Summer Fun #73: Watermelon Cake

What says summer more than watermelon? This watermelon cake is easy enough for anyone to make for any summer party or just for fun.

You only need one layer of cake, which you then cut and half and put together to make the watermelon shape. I used Duncan Hines Pink Velvet Cake (which has a delicious chocolate flavor) but you could use a white cake and some red food coloring to make a pink batter. When you bake the cake, add some mini chocolate chips (Nestles makes some) to simulate the seeds. I just eyeballed the amount. It makes a nice surprise when you cut the cake.

Ice the rind area with green frosting. I used Pillsbury Funfetti Vibrant Green Vanilla Flavored Frosting because I was going for simple and easy, but you could make up a big batch of white icing and tint some pink and some green, leaving just a bit of white. Let the green come up just over the edge of the top of the cake. When you are finished icing the green, you can add those characteristic watermelon lighter streaks in the rind with just a bit of white icing on your knife and kinda zig-zag or swirl in through as you pull your knife up through the green icing. You must have a soft touch with this because you don't want obvious stripes, just a hit of coloration.

Next you need to bead a line of white icing that touches the green icing that comes up over the edge of the cake. I just scooped some white icing into a zippered bag, sealed it shut, snipped off a tiny corner, and started piping. You, of course, can use a decorating bag, if you have one. You need to use an icing bag for this part because you do not want any of either the green or the pink mixing with the white. You want a nice crisp white line. If you want a thicker portion of white, just pipe a second bead of white right next to the first.

We chose just to have a thin white area. Have the white icing go along the line of green all the way across the cake and down the sides.

Next, frost the remaining parts of the cake with pink frosting. I used Pillsbury Funfetti Hot Pink Vanilla Flavored Frosting, but it was a bit vivid. You might want to tone it down a bit with some red food coloring or make your own.

Make sure the frosting goes all the way down the cut side of the cake. You may need to use a crumb layer especially on this side because, being the cut side, this side is more crumb producing than the other sides. I just popped my layers in the freezer for a little while and that helped keep the crumbs down. You want it to be firm, but not yet completely frozen. When you are finished frosting the cake, press some more of the mini chocolate chips randomly where you have frosted with pink frosting for the seeds. And now your watermelon cake is all finished and ready for any summer party occasion or even just for fun!
Disclaimer: I have used the products mentioned for my own purposes and their mention is not meant as an endorsement or recommendation of any particular products and they may not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
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