit-like pastry, though commercial packaging often conflates it with a lighter, softer sponge cake.

• Nearby Words

short-tailed snake
shortage
shortbread
shortcake
shortchange
shortcoming
shortcrust

Word Origin & Etymology

First recorded in the late 16th century, combining 'short' (an old baking term meaning crumbly or easily broken due to a high proportion of butter or shortening) and 'cake'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Shortcake. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/shortcake
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