Make a fresh watermelon cake that will be the centerpiece of your summer party. Chic, tasty, and easy, this cake is made completely of fruit!
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I created my own, unique, chic and appetizing watermelon cake. You've seen all kinds of fresh fruit cakes around, I'm sure. Mine is simple, tasty and so beautiful it can be a summer centerpiece, or the perfect fruit birthday cake.
Made of nothing but fresh fruit and topped with some cream, nuts and coconut, a towering watermelon fruit cake is a healthy but impressive treat at any summer event.
Making A Fresh Fruit Cake
I don't cover my cakes made of fruit with whipped cream.
There's no need to slather a beautiful slice of watermelon with whipped cream and cover it up. I want my fresh fruit to shine, and be the star of this summer cake.
Follow the recipe to make a cake made of fruit! You can make cakes from watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew.
Click HERE to see my Today Show segment on Watermelon Hacks for more summer fun! It's on my YouTube channel.
What Goes Into A Cake Made of Fruit?
The name says it all! This watermelon cake really is a cake made from fruit.
In this case, the watermelon acts as the base of the cake. I decorated the cake with fresh berries and a quick homemade whipped cream.
This recipe would be wonderful as an all fruit birthday cake, or for any spring or summer get together.
How To Make A Watermelon Cake
For my watermelon cake recipe, I sliced a thick piece out of the center of a seedless watermelon and trimmed the rind off. Make sure to shape it into a perfect round by removing all the white rind.
Sliced strawberries make the perfect decor for the bottom of the cake. Lined up in a row, they compliment the color perfectly.
There's no need to do anything more! It's pure watermelon, ready to slice once topped with cream, some fresh raspberries and chopped pistachios for a little crunch.
I sweetened the cream with a bit of sugar. I always use fresh heavy cream and confectioners' sugar to make my whipped cream. It tastes so glorious.
Check out my Today Show segment on Watermelon Hacks!
Melon Cake FAQs
Definitely! Make the watermelon fruit cake ahead of time, then top with cream just before serving. Simply assemble and wrap in plastic wrap until ready.
Yes, you can absolutely turn this into a layered fruit cake. Stacking layers makes it look even more like a traditional tiered celebration cake, perfect for birthdays or summer gatherings.
To do this, cut a thick, even slice from the center of the watermelon for the bottom tier, then use one of the ends for the smaller top layer. You can repeat the same method with cantaloupe or honeydew for a colorful, multi-layered version.
Follow the recipe below for step-by-step instructions to make your own layered cantaloupe or watermelon cake.
Tips For Making This Watermelon Cake Recipe
- I decorated my watermelon fruit cake with fresh berries and whipped cream. You’re welcome to decorate it with other fresh fruits, if desired. Think: sliced grapes, mango, and so on.
- For an extra fun cake, use a yellow watermelon instead of a red one. The flavor is slightly different, but still supremely sweet and juicy.
- Because the cake is topped with whipped cream, I don’t recommend letting it sit out for too long. The cream will deflate over time.
More Watermelon Recipes And Hacks:
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📖 Full Recipe
Fresh Fruit Cake With Watermelon, Honeydew or Cantaloupe
Ingredients
Watermelon Cake:
- 1 seedless watermelon
- ½ pint strawberries
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 pint raspberries
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios
Honeydew Cake:
- 1 honeydew melon
- 1 kiwi
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup red grapes
- 1 cup green grapes
Canteloupe Cake:
- 1 large cantaloupe (or 2 small)
- 1 mango
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ pint blueberries
- Toasted shaved coconut
Instructions
Watermelon Cake:
- Cut a thick 3-inch slice from the center of the melon (to look like a big cake layer). Trim the rind from the slice. Place on a platter. Remove strawberry greens, then thinly slice the fruit. Overlap slices around the base of the watermelon. Whip the cream and sugar to stiff peaks. Spoon cream on top and sprinkle with raspberries and pistachios.
Honeydew Cake:
- Cut a 2½- to 3-inch-thick slice from the center of the melon. Discard seeds and trim rind, making the edges straight. Place piece on a platter. Peel kiwi, slice in half lengthwise and slice into thin half-moons. Layer kiwi along the bottom edge of the melon. Whip the cream and sugar to stiff peaks. Fill center of the melon with extra fruit and cream. Spread a thin layer of cream on the top. Slice grapes in half lengthwise and decorate the top in concentric circles.
