These pavlova cupcakes are a light and refreshing way to eat two of your favorite desserts. Airy meringue nests are filled with clouds of whipped cream and topped with the freshest in-season berries.
I’ve been planning out my schedule for my big move at the end of the year. I’m one of those people who needs to plan things out exactly. When I am going to start selling my stuff, organizing everything according to how I will sell them (online, garage sale, auction), what can be donated, and how I am going to transport the bigger items (I decided to just rent a moving truck from somewhere like U-Haul). With most things in life, I like to just let things happen organically, but when it comes to big changes, I tend to hyper plan every single detail.
The prospect of moving and knowing it is finally happening really excites me. Before I had N, I moved around a lot and really loved it. I was able to experience so many different lifestyles and staying in one place too long actually makes me nervous. One thing I really miss is that cleansing feeling of condensing my life to just two suitcases. It forces you to really think about what is important in your life and let go of this obsession with material possessions. It’s so freeing. Of course, I won’t be able to do that this time. Not that I can’t let go, but for economic reasons. I’m not that young kid with only a couple of bills and the ability to spend whatever I needed to replace two or three seasons worth of clothes as I go along. Plus, I will admit, I’m so attached to some of my food props.
In my effort to cut back on what I will need to organize before the move, I’ve stopped buying physical cookbooks and borrowing them from cookbooks. It’s been a lot of fun because they have books I would never buy, but now that I can look through it for free, I find myself coming home with maybe 5 – 6 books at a time and discovering some really great inspiration. One recipe that really stuck with me was this meringue “cupcake” which was a meringue piped into a cupcake tin and swirled at the top like frosting, so when you took it out, it looked just like a cupcake. The recipe called for you to split open the meringue cupcake and fill with a berry compote. It was so freaking neat that I saved a photo of it on my phone.
From that photo, I decided to make these pavlova cupcakes. I wanted to have an actual cupcake, but I also wanted that meringue topping. But why not make it something light and fun by turning that meringue top into a pavlova – which also helps keep the cupcake from seeming too dry.
I am seriously in love with these pavlova cupcakes. The meringue has a nice light crunchy outside and chewy, marshmallowy inside. And the honey-sweetened whipped cream and berries just make everything to light and bright. I made a few different desserts when I made these cupcakes, and I keep coming back to have another of these cupcakes.
I used my favorite cupcake recipe, but substituted half the all-purpose flour with cake flour for a more delicate crumb, but feel free to use just one type of flour. Coconut whipped cream also works really well in place of regular whipped cream here, especially with the honey. Feel free to use any berries or fruit you have on-hand.
