Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (2024)

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (1)

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My husband and I have been married 11 years this month. Time, slow down! This is a very special anniversary for us. Our first child is 5 and will be starting school this year. We didn’t go out of town to celebratebut we did go out to our favorite fancy restaurant and then shared dessert at home.

If you want to surprise your spouse and make dessert extra special, you should try this loaded berry pavlova. It’s light, airy and filled with all the best summer berries. It is crisp on the outside and marshmallowy soft inside. A sweet end to a sweet day!

Let me start out by saying the pavlova is EASY. Meringue is neither complicated or time consuming. It takes some time to bake/dry out in the oven, but your oven does all of the work.

I’ll be sharing all of my tips on getting the correct consistency and provide step-by-step photos of the process to give you confidence to re-create the recipe or make your own variation at home

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (2)

Ingredients for Pavlova Cake:

6 egg whites, room temperature (*see tip 1below)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp corn starch
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Tbspvanilla extract

Ingredients for Frosting:

1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp granulatedsugar

Ingredients for Topping:

4-5 cups fresh berries(blueberries, raspberries, small strawberries, blackberries..)** see tip 2below
1-2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (3)

*Tip 1:Pavlova eggs will beat best when they are atroom temperature. If you forget this step, place un-cracked eggs in warm water for 15 minutes to bring them to room temp.

**Tip 2: Keep berries dry and chilled prior to use.

How to Make a Berry Pavlova Cake:

Preheat the Oven to 250˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, beat6 egg whites and 1 1/2 cups sugar for 6 to 7 minutes on high speed, or until stiff peaks form. The mixture will be smooth and glossy.

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (4)

2. Add1/2 Tbsplemon juice, 1/2 Tbspvanilla extract and 2 tsp corn starch and continue mixing another 15 seconds or until well blended. Transfer immediately to a large sheet of parchment paper and use spatula to form a 10″ round ring, making adeepindent in the center to accommodate the cream and berries later. The center will rise so make a substantial well in the center.

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (5)

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (6)

3. Bake at 250˚F for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then turn off the oven and with door closed, let it sit inside the oven another 1 hour until cooled. You can keep it in the oven longer to cool since the oven will be off and you might have dinner plans ;).Remove pavlova from oven and let cool completely to room temp then cover and let stand in a dry, room temp room up to 2 days or assemble and serveright away.

How to Make the Topping:

1. Beat 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream with 2 Tbsp sugar on high speed 2-3 minutes or until frosting is stiff and spreadable but don’t over beat or it will become buttery. (note: you can makecreamahead of time, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use).

2. Just before serving, spread whipped cream over the pavlova and top with plenty of your favorite berries. Refrigerate leftovers. It’s best served right away.

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (7)

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (8)

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe

4.91 from 93 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (10)

This pavlova is light, airy and filled with all the best summer berries. A sweet end to a sweet day! Meringue is neither complicated or time consuming. It takes some time to bake/dry out in the oven, but your oven does all of the work. It is crisp on the outside and marshmallowy soft inside.

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Ingredients

  • 6 egg whites, room temperature (*see tip 1)
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp corn starch
  • 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 4-5 cups fresh berries, blueberries, raspberries, small strawberries, blackberries..** see tip 2
  • 1-2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

Instructions

How to Make a Berry Pavlova:

  • Preheat the Oven to 250˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, beat 6 egg whites and 1 1/2 cups sugar for 6 to 7 minutes on high speed, or until stiff peaks form. The mixture will be smooth and glossy.

  • Add 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract and 2 tsp corn starch and continue mixing another 15 seconds or until well blended.

  • Transfer immediately to a large sheet of parchment paper and use spatula to form a 10" round ring, making a deep indent in the center to accommodate the cream and berries later. The center will rise so make a substantial well in the center.

  • Bake at 250˚F for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then turn off the oven and with door closed, let it sit inside the oven another 1 hour until cooled. You can keep it in the oven longer to cool since the oven will be off and you might have dinner plans ;). Remove pavlova from oven and let cool completely to room temp then cover and and let stand in a dry, room temp room up to 2 days or assemble and serve right away.

How to Make the Topping:

  • Beat 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream with 2 Tbsp sugar on high speed 2-3 minutes or until frosting is stiff and spreadable but don't over beat or it will become buttery. (note: you can make cream ahead of time, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use).

