Red Velvet Pavlova Cake [Recipe]
Pavlova is my all-time favorite cake. It is both crispy and fluffy, crusty and creamy. If you like lightweight confections as I do, this one is for you. The crust is meringue-like with a melt-in-mouth texture. It fits perfectly with buttery cream and some tang. Everything just screams red velvet pavlova.
My combo of choice is lemon custard and fruit on top. Nothing beats the fresh relish of fruit on sugary meringue. I made it dozen times, in many different ways, so I’m writing you my favorite technique.
What Makes This Red Velvet Pavlova Cake Special?
Classic Pavlova is pearly white, but this one is red as its name says. I made meringue batter but for the filling, I used cream cheese like in red velvet cake. My best-loved part of the cake is the marshmallow-like consistency in the middle.
The sugary crust that melts in your mouth, plus well-chilled cream cheese-based custard is a match made in heaven. I like to induce the cake with vanilla and something to smash the taste, like lemon or mint. Are you ready to make this show-stopping romantic cake with me?
How to Make Red Velvet Pavlova Cake?
There are just a few base ingredients you need, though. The key to delish cake is a bit of skill and a few tricks. Don’t worry, the mixer will do the major part, you’re there just to assist. Pavlova is a delicate treat that belongs to five-star restaurants. Now, you can have it at home, so here is what you need for red velvet pavlova cake!
- Egg whites – Egg whites are the base of the cake. Use fresh ones and be careful not to mix even a bit of yolk in them.
- Powdered sugar – You can use white granulated sugar, but with powdered you’ll cut the mixing period in half.
- Cornstarch – It is responsible for marshmallow consistency in the middle.
- Lemon juice – Acid keeps the egg whites stable and airy. You can substitute it with white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or cream of tartar.
- Salt – A pinch of salt stabilizes the taste, but if added too early it can mess up the texture.
- Vanilla sugar – I like to aromatize meringue with a dash of vanilla. Vanilla extract is also an option, but sugar is top-notch.
- Cream cheese – A sweet tang of cream cheese goes wonderfully with a sugary base.
- Heavy cream – It adds to a silky-smooth cream and rich flavor.
- Pomegranate and pineapple – A bit of sourness is essential to enhance all the other flavors.
- Lemon sugar – Zesty relish goes finely with rich cream.
Now, that you have a complete list of the ingredients, let’s turn into pastry chefs!
Step 1: Making the Meringue
Before you start anything, leave the eggs at room temperature for about half an hour. Only room-temperature egg whites will reach their full potential in fluffiness. Divide egg whites and yolks very carefully.
Mix egg whites on low speed at first, until they become frothy. That way, the cake won’t crack as much because you’ll reduce air bubbles. Then, turn the mixer on high and mix it till firm peaks appear.
Now add a pinch of salt, as adding it too early can mess up the texture. Keep mixing and start adding spoon by spoon powdered red dye, powdered sugar, and vanilla sugar. That way the meringue will stay lightweight because it is already formed.
I always use powdered color, as I don’t want to add even a bit of liquid. If you want it deep red as I do, definitely opt for powdered. But, if you go for pastel shades, gel food color will be amazing, as well.
After all the sugar is added, turn the mixer off and splash some lemon juice. Combine it with the foam using a spatula, lightly folding it to keep it airy. Do the same thing with cornstarch, but add it by sifting.
Ready cake mixture should be stiff, glossy, and satin smooth.
Step 2: Baking
Draw a circle, or a heart in this case, on the parchment paper and fixate it on a cookie sheet by smearing a bit of the batter between them. Form a cake with a help of a spoon or spatula and shape it with a slight hollow in the middle. You can model it as many times as you want until you’re happy with the look, though.
You can play with aesthetics, make it sleek or a bit messy. Having said that, I fancy it rustic.
Calling this process baking is not actually accurate, as drying out is a better term to use. Bring your oven to 210° F (100° C) and leave the cake in for 2 whole hours. You can turn the fan on if you have it, but it won’t make any difference, to be honest.
Never open the oven while baking and until completely cool. The reason for that is crushing hot and cold air will cause the meringue to crack. If you don’t mind that, open the oven slightly after half an hour and let it chill. The well-baked cake is firm and crunchy outside.
Step 3: Making the Cheese Cream
Mix cream cheese with powdered and lemon sugar till satiny. Add some heavy cream and mix it more till creamy consistency. The cream should be velvety and not too sweet.
Step 4: Decorating
Crack the meringue on top and fill it generously with custard. Now, let’s garnish it!
The possibilities here are endless. I like to use fresh fruit and loads of confectioners sugar dusted on top. Berries sauce and chocolate are also fine toppings.
How to Store Red Velvet Pavlova Cake?
The cake will stay fresh and crispy for about two days. The trick is to avoid humidity coming in touch with meringue, as it will lose its crunchiness. Airtight containers are the top choice for storing.
Red Velvet Pavlova Cake
Equipment
- 1 Mixer
Ingredients
Meringue
- 5 egg whites
- 2 cups confectioners sugar (250 grams)
- 2 ½ tbsp vanilla sugar (30 grams)
- 4 tsp cornstarch (10 grams)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (15 milliliters)
- a pinch of salt
- 1½ tsp powdered food coloring (3-6 grams)
Cream Cheese Custard
- ¾ cup cream cheese (200 grams)
- ½ cup heavy cream (120 milliliters)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (80 grams)
- 5 tsp lemon sugar (≈20 grams)
Topping
- 1 cup pomegranate
- 1 cup pineapple
Instructions
Making the Meringue
- Before you start anything, leave the eggs at room temperature for about half an hour. Only room-temperature egg whites will reach their full potential in fluffiness.
- Divide egg whites and yolks very carefully. There should be no traces of egg yolk in the egg whites. It would be best to separate whites and yolks in a separate bowl, then pour the whites into the mixing bowl.
- Mix egg whites on low speed at first, until they become frothy. That way, the cake won’t crack as much because you’ll reduce air bubbles. Then, turn the mixer on high and mix it till firm peaks appear.
- Now add a pinch of salt, as adding it too early can mess up the texture. Keep mixing and start adding spoon by spoon powdered red dye, powdered sugar and vanilla sugar.
- I always use powdered color, as I don’t want to add even a bit of liquid. If you want it deep red as I do, definitely opt for powdered.
- After all the sugar is added, turn the mixer off and splash some lemon juice. Combine it with the foam using a spatula, lightly folding it to keep it airy. Do the same thing with cornstarch, but add it by sifting.
- Ready cake mixture should be stiff, glossy, and satin smooth.
Baking
- Draw a heart on the parchment paper and fixate it on a cookie sheet by smearing a bit of the batter between them. Form a cake with a help of a spoon or spatula and shape it with a slight hollow in the middle. You can model it as many times as you want until you’re happy with the look, though.
- Calling this process baking is not actually accurate, as drying out is a better term to use. Bring your oven to 210° F (100° C) and leave the cake in for 2 whole hours.
- Never open the oven while baking and until completely cool. The reason for that is crushing hot and cold air will cause the meringue to crack. If you don’t mind that, open the oven slightly after half an hour and let it chill. The well-baked cake is firm and crunchy outside.
Making the Cheese Cream
- Mix cream cheese with powdered and lemon sugar till satiny. Add some heavy cream and mix it more till creamy consistency.
Decorating
- Crack the meringue on top and fill it generously with custard. Now, let’s garnish it!
- The possibilities here are endless. I like to use fresh fruit and loads of confectioners sugar dusted on top. Berries sauce and chocolate are also fine toppings.
