Although I try a variety of recipes and techniques, my baking repertoire is largely reflective of my unyielding craving for chocolate. I appreciate most types of desserts, but my search for the best chocolate chip cookie and most fudgy brownie tends to dominate my kitchen agenda. Come spring, however, my sweet tooth changes. Instead of dreaming of all things cocoa, I find myself wanting desserts like Rhubarb Pie, Lemon Bars and Strawberry Shortcake.

You can’t go wrong with Strawberry Shortcake. Ruby red strawberries, fluffy whipped cream and straight-from-the-oven cream biscuits are stacked together to create the ultimate springtime treat. Even if you don’t consider yourself a baker, this recipe is a breeze. Effort and time required for measuring and mixing is minimal.

While my friends will never turn down a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies, I’m pretty sure this sweet and tart dessert came as a pleasant surprise. There’s a reason strawberry shortcake is so popular at parties and special occasions: It’s downright tasty. But really, any day is a good day for this homey dessert. All you need is good company and you’ve got yourself a reason to head to the store for strawberries.

Here are a few things to consider before making this recipe:

• The dough will be sticky, but refrain from working with it too much. The soft and tender shortcake crumb is achieved by stirring the dough as little as possible.
• Be sure to let the sugar and strawberries rest in the fridge while you prepare the dough. This creates the syrupy fruit topping (macerated strawberries) everyone loves.
• Don't worry about greasing the pan — the shortcake will come right out.