July is national WATERMELON month! That's great news for me because I am SO TIRED of the strawberry/blueberry flags all over EVERYTHING at this time of year. Watermelon cakes are a big trend right now, along with some other watermelon "looking" cake and ice cream desserts.
These are a few cute examples I've found around the web, along with a little frozen grape recipe using COTTON CANDY GRAPES!
OH, and don't forget the Rice Krispie treats on the 4th! These are SUPER CUTE!
Watermelon Cake
Prep Time: 30 minutes / Cook Time: 0 minutes / Servings: 10-12
Ingredients:
1 large watermelon
3 cups cream cheese frosting
10-12 Mandarin oranges
2 kiwi fruit
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
2 cups sliced almonds
Steps:
Cut the top and the bottom off of the watermelon creating a flat surface above and below. Cut around the sides of the watermelon, removing the rind, so that just the fruit remains and place on a large serving dish.
Cover the fruit completely with a thick layer of the vanilla bean frosting and evenly distribute the fruit on top of the "cake."
Spread the almonds around the sides. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Watermelon Ice Cream Sammies
Prep Time: 30 minutes / Cook Time: 12 minutes / Servings: 12
Ingredients:
1 tube of sugar cookie dough
4-5 drops green gel food coloring
6 cups of raspberry sorbet
1 cup of mini chocolate chips
Steps:
Place the sugar cookie dough into a large mixing bowl and add the green food coloring. Mix well until the green gel is incorporated. Form the dough into 24 small, round cookie shapes on a cookie sheet and bake according to package directions until cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool.
Spoon about 1/2 cup of the sherbet or sorbet into the center of one of half the cookies. Top with the other half of the cookies. Press slightly until the ice cream reaches the edges of the cookies.
Roll the sides in the mini chocolate chips. Freeze until ready to serve.
Watermelon Mason Jars
Prep Time: 30 minutes / Cook Time: 20 minutes / Servings: 6
Ingredients:
1 white box cake, batter prepared to box directions
2-4 drops green gel food coloring
3 cups vanilla frosting
2-4 drops hot pink gel food coloring
1 cup mini chocolate chips
6 mini mason jars
Steps:
Add the cake mix to a large mixing bowl. Add the water, eggs and vegetable oil and beat for one minute until smooth. Separate out half of the batter and pour into a greased 9" cake pan. Add the green food coloring to the rest of the batter and mix until completely incorporated. Pour the remaining batter into another greased 9" cake pan and bake both at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow them to cool completely.
Use a biscuit cutter or knife to cut small circles out of each of the cakes that will fit into the mason jars. Set aside.
Add the frosting into a large mixing bowl and add the red food coloring. Mix until incorporated.
Add a green cake circle into each of the mason jars. Place a white cake circle in next and then pipe some of the frosting on top. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Repeat so that a second layer of cake and frosting top off each of the mason jars. Finish with another sprinkle of mini chocolate chips. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Frozen Cotton Candy Grape Cones
Prep Time: 20 minutes / Cook Time: 2 minutes / Servings: 6
Ingredients:
6 sugar cones
12 oz. bag white chocolate chips
1 large bag cotton candy grapes, washed, de-vined and frozen
1/2 cup sprinkles
Steps:
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth and creamy. Dip each of the sugar cone tops in the melted white chocolate and roll them in the sprinkles. Place them in the freezer for 5 minutes to set.
Dip the frozen grapes in the remaining chocolate and place them on a cookie sheet. Place them in the freezer for 10 minutes to set.
Fill the sugar cones with the frozen grapes. Freeze until ready to serve.
Corn Cob Rice Krispie Treats
Prep Time: 30 minutes / Cook Time: 2 minutes / Servings: 6
Ingredients:
16 pre-packaged Rice Krispie Treats, packaging removed
1 cup vanilla frosting
4-6 drops yellow gel food coloring
2-4 drops green gel food coloring
Steps:
Separate 1 of the Rice Krispie treats into a medium mixing bowl. Microwave on high heat for about 15 seconds until soft. Add the green food coloring, about 2 tbsp. of the frosting and mix with your hands until incorporated. Set aside.
Add the rest of the Rice Krispie treats to a large mixing bowl and heat in the microwave for 1 minute, until soft. Add the yellow food coloring and the remainder of the frosting. Mix well with your hands until incorporated.
Shape the yellow colored Rice Krispie treats into the shape of a corn cob. Add a pinch of the green to the top to make the stem. Repeat until all the Rice Krispie treats are used. Refrigerate until ready to serve.