Preheat oven to 425°
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk
Cut the butter into bits and add to dry mixture, us a pastry blender or a fork or your fingertips to work it into the flour mixture until it looks like fresh bread crumbs.
Add the egg and 2 1/2 T cream and stir with a fork until the dough holds together.
Turn the dough out a cutting board and knead together with your hands 10 or 12 times.
Pat into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick, make rounds using a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter.
Bake on a cake pan or baking sheet for 15 minutes, until very lightly browned. Cool.
Meanwhile, using the remainder of a half pint of cream (so just under a cup), place in a bowl with the vanilla and powdered sugar and whisk with a wire whisk. Take turns if you have little helpers until you have whipped cream.
Slice the strawberries and reserve in the fridge.
To assemble, slice the shortcakes open like sandwiches, fill with whipped cream and strawberries, more on top.