Watermelon Cupcakes

These sweet Watermelon Cupcakes are a summer time delight! They’re easy to make, swirled with pretty pink frosting, and yes, they really do taste like watermelon!

For more crowd-pleasing cupcake recipes, try my Churro Cupcakes Recipe, which are always a hit, or these Chocolate Pudding Cupcakes, which are easy but supremely decadent!

Why You’ll Love These Watermelon Cupcakes

These easy watermelon cupcakes are the complete package!

I thought about making the cupcakes then just topping them with some watermelon flavored frosting. That would have been good but I wanted these to be AMAZING!

So, I turned to my trust friend: melted white chocolate. A thin layer of melted white chocolate on top of each cooled cupcake adds a bit of decadence and a pleasing white color to the watermelon cupcakes.

Finally, my favorite part: the FROSTING!

Watermelon Kool-Aid mix is my secret for giving fluffy buttercream its melon flavor.

Want to take the watermelon theme a step further? Sprinkle some mini chocolate chips on top of the frosting. They look like watermelon seeds and tie the picture together. Also, I’ll never turn down a little extra chocolate!

Here’s what makes these watermelon cupcakes a standout:

• Nobody will know these cute cupcakes start from a cake mix…and the flavor is so wonderful, adults love this festive treat as much as the kids.
• Unlike some watermelon cupcakes that just look like the fruit, these cupcakes taste like watermelon too!
• The lime Jello makes the cupcake base super flavorful and moist. The perfect upgrade to boxed cake mix!

Important Ingredient Notes

For the cupcakes:

• White cake mix – Using white cake mix instead of yellow gives us a better color.
• Lime Jello – Don’t use sugar-free Jello! You want the regular kind.
• Egg whites – Using egg whites instead of whole eggs also helps you get that perfect green color for the cupcakes.

For the Topping:

• White chocolate – I find that bars and discs melt the best, but you can also use white chocolate chips.
• Butter – Unsalted butter is best for baking, as it gives you more control over the flavor of the recipe.
• Koolaid powdered mix – You’ll need watermelon flavor for this recipe, although you can definitely use the same ratios to experiment with other fruity frosting flavors!
• Mini chocolate chips – These form the “seeds” on the watermelon cupcakes.

How to Make Watermelon Cupcakes

Make the Cupcakes:

• Beat the cake mix, Jello, egg whites, oil and water in a mixing bowl for 2 minutes. 
• Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake in a 350ºF oven for 15-18 minutes. 
• Cool the cupcakes completely before decorating.

Decorate:

• Spread the melted white chocolate over the top of each cupcake. 
• While the chocolate sets, beat the butter with the powdered sugar, Koolaid mix, and milk for 3-5 minutes, or until fluffy and smooth.
• Use a decorator bag and tip (I used 6S) to pipe frosting onto each cupcake.
• Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Tips & Tricks

• Soften the butter before you start the frosting. This ensures that everything mixes evenly!
• Be patient and wait for the cupcakes to cool completely before you start frosting them. Otherwise, the white chocolate will melt into the cake.
• If you can’t find Watermelon koolaid mix, you can order watermelon flavoring on Amazon!
• Don’t overbake the cupcakes, as this will cause them to be darker and browned.
• No decorator bag? Spoon the frosting into a ziploc bag instead. Cut off a corner of the bag and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

Recipe FAQs

More Summer Dessert Recipes

• Delicious Pink Lemonade Cupcakes. Refreshing and tasty, everyone will enjoy!
• A light and refreshing Strawberry JELL-O cake. Add a twist of fun by baking up a Funfetti Cake!
• A quick, refreshing slush made using frozen watermelon, lime juice, and water! You can even add a little vodka to make this Watermelon Slush adult friendly 😉
• This No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Dessert from Fifteen Spatulas has layers of buttery graham cracker crumbs, fresh macerated strawberries, and a creamy cheesecake filling.

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Watermelon Cupcakes

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By: Aimee

These sweet and festive Watermelon Cupcakes are a summer time delight! They're easy to make and swirled with pretty-in-pink frosting.

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 18 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 18 minutes minutes

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the cupcakes:

• ▢ 1 box white cake mix 18.25 ounce
• ▢ 1 box lime Jello (not sugar free) 3 ounce
• ▢ 3 egg whites
• ▢ ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 ¼ cup water

For the Topping:

• ▢ 8 ounce white chocolate melted
• ▢ ½ cup butter softened
• ▢ 4 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Koolaid powdered mix watermelon flavor
• ▢ 3-4 Tablespoons milk
• ▢ ¾ cup mini chocolate chips

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Instructions 

• For the cake, add cake mix, jello, egg whites, oil and water in a mixing bowl. Beat 2 minutes until blended. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes. Do not overbake. Allow to cool completely.
• When cooled, spread melted white chocolate over top of each cupcake. While that sets, begin your frosting.
• In mixer, beat butter with powdered sugar, Koolaid mix and milk. Beat for about 3-5 minutes until fluffy and smooth. Using a decorator bag and tip (I used 6S), pipe frosting on each cupcake and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. ENJOY!

Notes

• If you can’t find Watermelon koolaid mix, you can order watermelon flavoring on Amazon!
• No decorator bag? Spoon the frosting into a ziploc bag instead. Cut out a corner of the bag and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 214mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 37g

Course: Cupcake

Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!