Canteloupe Cake:
- If using a large melon, cut a 2½-inch slice from the center and use one of the ends for the smaller top piece. If using 2 small melons, cut thick slices from each melon for the cake. Discard seeds and trim rind, making the edges straight. Stack pieces on a platter. Peel mango and cut one side off the pit. Cut mango cheek into very thin slices and bend in half, layering them along the bottom edge of the cantaloupe. Whip cream and sugar to stiff peaks. Fill the center of the cantaloupe with extra diced fruit and cream. Pile blueberries on top and sprinkle with coconut.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
Recipe Tara Teaspoon. Photography Johnny Miller. Food Styling Christine Albano. Prop styling Elizabeth MacClennan.
Mary Bench says
Lovely! Summer delights!
Squeakypony says
I love this!!! I used it for corker on a diet for her birthday and everyone was raving about it. I made the watermelon cake.
Brittany Smart says
Such a great idea!! Gorgeous cakes so fun that they're just melons
Elaine Benoit says
All I can say is I never even heard of these cakes! How fun is this idea!!?? Not only are they beautiful, I bet they are delicious and refreshing!!
Aleta says
You have blown my mind. I have ever heard of a fresh fruit cake. Ever. This is the coolest idea! What an amazing light dessert for potlucks, showers or barbecues.
Tara says
Ohhh I like blowing minds! 😊
Tammy says
OMG these are so beautiful! I've never had a melon cake but what a genius idea for summer parties ^_^
Tara says
It’s one of my favorite summer recipes!
Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says
So beautiful to see on a table and so refreshing and delicious to eat in the summer. We love all 3 of them!
Tara says
Ahh thanks! I agree
Eva says
This is soooo beautiful! I never thought of anything like this! Makes the big impression of a "real" cake when it's too hot to get the oven running to make sponge cake. Fantastic!
Tara says
Exactly!! I’m happy you like the ideas!!
Paula Montenegro says
I could live on watermelon and melons all summer long, so these fruit cakes are all that's right! Such a great idea and they look beautiful! Thanks for the inspiration.
Linda says
I just saw a 3-tiered cake using watermelon today and then I saw your post. Love the idea of using all different melons to create a fresh low cal dessert for a hot summer day. These would look beautiful on a BBQ buffet table for guests to enjoy.
Analida Braeger says
This is the most interesting cake Ive seen in my life ! You almost dont want to eat to it , its os pretty
Veronika's Kitchen says
Love it!!!! I saw something similar before but never paid attention.... I want to try it tonight as we just bought a huge watermelon!) less calories, yet soooo tasty!!!
Kathryn says
This is such a good idea! So light and refreshing and perfect for summer parties!
Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life says
Your melon cakes are absolutely GORGEOUS! And what a great idea for a show stopping cake when it's simply too warm to turn on the oven.
Danielle says
Ah, this melon cake is truly one of a kind! Delicious, healthy and so refreshing - just what we all need this summer.
Beatriz Drewek says
So thankful I found this! I live in the desert in Southern CA (is so hot you only want one s in desert as opposed to dessert-so good you always want more...never mind😊). It's the middle of November, 82° here, and my dairy free, gluten free, cancer-battling hubby's b'day. I made him one of these cakes and he loved it! Everyone did!
Where can I send you a picture of it?
Thank you for this great idea. Blessings.
Shay says
What type of whip cream did you use? I made the watermelon cake in the shape of a 2 for my little granddaughter’s birthday party last weekend. Don’t use the redi-whip! It ran all over before I could even get the other berries on. Everyone loved the general idea of it tho!
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Shay. I used heavy whipping cream. There are instructions in the recipe for sweetening and whipping it. It will absolutely hold up better than redi-whip! Love that you were creative with your granddaughter's birthday cake last weekend! Yes, try the extra step of whipping your own cream. It's more stable. If you like the taste, you can also use Cool-Whip, but I don't like it, so I don't use it.
Shelly Stack says
How long will these hold. My wife’s birthday is Tuesday. Could I make the fruit portion on Monday night to use Tuesday night? Then just make and add the whipped cream on Tuesday?
Thanks for the inspiration!
Tara Teaspoon says
Yes! Make the fruit portion and gently wrap in plastic wrap to store in the fridge. Then add your whipped cream the day off.
Enjoy!
Tara