These Watermelon Cupcakes are a burst of summer in every bite! Perfect for pool parties, birthdays, or anytime you need a taste of sunshine. The fluffy pink cake infused with real watermelon flavor is filled with colorful sprinkles and topped with refreshing watermelon buttercream. They’re surprisingly simple to make but will absolutely wow your guests with their playful presentation and delicious flavor combination.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unique Flavor: These aren’t just pretty pink cupcakes—they genuinely taste like watermelon thanks to the drink mix that infuses every bite with that unmistakable summery flavor.
- Fun Surprise: The sprinkle-filled center adds an unexpected pop of color and texture that both kids and adults will love discovering.
- Showstopper Dessert: With their vibrant color, decorative frosting, and optional watermelon candy topping, these cupcakes are guaranteed to be the star of any dessert table.
- Versatile: Perfect for summer gatherings, but they’ll brighten up any occasion year-round when you need a dose of fun and color.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- All-purpose flour: The foundation of our cupcakes, providing structure while keeping them tender.
- Baking powder: Gives these cupcakes their perfect rise and light texture.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Butter: Use room temperature butter for that rich, moist texture that makes cupcakes so irresistible.
- Sugar: Sweetens the cupcakes and helps create that perfect crumb.
- Eggs: Provides structure and richness—make sure they’re at room temperature for best incorporation.
- Whole milk: Adds moisture and richness to the batter.
- Yogurt or sour cream: The secret ingredient that makes these cupcakes extra moist and tender.
- Watermelon drink mix: The star ingredient! This gives our cupcakes that authentic watermelon flavor and pretty pink color without artificial food coloring.
- Watermelon sprinkles: For that fun surprise center and decorative topping.
- Watermelon buttercream: Crowns these beauties with even more watermelon flavor.
- Watermelon candy: Optional but adds a fun decorative touch that immediately tells everyone what flavor to expect.
Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Variations
Want to mix things up? Try these creative spins:
- Mini Watermelon Cupcakes: Use a mini cupcake pan for bite-sized treats perfect for parties.
- Watermelon-Lime Cupcakes: Add a teaspoon of lime zest to the batter for a tangy twist that complements the watermelon beautifully.
- Chocolate Seed Cupcakes: Fold mini chocolate chips into the batter to mimic watermelon seeds for an extra cute detail.
- Watermelon Cupcake Sandwiches: Skip the frosting and create sandwich cookies by placing buttercream between two flat cupcake tops.
How to Make Watermelon Cupcakes
Step 1: Prepare Your Equipment
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line your cupcake pan with pretty liners and give them a light spray with baking spray. This ensures your cupcakes won’t stick to the paper.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt. This ensures even distribution of leavening agents and prevents clumping.
Step 3: Create Your Cupcake Base
In a large bowl, combine the room temperature butter, sugar, and eggs. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Then add milk and yogurt, whisking until everything is well incorporated.
Step 4: Combine and Color
Gently mix the dry ingredients into your wet mixture. Once combined, add the watermelon drink mix and whisk until your batter turns a beautiful pink color and the flavor is evenly distributed.
Step 5: Fill and Bake
Using an ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measure, fill each cupcake liner about 3/4 full. This gives them room to rise without overflowing. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Step 6: Cool Completely
Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Let them reach room temperature before decorating.
Step 7: Create the Sprinkle Center
Using the wide end of a piping tip, core the center of each cupcake about 3/4 of the way down. Save the removed pieces! Fill each hollow with colorful watermelon sprinkles, then replace the tops of the removed pieces to keep the sprinkles contained.
Step 8: Frost and Decorate
Pipe watermelon buttercream in a spiral pattern on top of each cupcake. Start from the center and work your way outward and upward. Finish with additional sprinkles and a watermelon candy on top if desired.
Pro Tips for Making the Recipe
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter, eggs, milk, and yogurt are all at room temperature for the smoothest batter and best texture.
- Don’t Overmix: After adding the flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make your cupcakes tough rather than tender.
- Consistent Sizing: An ice cream scoop ensures all your cupcakes are the same size and will bake evenly.
- Core Carefully: When creating the center hollow, don’t go all the way to the bottom or your sprinkles might fall out the bottom when you take a bite.
- Frosting Technique: If you’re not happy with how your frosting looks, you can scrape it off and try again that’s why replacing the cupcake top after filling with sprinkles is important!
