Watermelon Cupcakes Summer Delight (Print Version)
Moist vanilla cupcakes with creamy watermelon frosting, decorated to resemble fresh watermelon slices.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cupcake Base
01 - 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - ¼ tsp salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
08 - ½ cup whole milk
→ Watermelon Frosting
09 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar
11 - 2 tbsp watermelon juice, freshly blended and strained
12 - 1-2 drops pink or red food coloring
13 - ½ tsp vanilla extract
→ Decoration
14 - Mini chocolate chips for seeds
15 - Green food coloring for frosting edges
# How to Cook:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
03 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternating with milk. Begin and end with flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
07 - Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.
10 - Mix in watermelon juice, vanilla extract, and food coloring. Beat until light and fluffy.
11 - Reserve a small portion of frosting and tint with green food coloring for the watermelon rind effect.
12 - Frost cooled cupcakes with pink watermelon frosting. Pipe a green ring around edges to mimic rind if desired. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top to resemble watermelon seeds.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The frosting tastes like biting into the sweetest part of a ripe watermelon but somehow better
- These cupcakes disappear faster than any other dessert at summer parties
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are not optional here they are the difference between fluffy cupcakes and dense sad ones
- Fresh watermelon juice varies in sweetness taste your frosting before adding more sugar
03 -
- Use pink champagne instead of milk in the cupcake base for an adults only version
- Add a tiny pinch of sea salt on top of the chocolate chip seeds for sweet and salty contrast