Recipe
Pavlova Number Cake
This stunning and delicious pavlova number cake is perfect for a summer birthday party! Crispy meringue, to-die-for vanilla mascarpone cream and lots of fresh fruit is the perfect combination that is sure to make anyone's day.
Time: 3 hours 30 minutes 
Difficulty: Moderate
Yield: 12 servings*Ingredients
Meringue Base:
- 150 g egg whites
- 150 g sugar
- 150 g powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
- 1 vanilla bean
Vanilla Mascarpone Cream:
- 125 g mascarpone
- 350 g heavy cream
- 25 g powdered sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
To Decorate (approx. amounts):
- 200 g strawberries
- 150 g raspberries
- 125 g blueberries
- 150 g cherries
Instructions
Preparation:
- Draw a number template on a piece of parchment paper (in reverse). Flip the paper over (so the pencil side is facing down) and place it on a baking sheet, so you can see the template through the paper.
Meringue Base:
- Whisk the egg whites on medium speed in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment for 30-60 seconds, until they begin to foam. Gradually add sugar while continuing to whisk. Once all the sugar is added, whisk on high speed until the meringue is stiff and forms peaks that only slightly curve at the top.150 g egg whites, 150 g sugar
- Turn off the mixer. Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and the scraped seeds from the vanilla bean. Use a spatula to gently fold these ingredients into the meringue.150 g powdered sugar, 1 ½ tsp lemon juice, 1 ½ tsp cornstarch, 1 vanilla bean
- Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (10-16 mm). Pipe meringue bubbles along the outer and inner edges of the number. Fill in the middle of the number with piped strips of meringue and smooth the middle slightly with a palette knife.
- Bake the meringue base at 80 °C (176 °F) (fan-assisted) for 2-2 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar, and let it rest in the oven for an additional hour.
- Remove the baking tray from the oven and let the meringue base cool on the tray for at least 15 minutes. Carefully loosen the meringue with a palette knife and transfer it to a serving platter. If you plan to use the meringue the next day, loosely cover it with aluminum foil and store it in a dry place at room temperature.
Vanilla Mascarpone Cream:
- Place your stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- In the cold bowl, combine mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and the scraped seeds from the vanilla bean. Whisk at medium speed until the mixture thickens and soft peaks form. Important: Don’t overwhip the cream, as it can separate!125 g mascarpone, 350 g heavy cream, 25 g powdered sugar, 1 vanilla bean
- Transfer the mascarpone cream to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (10-16 mm). Pipe bubbles of mascarpone cream along the outer and inner edges of the number. Fill in the middle of the number with a strip of cream and smooth it slightly with a palette knife.
To Decorate:
- Wash the berries and pat them dry with a paper towel.200 g strawberries, 150 g raspberries, 125 g blueberries, 150 g cherries
- Decorate the number cake with the berries on top of the mascarpone cream. Avoid the fruit touching the meringue base, as the moisture from the berries can soften the meringue.
- Serve immediately, or store the pavlova in the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
*Yield: 1 number cake. Number of servings depends on the number you’re making (for example, a "1" will serve less than an "8").