These lookalike watermelon cupcakes are an easy peasy way to dress up a regular cupcake with a fun summer theme. You can make this as easy as you like (with your favorite boxed mix) or more decadent with our from-scratch recipe. Both variations are below, and both are worth treating your tastebuds (and your family) to.
Watermelon Cupcakes
for cupcakes
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1-2 tablespoons red food coloring
2/3 cup miniature chocolate chips
for frosting
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
5-10 drops green food coloring
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, whisk dry ingredients together: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and shortening together until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated. Alternate adding small amounts of the flour mixture and the milk and mixing after each. Finally, stir in the vanilla and food coloring and mix until just combined. Finally, add the chocolate chips and mix until just incorporated. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting.
To make the frosting, mix flour and milk together in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until a thick paste forms. Cool mixture completely (you can use the fridge or freezer to speed it up). Cream butter at high speed until it is light and creamy. Add the sugar and blend until fluffy. Take a generous scoop of the sugar/butter mixture and add it to the cooled flour/milk mixture and blend it well. Add all of the flour/milk mixture to the sugar/butter mixture and beat until fluffy and light. Finally, add vanilla and food coloring and mix well. Spread on cooled cupcakes.
Boxed Mix Variation
Prepare your favorite boxed yellow cake mix as directed, then add 1-2 tablespoons red food coloring and 2/3 cup miniature chocolate chips to the batter. Bake as directed.
Recipe: Watermelon Cupcakes
These lookalike watermelon cupcakes are an easy peasy way to dress up a regular cupcake with a fun summer theme. You can make this as easy as you like (with your favorite boxed mix) or more decadent with our from-scratch recipe. Both variations are below, and both are worth treating your tastebuds (and your family) to.
Watermelon Cupcakes
for cupcakes
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1-2 tablespoons red food coloring
2/3 cup miniature chocolate chips
for frosting
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
5-10 drops green food coloring
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, whisk dry ingredients together: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and shortening together until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated. Alternate adding small amounts of the flour mixture and the milk and mixing after each. Finally, stir in the vanilla and food coloring and mix until just combined. Finally, add the chocolate chips and mix until just incorporated. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting.
To make the frosting, mix flour and milk together in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until a thick paste forms. Cool mixture completely (you can use the fridge or freezer to speed it up). Cream butter at high speed until it is light and creamy. Add the sugar and blend until fluffy. Take a generous scoop of the sugar/butter mixture and add it to the cooled flour/milk mixture and blend it well. Add all of the flour/milk mixture to the sugar/butter mixture and beat until fluffy and light. Finally, add vanilla and food coloring and mix well. Spread on cooled cupcakes.
Boxed Mix Variation
Prepare your favorite boxed yellow cake mix as directed, then add 1-2 tablespoons red food coloring and 2/3 cup miniature chocolate chips to the batter. Bake as directed.