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Watermelon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

A close-up, cross-section view of a watermelon cupcake revealing the pink interior, white frosting, and black sprinkles, resembling a watermelon slice.
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Make these visually appealing watermelon cupcakes that taste like summer. The cake layers mimic a watermelon slice, and watermelon extract provides the fresh flavor.

Ingredients

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  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon watermelon extract
  • Red, pink, and green food coloring (gel preferred)
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk (or more, as needed)
  • Black nonpareils or mini chocolate chips for seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  4. In a small bowl, mix the milk and watermelon extract.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Divide the batter evenly into three separate bowls. Leave one bowl white (or very pale pink). Add a few drops of red food coloring to the second bowl and mix until you achieve a bright pink color. Add green food coloring to the third bowl until you reach a light green color.
  7. Spoon the colored batters into the prepared liners to create the watermelon look: Place a spoonful of green batter at the bottom of each liner. Top the green layer with a spoonful of white batter. Finally, top with the pink/red batter, filling the liner about two-thirds full.
  8. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar until combined. Beat in the vanilla extract and milk until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. Add more milk if the frosting is too stiff.
  10. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost the tops. Press a few black nonpareils or mini chocolate chips onto the frosting to resemble watermelon seeds.

Notes

  • For the best visual effect, use gel food coloring as liquid coloring can thin the batter too much.
  • Chill the colored batters for 10 minutes before filling the liners; this helps keep the layers distinct during baking.
  • If you want a stronger watermelon flavor, increase the watermelon extract to 1 1/2 teaspoons, but taste the batter first.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://daisyrecipe.com/watermelon-cupcakes-recipe-summer-dessert/