One in a (Water)Melon

I hate watermelon. I hate the weirdly crisp yet mushy texture, but I love the flavor. I know, I know, most of you reading this are probably ready to close the article because you think I’m crazy… who hates watermelon?

My best friend (who’s name also just happens to be Marissa, I know it's very confusing!) loves anything watermelon, watermelon flavored, or has the watermelon aesthetic. When we were younger and the cake pop fad was just beginning, we sat at her parents’ kitchen table and attempted to make what were supposed to be cake pops that looked like watermelons.

The inside was (supposed to be) red and full of chocolate chips and then stuck on a stick and coated in white chocolate dyed green. Somehow we managed to screw this project up so badly that the chocolate chips did not stay in the cake pop mixture and the green chocolate seized up before we could even dip a single cake pop.

This time instead of making cake pops, I decided to make a whole watermelon cake! (I mean really, what else is there to do in quarantine?) I am using the same cake recipe as my cake truffles (sans sprinkles) and adding some red food coloring and chocolate chips.

Cake Recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 large egg whites

2 splashes vanilla (I like Trader Joe’s Bourbon Vanilla)

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 1/2 cups pastry flour

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 cup milk (I used 2% because that’s what we have on hand for coffee)

½ cup chocolate chips (dusted in flour first so they don’t fall to the bottom of the cake)

Red food coloring (the amount depends on what kind of food coloring you are using)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 inch round cake pans. Cut circles of parchment paper to fit the bottom.

Cream together the butter (make sure it was truly room temperature (this will create a fluffier cake) and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg whites one at a time (also important to follow this to get a fluffy cake). Mix in the vanilla and oil.

In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk. You should always start and end with the dry ingredients. Once the batter is smooth, fold in the chocolate chips and red food coloring.

Divide the batter between the pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool.

Frosting

1 stick butter (room temperature)

7 cups powdered sugar (may need a little more or less)

1-3 tablespoons of milk

Green food coloring (the amount depends on what kind of food coloring you are using)

Cream butter in a bowl with a hand mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Add milk to bring the frosting together.

Cake Assembly

Once cakes are completely cool, spread a tablespoon of frosting on cake stand and set first cake down. Spread frosting on top of the cake and place the other cake on top upside down (the bottom of the cake will create a nice flat top to the cake).

Using an offset spatula, create a crumb coat around the whole cake with a think layer of white frosting. Let frosting set in the fridge for at least an hour.

Dye the rest of the frosting green and set a little bit aside in a separate bowl. Using an offset spatula, spread a layer of green frosting over the cake.

With the frosting that was set aside, add a little more green food coloring to create a darker color. Using an offset spatula, create stripes on the side of the cake and then on the top.