  • Just before serving, spread whipped cream over the pavlova and top with plenty of your favorite berries. Refrigerate leftovers. It's best served right away.

Notes

*Tip 1: Pavolva eggs will beat best when they are at room temperature. If you forget this step, place un-cracked eggs in warm water for 15 minutes to bring them to room temp.
**Tip 2: Keep berries dry and chilled prior to use.

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian

Keyword: Berry Pavlova Cake

Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Cost to Make: $$

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (11)

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (12)

I hope you love this easy and wonderful Berry Pavlova Recipe!! 🙂

Natasha Kravchuk

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (13)

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a meringue and a pavlova? ›

What's the Difference Between Pavlova and Meringue? Pavlovas and meringues are both made of whipped egg white, but a Pavlova has a delicate crispy exterior with pillowy soft marshmallow inside, while meringue is dry and crisp all the way through.

How to make pavlova not crack? ›

Check the sugar has dissolved fully by rubbing the meringue mixture between your fingers. If you can still feel sugar granules, keep whisking. Not cooling your pavlova slowly: Once the pavlova has finished cooking, allow it to cool slowly in the oven. This will ensure your pavlova keeps its height and doesn't crack.

What makes a pavlova chewy? ›

Sugar makes the pavlova mixture strong and stable, and is responsible for that super hard shiny crust. I found that as you reduce the sugar or increase the brown sugar (it has more moisture), the final result is a chewier, with a more fragile, shattery crust.

Why do you put vinegar in pavlova? ›

The acid will actually help stabilise your whipped whites too. That's why we add cream of tartar to our pavlova recipes. If you use a little more vinegar in the meringue, you'll encourage a soft centre and a crisp shell.

How long can you keep a homemade pavlova? ›

If you store your pavlova in an airtight container or wrap it well in cling film, it should keep its taste and texture for up to 2 days. The pavlova will taste best if eaten the day after you make it. After you add fruit and whipped cream to your pavlova, you'll need to eat it within a few hours.

Is pavlova good for you? ›

But pavlova and meringue are always going to be higher in free sugars, there's no way around it. So, keep that in mind and save these for a special occasion. If you would normally use ¾ of a 300ml bottle of cream, whipped, as your pavlova topping, you'd have a whopping 11g sat fat per serve.

What kind of meringue is best for pavlova? ›

French meringue is the least stable of the three meringue types but the lightest and the most airy. It is often used for making individual meringues, pavlovas, and torte layers with the addition of ground nuts. It is also the type of meringue used to make oeufs a la neige (snow eggs) and sweet soufflés.

What are common pavlova mistakes? ›

Undissolved sugar – Sugar that never dissolved in the meringue before baking will readily absorb moisture and melt out of the pavlova and leak out. High humidity – If there is high humidity, then the sugar is even more likely to absorb moisture.

What went wrong with my pavlova? ›

Egg whites can be over whisked & sugar will not dissolve in over whisked egg whites. I've noticed on a lot of stand mixers that the stated speed for whisking egg whites is nearly full bore. If you whisk them at this set speed you will not have enough time to add the sugar before the egg whites are over whisked.

Why does pavlova flop? ›

The extra air expands in the oven and can overstretch the cells of whisked egg white, causing them to break and the meringue to collapse. Whisk the egg whites until they reach peaks where the tip just flops over, then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time.

Is it best to make pavlova the day before? ›

Pavlovas are best made the day before eating, so if it's a wet or humid Christmas Eve, have a back-up dessert. You'll need bowls. Many bowls. And they need to be very dry, and very clean.

Why didn't my pavlova go crispy? ›

The initial higher temperature of the oven helps the meringue pavlova expand and kick start the process of forming and setting of its crust. The lower temperature is needed to cook the center without drying it out, and to dry out the crisp shell.

Why do you put cornstarch in pavlova? ›

Our answer. Nigella's pavlovas, such as Lemon Pavlova (from SIMPLY NIGELLA), contain cornflour (cornstarch) in the meringue. The cornflour helps the meringue to stay soft in the centre, to give the contrast of crisp crust and marshmallowy interior.

Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of white wine vinegar in pavlova? ›

Acid – you can use 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar or 1 teaspoon white, apple cider vinegar, or even lemon juice. The pavlova will NOT taste like vinegar, I promise.

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