Watermelon Cupcakes + Summer Picnic Party Recipes

Want to know the best way to tell if the treats you make are a hit or a flop? Don’t watch as people eat them… listen. Stand off in the distance and just listen. You know you’ve got a winning recipe if after the first bites you hear a loud exclamation of “Oh my God!”.

That’s the response you can expect to these watermelon cupcakes. Or at least, that’s the response I got, which makes me confident enough to almost guarantee that you will love these cupcakes!

BONUS! For more fun treats that would be a perfect addition to any summer picnic checkout the Summer Picnic Party after the Watermelon Cupcakes recipe. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway for your chance to win one of six fabulous prizes!

This cupcake recipe is perfect for those with a serious sweet tooth. The watermelon frosting especially is not lacking in the sugar department. Described as tasting like watermelon Jolly Ranchers, the flavor is intense and consumption of even just one cupcake will almost surely result in a sugar high.

Inspiration for these watermelon cupcakes came from a stunning watermelon flavored cake by the talented Robin of Bird On A Cake. I wasn’t able to find the watermelon Jell-O she used in her recipe for the cake and frosting so I changed things up just a bit.

Watermelon Cupcakes
by sugarkissed.net (adapted from Watermelon Flavored Cake by Bird On A Cake)

Ingredients
1 16.5 oz. box of white cake mix
1 0.15 oz. packet of watermelon Kool-Aid
1/2 cup of watermelon juice (from pureed fresh watermelon)
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour
Super Red food coloring

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
Mix together cake mix and Kool-Aid powder.
Add in the water and oil and combine.
Beat the eggs into the mixture.
Cut a watermelon up into chunks, removing the seeds. Puree the watermelon chunks to create the needed amount of watermelon juice. Mix the watermelon juice into the bowl.
Add a few drops of Super Red food coloring and mix to create a dark pink color.
In a Ziploc bag, shake the chocolate chips and flour until the chips are evenly coated with flour.
Pour the chips into the bowl and fold into the mixture until spread evenly throughout.
Pour the mixture into cupcake liners, filling 3/4 of the liner.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time.
Test cupcakes for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. Remove the cupcakes from the oven when the toothpick comes out clean.
Let cupcake pan sit on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes. Then, remove the cupcakes from the pan and place them on the rack until completely cooled.

I must confess to you that I am new to cream cheese frosting. Most of my experience is with royal icing on sugar cookies. If you’re familiar with royal icing, you know it is pretty much designed to hold its shape. Cream cheese frosting, not so much.

This watermelon cream cheese frosting recipe will blow your taste buds away but don’t plan on piping any intricate designs with it. I added extra powdered sugar to my recipe and chilled it in the fridge periodically as I worked with it to keep it as stiff as possible. Be careful not to over mix your frosting as you add food coloring to it, as I think this resulted in runnier frosting for me.

Watermelon Cream Cheese Frosting
by sugarkissed.net (adapted from Watermelon Flavored Cake by Bird On A Cake)

Ingredients
8 oz. of softened cream cheese
1/2 cup of room temperature unsalted butter
7 – 8 cups of confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons of watermelon juice (from pureed fresh watermelon)
2 teaspoons of watermelon Kool-Aid
Super Red food coloring
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Watermelon fruit jell slices (one per cupcake)

Directions
Combine cream cheese and butter together in a bowl.
Cut a watermelon up into chunks, removing the seeds. Puree the watermelon chunks to create the needed amount of watermelon juice. Mix the watermelon juice into the bowl.
Add the Kool-Aid to the bowl.
Add the powdered sugar a little bit at a time, beating the mixture until it has a smooth texture and the thickness desired.
Add a few drops of Super Red food coloring and mix to create a dark pink color.
Chill frosting in the fridge for a few minutes to stiffen if desired.
Pipe frosting onto cupcakes using a Ziploc bag or decorating bag and tip.
Sprinkle chocolate chips onto frosting and add top off with a watermelon fruit jell slice.

The right display can really take these watermelon cupcakes over the top! Start by choosing cupcake wrappers that compliment your treats.

Create an impressive presentation with a simple cupcake stand.

If your cupcakes are a gift, present them in a creative cupcake box.

These watermelon cupcakes would be perfect for a picnic! A collapsible cupcake carrier makes transportation a breeze.

For more fun treats that would be a perfect addition to any summer picnic checkout the recipes in the Summer Picnic Party below. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

The Marshmallow Studio – Buzzy Bee Pop Tutorial
Sam’s Kitchen – Elderflower Cordial
Lila Loa – Sandwich Picnic Cookies
Pink Little Cake –Shortbread Cookie Tart with Caramel Bits
Hungry Happenings – Ketchup and Mustard Push up Pops
The Partiologist – Ant on a Log
Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons – Picnic Blanket Treats
The Baked Equation – Lemon Cookie Cake
The Decorated Cookie – Cookies on the String
Not Your Momma’s Cookie – Ant Attack Cupcakes
Creative Fun Food – Picnic Blanket Sandwich
Pint Sized Baker – Picnic Cupcakes to Go
Roxana’s Home Baking – Apricot Orange Kugelhopf
Created by Diane – Luau Pasta Salad
Munchkin Munchies – Checkerboard Tablecloth Picnic Cookies
Sugar Swings – Deviled Egg Mini Cakes
Trilogy Edibles – Chocolate Mousse
sugarkissed.net – Watermelon Cupcakes
Haniela’s – Roasted Chicken Green Bean Salad Sandwiches

GIVEAWAY SPONSORS
Thank you to all the amazing Giveaway Sponsors. Be sure to check out their websites below.

The Marshmallow Studio
Restaurant Ware
The Cookie Cutter Company
Wilton
Mary Had a Little Party
King Arthur Flour

To enter giveaway please use the Rafflecopter below. Giveaway will run from July 20th, 2013 till July 27th, 2013. 6 Winners will be picked using the Rafflecopter widget. Prizes will be picked in the order of sponsors you see above, starting with The Marshmallow Studio and ending with King Arthur Flour. Winners will receive one email from . Winners will have 48 hours to respond. New winner(s) will be picked if we don’t hear from you. Thank you and good luck.

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