Description
Sweet summer charm meets delightful Watermelon Cake, a refreshing dessert that blends cool fruit with creamy frosting. Light, fruity layers promise a delectable journey through seasonal flavors you’ll savor with each blissful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Dry Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons watermelon gelatin mix
Cake Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- Nonstick baking spray
Instructions
- Prepare the baking environment by preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C). Coat three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, watermelon gelatin mix, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly to ensure even distribution of dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and airy. Incorporate eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
- Gradually blend the flour mixture and buttermilk into the butter mixture, alternating between the two. Incorporate vanilla extract and red gel food coloring, mixing until the batter is uniform.
- Lightly coat mini chocolate chips with flour to prevent sinking, then gently fold them into the cake batter.
- Distribute the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick. Allow cakes to rest in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks for complete cooling.
- Prepare the frosting by whipping softened butter with kosher salt until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and heavy cream, alternating between the two. Divide the frosting and tint one portion red and another green using gel food coloring.
- Assemble the cake by layering each cake round with red frosting. Cover the entire exterior with red frosting, creating a smooth surface.
- Decorate the cake’s base with green frosting to simulate a watermelon rind. Strategically place mini chocolate chips across the red frosting to resemble watermelon seeds, completing the visual effect.
Notes
- Prevent chocolate chips from sinking by coating them lightly in flour before folding into the batter, ensuring even distribution throughout the cake.
- Use room temperature ingredients like eggs and buttermilk to create a smoother, more consistent cake texture that rises evenly and prevents lumpy batter.
- Achieve vibrant food coloring by adding gel-based colors gradually and mixing thoroughly, which provides intense hues without watering down the frosting’s consistency.
- Cool cakes completely before frosting to prevent melting and maintain a clean, professional-looking decorative finish with crisp frosting edges.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg