To prepare a strawberry shortcake from scratch, you will need: 1 cup fresh strawberries, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. You can also use frozen strawberries if you don't want to make your own. Preheat the oven to 350?F (180?C) and grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Fill the bottom and sides of each pan with the mixture. Bake the cakes for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are browned and the center springs back when lightly touched. Let cool before serving.