Pavlova Cupcakes

Pavlova and cupcakes, two different treats into one sinful dessert. The heavenly combination of  moist mini little cakes topped with light and fluffy meringue and a dollop of rich and creamy whipped cream with strawberries sure to be a super hit dessert to serve on a dinner table to impress your guest.

There a few steps involved in making the pavlova cupcakes but all the steps are simple and easy steps with very few ingredients. I always restore left over egg whites from my previous baking and it comes handy with the beautiful meringue to top my pavlova cupcakes. My kids love the crispy exterior and marshmalowy interior of the meringue topped with sweet fresh strawberries and what more, there a little surprise in the form of delicious cupcake bottom on every bite. This gorgeous looking cupcakes tastes brilliant.

Ingredients

For The Cupcakes

3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups cake flour
3 large eggs,room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter,room temperature
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk,room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

For The Meringue

2 egg whites
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For The Whipped Cream

1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
1 tbsp confectioners sugar

For The Topping

Strawberries or mixed berries

Methods

For The Cupcakes

Preheat oven at 350'F or 176'C , line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a bowl, sift together all purpose flour,cake flour,salt,and baking powder.

Using a hand or stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually, add the eggs and vanilla extract. Add the flour alternate with buttermilk starting and ending with flour. Beat until combined.

Using an ice cream scoop, drop the batter evenly into the cupcake liners. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until golden.

Remove from oven and cool on the muffin tin for 5 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely

For The Meringue

Using a stand mixer, beat the egg whites on a slow speed until a soft peak forms. Add the sugar and vanilla, beat until the mixture glossy and stiff peaks forms when you lift the attachment.

Line a parchment paper on a baking tray and gently fill the meringue into a piping bag fitted with plain tip. Pipe a small circles of meringue and bake in a 275'F or 140'C preheated oven for 23-25 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the meringue cool completely in the slightly ajar oven.


For The Whipped Cream

Add the chilled heavy cream and confectioners sugar into a chilled mixing bowl of  a stand mixer. Beat until the cream thickens and form a stiff peak.

To Assemble

Top the cupcakes with the mini meringue and dollop the the with whipped cream. Arrange hollowed strawberries on top of each cupcakes

Serve immediately