Pavlova is a classic dessert that is beloved for its light and airy meringue base and its versatility when it comes to toppings. While the traditional topping of whipped cream and strawberries is always a crowd-pleaser, there are many other creative fruit topping ideas that can take your pavlova to the next level.
Pavlova with peach, blueberries, and almond toppings. Credit: canva
Peaches are lovely and go great on almost anything. They are very juicy, so slice them thin to make them last longer. If you don’t want the peaches to be the only thing on your cake, mix them with some blueberries or other fruits.
Peaches are great because they mix well with many different side dishes. You can even add some cinnamon or nutmeg on top of them for extra flavor.
Depending on your preference, you can leave them whole or slice them up. If you want to mix raspberries with other fruits, they go great with strawberries, blueberries, or bananas.
Pavlova with strawberries, kiwis, and blueberries. Credit: canva
You can slice them up or leave them whole if you prefer. If you don’t want your strawberries to be the only thing, many people like mixing them with chocolate chips, nuts, or other fruits.
4 – Kiwis
Kiwis are great because they are very sweet and have a unique flavor. They are also very juicy, so make sure to slice them thin, so they don’t make your cake too wet.
If you want to mix kiwis with other fruits, they go great with strawberries, blueberries, or bananas. You can also add some lime juice on top of them for extra flavor.
5 – Lemon
Lemons add a tart and juicy flavor. They are also a good source of Vitamin C. If you don’t want your lemons to be the only thing, mix them with some raspberries or other fruits.
Pavlova with blackberries. Credit: canva
6 – Blackberries
Blackberries are very popular in the fall. They grow on bushes, and many people like to plant them in their gardens. Blackberries are lovely, and they go great on almost any dessert.
I like to keep some blackberries on hand when running out of fruit for my cake. Because they are so sweet, you may want to mix them with some other fruits, like blueberries or raspberries.
Oranges are very, very sweet. Oranges go great with many different desserts and entrees. If you plan on eating the dessert after dinner, slice the oranges up, so they don’t go wrong while you wait.
They go great with cheesecake and ice cream and work well on cakes and muffins with a fruit filling. If you have it with a meringue topping, you can add a little whipped cream onto your plate to give it a little extra flavor.
8 – Pears
Pears are very similar to apples in both taste and texture. They go great when paired with soft cheeses, such as brie or camembert, and they also go well with honey drizzled over them.
You can add pears to many different types of desserts because they mix well with many different flavors. They go well with bananas, walnuts, raisins, and just about any other fruit you can think of.
If you want an exciting dessert to try, consider pairing some pears with blue cheese or caramel sauce.
Pavlova with bananas and mangoes. Credit: canva
9 – Bananas
Bananas taste so good that many people don’t usually mix them with anything else.
However, if you want to mix them, bananas go great with almost any fruit. They go exceptionally well with mangoes, raspberries, peaches, strawberries, and blackberries.
If you use bananas on your cake, I would suggest mixing the fruits by themselves first, so they are evenly distributed throughout the cake.
10 – Pineapple
Pineapples are lovely, and they taste great by themselves. They go incredibly well if you have a fruit topping a chocolate ganache or other meringue topping on top of your meringue shell.
Cherries go great on many different desserts, including cheesecake and ice cream. They also go well with chocolate or vanilla desserts, especially if you have them on top of an ice cream cake.
You can use whatever fruit you have on hand or fruits you have always wanted to experiment with. If you are looking for something gourmet, sprinkle some cinnamon throughout your jam.
Cinnamon adds flavor without adding calories. You can even add nuts, chocolate chips, or other flavorings if you like.
Berry compote for pavlova toppings. Credit: canva
13 – Berry Compote
A compote of mixed berries makes an excellent compote topping. You can use any berry you like or mix them to create a unique flavor.
To make berry compote, you only need a handful of berries, sugar, water, and cornstarch – that’s it! You can use any berry you like or mix them to create a unique flavor.
Oranges go great with kiwis because they mix to make a unique taste. If you are looking for something with an unusual taste, consider adding kiwi with oranges.
