By Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff

So many people buy chocolates for Valentines Day. How about preparing something with love for your valentine? This recipe contains no animal fat; it is low in sugar and contains lots of wonderful and nutritious strawberries. Strawberries are still in season and plentiful this year!

Strawberries are nutrient-dense, low-calorie fruits loaded with vitamin C, fiber, potassium and antioxidants that boost immune function, enhance heart health and reduce inflammation. Eating about eight strawberries daily can improve cholesterol levels, support brain health, regulate blood sugar and reduce cancer risks. 

Ingredients:

6 cups of strawberries

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice

3 cups of AP flour

1½ tablespoons (6 teaspoons) baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup vegan “butter” (vegan spread)

½ cup sugar 

1¼ cups almond milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (whisked to mix)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 to 8 tablespoons of granulated sugar

2 cups unflavored unsweetened good quality coconut yogurt, chilled in the freezer for a few minutes 

½ cup powdered sugar (optional)

Hull the strawberries, rinse them, then drain. Place them in large bowl. Add the lemon or lime juice and mix well. Cover and set the berries in the fridge until ready to use. (This step can be done a few hours ahead of time or even a day before baking the shortcake.)

In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together. Add the salt and whisk in into the flour mix. Set the bowl aside. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer place the vegan “butter” chunks and blend them at a low speed for a minute or two. Add the sugar to the vegan spread and mix them together briefly using medium speed. Next, slowly add the almond milk and vinegar mixture and vanilla extract while the blender is on at medium speed and mix them together for a few minutes till well blended. Finally, add the flour, a small portion at a time. Soon, the dough will come together. (If you don’t have the electric mixer, just combine the butter and flour using two forks and a whisk. Then add the almond mixture using one hand while working to mix with the other. Lastly, add the flour – a fistful at a time – while mixing with the other hand to form the dough.)  

Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and set it on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two portions and form them into two oblong shapes. Transfer them into two containers with lids. Refrigerate to chill the dough for at least one hour or longer. (You can leave it in the fridge overnight.)

Next, if you want to make the shortcake into a heart-shaped cake, make a heart-shaped paper stencil that is about 9” wide by 8” tall. Set the stencil aside.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven at 375 degrees. Place parchment paper on two baking sheets.   

Next, take out the dough pieces from the refrigerator. Place one piece on a cutting board and roll it out into an approximately a 10” by 10” square. Take your heart-shaped stencil and place it on top of the square to guide you to cut the piece into a heart shape. Place the heart on a sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Repeat the process to make another heart-shaped dough and place in on the second parchment paper-lined baking sheet. 

Bake the hearts in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until golden on top and slightly brown at the bottom. Do not allow them to get brown on top. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before assembling with berries and coconut yogurt.

While the hearts are baking and cooling, prepare the coconut yogurt and berries.  

Place the coconut yogurt in the freezer to chill for 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t allow it to freeze. 

Take out the strawberries from the fridge. Cut some of the berries into halves lengthwise, some into slices and leave one or two berries whole. Add 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar to chopped berries and stir to mix them. Taste the berries and add more sugar to your liking. Set the berries aside.   

Finally assemble the cake. Take out the coconut yogurt from the freezer and mix in the optional powdered sugar gently. Place one heart on a large plate and lightly spread ¾ to 1 cup coconut yogurt on top of the heart, leaving some space empty on edges. Then place 2 ½ cups berry slices all over the yogurt including on the edges. Place the second heart on top of the first one and spread some coconut yogurt on top. Now you can be more generous in placing as many strawberry as you can, being careful not to overcrowd them. Decorate the center of the top heart with the whole berries. Place the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve. (I put mine in a deep casserole dish that had a tall lid.) Find a corner with enough space in the fridge so that the cake is not disturbed. 

Cut into large pieces so that each portion has some short cake, some coconut yogurt and lots of berries. 

Recipe by Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff, copyright 2026. Shanta is a Sunset District resident and the author of “Cooking Together” and “Flavors of India,” available at Other Avenues Food Store at 3930 Judah St. Shanta writes recipes and articles on food and nutrition. She teaches vegetarian and vegan cooking classes at her home and gives cooking demonstrations for the public at SFPL branches frequently which you can find by viewing San Francisco Public Library’s event page. You can also view her recipes via videos on YouTube by searching Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff’s YouTube videos.