A hand sprinkles powdered sugar over a two-layer meringue cake pavlova topped with fresh strawberries and strawberry sauce, displayed on a pink glass cake stand against a pink background.

I recently posted a recipe for Creamy Carbonara sauce which left me with egg whites that needed to be used. What better way to not waste them than baking this glorious meringue cake?

Meringue can be tricky to make but if you use my easy foolproof meringue cake recipe you can bake this spectacular dessert any time of the year!

I made my meringue cake using two layers but you can make a taller cake if you spread the meringue into thin flat rounds or double the recipe.

A meringue cake pavlova topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberry slices, drizzled with strawberry sauce, sits on a pink glass cake stand. Scattered strawberries and a jar of sauce are nearby on a pink surface.

Meringue Cake Ingredients

Meringue is made using only two ingredients – egg whites and sugar. I usually add a little lemon juice or cream of tartar to encourage the egg whites to whip into voluminous clouds but it is not essential. I always add vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste though, so I guess we need three ingredients for the meringue layers!

The filling is simply whipped cream sweetened with powdered sugar and flavored with vanilla.

Fresh strawberries add the finishing touch and needless to say are at their best when in season. I also puréed some of the strawberries to add a crimson drizzle. The syrup can be strained to remove the seeds and pulp if you like.

A hand places a fresh strawberry atop a two-layer meringue cake covered with whipped cream, strawberry sauce, and whole strawberries, beautifully displayed on a pink glass cake stand against a pink background.

How to Make Meringue Cake

↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.

Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). to Combine the egg whites, sugar, vanilla and cream of tartar (if using) in the bowl of your stand mixer.
Bring a saucepan with water to the boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and place the bowl of your stand mixer over the saucepan (the bottom should not touch the water). Stir using a balloon whisk until the sugar dissolves – test this by rubbing some of the egg whites between your fingers.
Whisk the egg whites until the meringue forms stiff peaks. This can take several minutes so just keep whisking at the highest speed setting until it does.

A person with a butterfly tattoo on their wrist is whisking a white mixture for Meringue Kisses in a glass bowl placed on a black stovetop.

Two images show a metal whisk attachment covered in glossy, stiff peaks of meringue, perfect for topping a meringue cake—one still in the mixing bowl and the other standing upright on a white surface.

Bake the Meringue Layers

Spoon meringue onto silicone mats and spread to create two flat rounds, approximately 6-7 inches in diameter.
Bake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 90°C (195°F). Bake for a further 80 minutes without opening the oven door. The meringue layers are ready when they can easily be lifted off the mats. Turn the oven off and leave the meringue inside the oven cool for a couple of hours.

A hand uses an offset spatula to spread fluffy white meringue for a meringue cake onto a silicone baking mat laid on a wire cooling rack.

Prepare the Filling

Blitz half a cup of ripe strawberries in a food processor and add to a saucepan with equal amounts sugar and juice of a lemon. Bring to a simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Cool before using.
Prepare the filling when you are ready to assemble the meringue cake. Whisk the cream, sugar and vanilla on low speed until if forms peaks. Don’t beat for too long as the cream can become grainy.

Two images: on the left, hands hold an electric mixer beating cream in a metal bowl; on the right, the fluffy whipped cream swirls around mixer beaters—perfect for topping a meringue cake.

Assemble the Meringue Cake

Place your meringue round on a plate or cake stand and pipe (or spread) a generous amount of whipped cream over it. Drizzle with some of the syrup and add sliced strawberries.
Repeat with the second layer, piling the strawberries over the top and drizzling with more syrup. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately!

A two-layer meringue cake topped with whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and a drizzle of red sauce, displayed on a pink cake stand. Strawberry slices and sauce are scattered around on a pink surface.

Tips for Meringue Cake Perfection!

You can use fresh egg whites or liquid egg whites from a carton for this recipe. Fresh egg whites are always better, but make sure you have a recipe to use up the egg yolks (try my Spaghetti Carbonara or Easy Creme Brûlée).
Top tip: This recipe requires a clean mixing bowl and whisk. Even a tiny speck of egg yolk or fat will prevent the egg whites from frothing up so be careful when separating the eggs. Give your mixing bowl a wipe with lemon juice to remove all traces of grease.
Storing the meringue shell: You can store the meringue layers in an airtight container, separated by baking paper, for a few days. Do not leave at room temperature as any moisture will cause the meringue to lose its crispness.
Storing the assembled cake: The meringue cake needs to be served immediately after it has been filled. It will keep for up to a day in the refrigerator but the meringue layers will lose their crispness.
You can replace the strawberries with any fruit you like of course – raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or a combo! For a tropical meringue cake you could combine mango, passion fruit and kiwi… or whatever your heart desires.