Strawberry (or whateverberry) Shortcake That's Better For You

So, I love shortcake, but I hated the sensation of my arteries clogging every time I ate it, just at the thought of all the shortening involved.

I was browsing through my Betty Crocker cookbook from the 1980s one day and found a plain muffin recipe that I adapted a little and have been perfectly delighted with ever since as a shortcake substitute that causes me Much Less Guilt.

1 egg or equivalent egg replacer
3/4 c non-dairy milk
1/4 c oil
1/4 c applesauce
1 c white flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1/3 c brown sugar
1 T baking powder
1 tsp salt

Prepare either 12 muffin cups or 9×9″ pan by greasing well.

Beat egg or egg replacer well. Stir in milk, oil, and applesauce.

Add dry ingredients all at once and then stir just until moistened. It will be lumpy.

Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

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Note: A doubled recipe fits well in a 13×9″ pan.

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TOPPING:

I thaw frozen berries of whatever kind, and if I have fresh berries I mix those in. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, even sometimes a bit of very finely chopped apple.

I add no sweeteners to the fruit. If you’re used to sweetening your fruit, try using agave instead and then gradually wean yourself off it. Fruit really, truly tastes SO much better naked!

EDIT on 2012-03-09:

I made this batch in mini muffin tins and did a blended fruit sauce with blackberries, peaches, and a little apple and pineapple juice.

Because this post needed a picture. Incidentally, I left the sugar out of the pictured batch completely and they were still Most Tasty.

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