Why I Made These
I saw a watermelon ripening in my yard yesterday, and it hit me—how weird is it that I’ve never tried making it into a cake? Like, the juice, the rind, even the seeds—what if they could come together in a sweet cupcake? It’s not about creating a perfect dessert, honestly, it’s about the shock of turning something so familiar upside down.
Pick up a slice, and that crisp, sweet crunch hits your teeth. But what if that crunch was baked into fluffy cake batter? The idea stayed with me all night, like I was somehow missing the magic that only summer offers. And sure, it’s a bit goofy, but baking with watermelon feels like the kind of mistake you keep making because it’s just too interesting to drop.
Why Now?
Summer’s winding down, and I want to cling to that last blast of flavor—watermelon feels like a last hurrah before the season fades. Plus, weird treats like this kind of creep into the every day, reminding me that sometimes the best things happen when you throw away the rulebook.
Watermelon Cake Cupcakes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place watermelon chunks into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, resulting in about 1 1/2 cups of watermelon purée. Strain the purée through a fine mesh sieve to remove excess pulp if desired, then set aside.2 cups Watermelon chunks
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a cupcake tin with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together until evenly mixed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract until the mixture is light and slightly frothy. Add the watermelon purée gradually, whisking continuously to combine thoroughly.1 cup Granulated sugar, 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, 2 eggs large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups Watermelon chunks
- Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a spatula or a whisk, gently fold until just combined and no streaks remain. Do not overmix, as this can impact the final texture.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the lined cupcake cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Finish by frosting if desired, or serve the cupcakes plain. The baked cupcakes will have a moist crumb with a subtle pink hue and a slight sweetness, reflecting the flavor of watermelon.
So, yeah. Watermelon in a cupcake. Who knew baking could surprise me this much? Maybe I’m a little crazy, but honestly, it’s kind of satisfying to break the rules a little. We’ll see how they turn out. Or maybe I’ll just keep eating the leftover slices for good measure.
