Helloooo QCK
Major life update: I’ve successfully infiltrated my friends’ weekly family dinner, and at this point, I don’t think they’ll ever be able to get rid of me. I love it because I get to spend Sunday nights with some of my favorite people. She hates it because she has to hear me talk all week about the baby fever I caught from spending hours with the world’s calmest, cuddliest 1-year-old. Great fun all around!
Somehow, I’ve also appointed myself as head of dessert. This all kicked off over the summer, and for my first week, I brought banana pudding—which, not to brag, was a major hit. I was excited to move into cozy fall baking now that summer’s over, but here we are: it’s 80 degrees outside, and stone fruit is still in its prime.
Which brings us to this recipe: a sheet pan shortcake big enough to feed a crowd (8 kids and 5 adults, in my case). I’m extra proud of this one because transitional recipes aren’t usually my strong suit, but this hits every note between summer and fall. The base is a fluffy, buttery maple oat shortcake, sturdy enough to hold a thick layer of honey whipped cream. On top: a pile of ripe, juicy late-season peaches, plums, and nectarines, marinated in brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and just a splash of vanilla.
It’s not too heavy, not too sweet, not too “fall”—just perfectly balanced, like the closing scene of summer.
RECIPE:
| Prep: 40 minutes | Bake: 20-30 Min | Category: Baking | Servings: 8-10 |
Ingredients:
For the shortcake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
For the fruit
- 4–5 ripe stone fruits (plums, peaches, nectarines), sliced
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the honey whipped cream
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
- Preheat & prep: Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a sheet tray or 9×13 baking pan and set aside.
- Make the shortcake base:
- In a food processor, pulse together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and oats until combined.
- Add the cold, diced butter and pulse until the mixture looks crumbly and resembles coarse sand (you should still see some pea-sized butter pieces).
- Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Pour in the buttermilk and maple syrup. Stir gently with a spatula until a sticky dough comes together—don’t overmix.
- Bake the shortcake: Press the dough into an even layer in your prepared pan. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
- Prepare the fruit: While the shortcake bakes, combine the sliced stone fruits, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir to coat evenly. Cover and let sit at room temperature until ready to use (this helps draw out the juices and create a light syrup).
- Whip the cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, brown sugar, powdered sugar, honey, vanilla, and salt. Whip on high speed until soft peaks form (the cream should hold its shape but still look smooth and silky). Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
- Assemble & serve: Once the shortcake has cooled, spread the whipped cream evenly over the top. Spoon the marinated stone fruit over the whipped cream, letting some of the juices drizzle down the sides. Cut into squares and serve immediately.
Thank you so much for visiting QCK! I’m happy to have you here. If you try any recipes, or have any requests, please let me know! Otherwise happy cooking and lots of love from my kitchen to yours. ❤
Quarter Cup Kitchen 
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