A biscuit/scone dough enriched with butter and egg.

Shortcake

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease 8" × 1 1/2" round pan with a butter paper.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Break egg into a 2-cup measuring cup; add milk to make a total of 1 cup (8 oz.wt.) liquid, and mix thoroughly. Add liquid all at once to dry mixture; stir just enough to moisten the dry ingredients.

Spread dough in round pan. Bake for 17 to 21 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the shortcake comes out clean.

Cool in pan 5 minutes.

Turn out onto rack. See Fresh Fruit Shortcake for assembly.

Serves 8

Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 1979 (slightly modified)

Below is a version for four 4" × 1.25" round pans, a more convenient size for a couple. The only pans we could find in this size are steel which produces a heavier crust than our larger aluminum pan. We modified the temperature for this reason.

Shortcake

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease four 4" × 1.25" round pans generously with butter paper(s).

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Break egg into a 2-cup measuring cup; add milk to make a total of 1 cup (8 oz.wt.) liquid, and mix thoroughly. Add liquid all at once to dry mixture; stir just enough to moisten the dry ingredients.

Spread dough in the four pans. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the shortcake comes out clean.

Cool in pans 5 minutes.

Turn shortcakes out onto rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours for the small cakes. Wrap in freezer wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.

Before using, thaw, wrap in foil, and warm in a 350-degree F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from foil and let rest 5 minutes before cutting, or the cake will be too crumbly to manage. See Fresh Fruit Shortcake for assembly.

http://macheads2.net/recipes/Shortcake.html