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Watermelon Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 106 reviews

This vibrant Watermelon Cake combines a moist, flavorful red velvet-inspired cake infused with watermelon gelatin, studded with mini chocolate chips to resemble watermelon seeds. It is frosted with creamy buttercream dyed in red and green to mimic the appearance of a watermelon, making it a fun and festive dessert perfect for summer gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • Nonstick baking spray
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 1 tbsp flour (for chocolate chips)
  • 3 tbsp watermelon gelatin mix
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp red gel food coloring
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Frosting

  • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 6 tbsp heavy cream
  • Red food coloring gel
  • Green food coloring gel
  • Mini chocolate chips for decoration

Instructions

  1. Prep Your Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups of flour, watermelon gelatin mix, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda. Set this mixture aside.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In another bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Then, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure proper incorporation.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract and red gel food coloring until the batter is well blended and uniformly colored.
  5. Add Chocolate Chips: Toss the mini chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of flour to prevent sinking during baking. Gently fold the coated chips into the batter evenly.
  6. Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
  7. Make the Frosting: Beat the softened butter and kosher salt together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with the heavy cream. Continue beating until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable. Divide the frosting into two bowls; tint one with red food coloring gel and the other with green food coloring gel, mixing each well to achieve vibrant colors.
  8. Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a generous amount of red frosting on top. Repeat with the remaining layers. Cover the entire outside of the cake with the red frosting. Use a spatula to spread the green frosting around the bottom edge of the cake, creating a rind effect. Finally, press mini chocolate chips gently into the red frosting to mimic watermelon seeds.

Notes

  • Coating chocolate chips with flour prevents them from sinking during baking.
  • Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without thinning the batter or frosting.
  • Line pans with parchment paper to ensure easy cake removal.
  • This cake can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
  • Allow the cake layers to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.

Keywords: Watermelon Cake, summer dessert, red velvet style, watermelon gelatin, chocolate chip cake, colorful cake, buttercream frosting

Find it online: https://dishedbydana.com/watermelon-cake-recipe/