Wash the berries and pat them dry. Remove the stems from the strawberries and chop them coarsely. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, depending on the sweetness of the berries. Toss to coat, then let sit at room temperature for about an hour to allow the berries to release their juices.

Place the bowl and beaters you'll be using to make the whipped cream in the refrigerator to chill.

When ready to assemble the shortcakes, pour the heavy cream into the chilled bowl and add the vanilla extract. Whip the cream until soft peaks form. If desired, you can sweeten the whipped cream with a spoonful or two of granulated sugar.

Slice the doughnuts in half horizontally to create a top and bottom. Place the bottom half of each doughnut on a serving plate.

Spoon the macerated strawberries and their juices over the bottom half of each doughnut.

Top the strawberries with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Optionally, drizzle chocolate ganache or chocolate syrup over the whipped cream.

Place the top half of each doughnut over the whipped cream.

Serve the doughnut strawberry shortcakes immediately and enjoy!