15 – Pears and Cranberries
Pears and cranberries go great together in many different recipes. The cranberry gets lost in the pear, making the taste a little more sour than usual, which is good in this case because you need a little bit of sweetener to balance out the tartness of the cranberries.
Bananas and grapes go great together because they add a sweet taste to your cake that both fruits provide. You can add some chocolate chips to your cake to create a fancy dessert while you’re at it.
If you want to add some extra flavor on top of your cake, you can add some cinnamon or nutmeg.
17 – Lemon Pavlova
Lemon curd pavlova. Credit: canva
This lemon pavlova recipe is perfect for any spring or summer menu.
Make the meringue shells ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container until you are ready to fill them.
This is perfect for those who love the taste of coconut. The mango adds a lovely sweetness to the dessert.
Pavlova with Apricots and Almonds
Perfect for spring. The apricots add a lovely sweetness while the almonds give
Chocolates
If you want something to top the outside, you can try some chocolate shavings. You can even dip fruits in melted chocolate before putting them on top if you want something tasty.
Figs are lovely, and they go great with just about anything. They go well with many different types of fruits, including more savory ones, such as peaches.
Figs are very crunchy, so you may want to slice them before adding them on top, or you can leave them whole if you think it will make the cake look more excellent. They are best if you add them to a meringue or ice cream cake.
Walnuts and Honey
Honey is no stranger to topping desserts, which is why walnuts go exceptionally well. You can sprinkle some walnuts or mix them in a dish and cover the entire cake in the walnut mixture.
This goes exceptionally well with cheesecake because the texture is similar to an English muffin. If you are looking for something different than your average, this will work perfectly.
Honey
Honey is sweeter than sugar, so it will help balance the sour taste of raspberries. Mixing these two ingredients will produce a sweet and sour flavor.
If you are adding anything, I recommend you add honey to it because it tastes so good with almost any other ingredient in this world.
Alternative Pavlova Toppings
Pavlova with cream, strawberries, blueberries, and cherries. Credit: canva
Strawberries and Cream
Strawberries go great on just about any dessert, but I think it is even better when mixed with fresh cream and fresh berries in a nice bowl. This tastes like a strawberry shortcake, and I know kids will love this because it’s like a fruit dessert that can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Bacon and Pineapple
Bacon and pineapple is a weird combination, but it works very well together. When you think of bacon, you don’t usually think of pineapple, but they go great together because the pineapple’s sweetness helps balance out the savory taste of the bacon.
You can sprinkle some bacon bits on top for a savory taste and add caramel to make it sweeter. I recommend trying out this unusual recipe if you like bacon.
Chocolate and Cream
Chocolate is delightful, but not everyone likes the taste of chocolate by itself.
If you are having trouble serving to people who don’t like chocolate, adding some cream on top of it will help to mix the flavors. The more the two ingredients are integrated, the more taste they will have.
Coconut and Peaches
Peaches go great with just about any kind of fruit, especially peaches. They taste great, and the texture is fantastic because it’s similar to a creme brulee.
For something different, you can try adding some toasted coconut on top of your dessert. Combining these two ingredients will make a great dessert that anyone can enjoy.
Almonds and Dates
Almonds and dates go great together because they share the same sweet taste. These ingredients are lovely, so they don’t need any extra sugar added. If you want it to have a very distinct flavor, consider adding these two ingredients on top of it.
Caramel also goes well with both almonds and dates. You can add some caramel if you want a sweeter dessert, or you can add some chocolate if you prefer a more savory flavor.
Alternative Fillings for Pavlova
Pavlova fillings and toppings are the same.
Cream fillings are the most popular because they are easy to make and taste great. You can add some fruit to your cream filling, or you can keep it simple with just cream and sugar.
Cream cheese, mascarpone, or whipped cream all make sumptuous fillings. If you want to try something different, you can also use lemon curd, raspberry jam, or strawberry jam.
You can add some fruit to your filling, such as raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries. If you want to try something different, you can also use lemon curd, raspberry jam, or strawberry jam.
Cake with Fruit Toppings
Here are the most popular cakes that use fruit for toppings:
As you can see, there are many different ways to top the cake. You can use any fruit or filling that you like. The most important thing is to have fun and be creative. I’m sure that whoever you make this dessert for will love it.
