Watermelon Cupcakes
If you’re looking for a fun, colorful, and delicious treat to make for a Summer party, these watermelon cupcakes are perfect! They’re light, fluffy, and have just the right hint of watermelon flavor. Plus, they look absolutely adorable with their pink frosting and mini chocolate chip “seeds.” Whether you’re baking for a birthday party, a backyard barbecue, or just a sweet weekend treat, these cupcakes are guaranteed to be a hit.
The best part? This recipe is easy enough for beginners but still impressive enough to wow your guests. So, let’s get baking!
Summer Watermelon Cupcakes
What You’ll Need
Cupcake Ingredients
Frosting Ingredients
How to Make Watermelon Cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat & Prep
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with green cupcake liners. This will give the cupcakes that perfect watermelon rind look!
Step 2: Mix the Batter
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, vegetable oil, egg whites, and water. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix on medium speed until everything is well combined.
Step 3: Add Flavor & Color
Add in the watermelon gelatin and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended. Then, slowly add in green food coloring, a little at a time, until you get a nice watermelon-rind green.
Step 4: Fill & Bake
Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 5: Cool Completely
Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting. If you try to frost warm cupcakes, the frosting will melt right off!
Making the Frosting
Step 6: Cream the Butter
In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter until light and fluffy.
Step 7: Add Flavor & Sugar
Mix in the vanilla extract, remaining watermelon gelatin, and ¼ cup of white sanding sugar.
Step 8: Sweeten It Up
Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. In between each cup, add a little half-and-half or milk to keep the frosting smooth and creamy.
Step 9: Add Color
Mix in dark pink food coloring. If you want a deeper watermelon color, add a little red food coloring too.
Step 10: Get Ready to Frost
Prepare your piping bag with a large round frosting tip. Fill the bag with your watermelon-colored frosting.
Step 11: Frost the Cupcakes
Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
Step 12: Add the Final Touches
Sprinkle each cupcake with a bit of the remaining white sanding sugar to give it a sparkly, watermelon-like appearance.
Step 13: Add “Seeds”
Top each cupcake with mini chocolate chips to resemble watermelon seeds. Adorable and delicious!
Tips for Perfect Watermelon Cupcakes
- Want a stronger watermelon flavor? You can add a little more gelatin, but we love the subtle flavor in this recipe, it’s not too overpowering!
- No piping bag? No worries! Just use a zip-top bag with a small hole cut in the corner for an easy DIY piping solution.
- Make them ahead! You can bake the cupcakes a day in advance and store them in an airtight container. Just frost them right before serving for the best texture.
- For an extra pop of color, you can add a tiny bit of green food coloring to the cupcake batter after adding the gelatin. This makes the cake look extra vibrant!
These watermelon cupcakes are delicious and a total showstopper! Perfect sweet treat for a Summer birthday party, a picnic, or a BBQ.
View More Cupcake Recipes
Watermelon Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcake
- 1 box of white cake mix
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- ½ package of watermelon-flavored gelatin we found ours at Kroger
- Green food coloring
- Green cupcake liners Walmart and Amazon have great options!
For the Frosting
- 2 sticks salted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- ½ package of watermelon-flavored gelatin
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons half-and-half or whole milk
- Dark pink and/or red food coloring
- 1 cup white sanding sugar divided
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 large piping bag with a large round frosting tip
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with green cupcake liners. This will give the cupcakes that perfect watermelon rind look!
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, vegetable oil, egg whites, and water. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix on medium speed until everything is well combined.
- Add in the watermelon gelatin and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended. Then, slowly add in green food coloring, a little at a time, until you get a nice watermelon-rind green.
- Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting. If you try to frost warm cupcakes, the frosting will melt right off!
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the vanilla extract, remaining watermelon gelatin, and ¼ cup of white sanding sugar.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. In between each cup, add a little half-and-half or milk to keep the frosting smooth and creamy.
- Mix in dark pink food coloring. If you want a deeper watermelon color, add a little red food coloring too.
- Prepare your piping bag with a large round frosting tip. Fill the bag with your watermelon-colored frosting.
- Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
- Sprinkle each cupcake with a bit of the remaining white sanding sugar to give it a sparkly, watermelon-like appearance.
- Top each cupcake with mini chocolate chips to resemble watermelon seeds. Adorable and delicious!