How to Serve
These watermelon cupcakes are versatile enough to fit many occasions:
Summer Celebrations
Serve alongside fresh fruit at pool parties, picnics, or barbecues for a refreshing dessert option.
Themed Events
Perfect for watermelon-themed parties or summer birthdays. Pair with actual watermelon slices for an Instagram-worthy dessert table.
Complementary Beverages
These cupcakes pair wonderfully with:
- Lemonade for kids
- Watermelon mojitos for adults
- Iced green tea for a refreshing contrast
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep these cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. The buttercream will firm up in the fridge, so I recommend letting them sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Freezing
You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours before filling and frosting.
Make Ahead Tips
The cupcakes can be baked 1-2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Fill and frost the day you plan to serve them for the freshest presentation.
FAQs
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Can I use real watermelon instead of watermelon drink mix?
While fresh watermelon would seem like a natural choice, it contains too much moisture and not enough concentrated flavor for baking. The drink mix provides the perfect punch of watermelon flavor without affecting the cupcake texture. If you’re determined to use real watermelon, consider reducing watermelon juice into a concentrated syrup, but results may vary.
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What if I can’t find watermelon sprinkles?
Regular rainbow sprinkles work just fine! For a more on-theme look, you can find red and green jimmies or nonpareils to mimic watermelon colors. Or mix red sprinkles with mini chocolate chips for a “seeds and fruit” effect.
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Can I make this recipe as a cake instead of cupcakes?
Absolutely! This batter will make one 9-inch round cake or a 9×13 sheet cake. For the round cake, bake for about 30-35 minutes, and for the sheet cake, about 25-30 minutes. You can still create a sprinkle surprise by cutting a trench in the center of the cake and filling it before frosting.
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How do I make watermelon buttercream if I don’t have a recipe?
Create watermelon buttercream by adding 1-2 packets of watermelon drink mix to your favorite vanilla buttercream recipe. Start with less and add more to taste the drink mix is concentrated, so a little goes a long way. Add a drop of green food coloring to a small portion of frosting if you want to pipe a green “rind” border.
Final Thoughts
These Watermelon Cupcakes bring all the joy of summer’s favorite fruit to a delightful dessert that’s sure to make everyone smile. The surprising sprinkle center adds that extra touch of whimsy that makes these treats truly special. Whether you’re hosting a summer gathering or just want to brighten someone’s day, these cupcakes deliver big on both flavor and fun. The best part? They’re much easier to make than they look! So grab your mixing bowls and bring a taste of summer to your kitchen any time of year.
Print
Watermelon Cupcakes Recipe
- Prep Time: 6 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 24 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delightful watermelon cupcakes bursting with fun and refreshing watermelon flavor, ideal for summer gatherings or special treats. These moist cupcakes, paired with watermelon buttercream and sprinkles, offer a visually stunning and irresistibly tasty dessert experience.
Ingredients
Watermelon Cupcakes:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- 4 watermelon drink mix** single packs, (.44 oz total)
Assembly:
- Watermelon sprinkles
- 2 batches watermelon buttercream
- Watermelon candy
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place cupcake liners into a cupcake pan and lightly spray with baking spray. Set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and eggs. Whisk together until smooth and butter is well incorporated. Add in the milk and yogurt, whisking to combine.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Flavoring: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, whisking until combined. Add in the watermelon drink mix and whisk until the batter turns pink and the mix is fully incorporated.
- Fill Cupcake Molds: Using an ice cream scoop (or a ¼ cup measuring cup), fill each cupcake mold ¾ full for consistent cupcake sizes. Smooth batter if necessary.
- Bake Cupcakes: Place the prepared molds into the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let them cool for approximately 20 minutes or until room temperature.
- Prepare Cupcake Centers: Using the large end of a piping tip, gently press into the center of the cupcakes about ¾ of the way through to remove cupcake centers. Preserve the removed piece for later use.
- Fill Cupcake Centers: Fill the hollowed-out cupcake center with a small scoop (about ½ teaspoon) of watermelon sprinkles. Replace the removed cupcake piece to cover the filling.
- Pipe Frosting: Using a piping bag fitted with a round tip and filled with watermelon buttercream, pipe an even layer of frosting. Start piping from the center outward in a circular motion, building layers up to the top, aiming for about three circular passes.
- Decorate and Serve: Sprinkle additional watermelon sprinkles on the frosting for decoration and optionally top with a watermelon gummy candy. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- ** Watermelon flavored jolly rancher drink mix or kool aid drink mix both work wonderfully.
- Storage Tip: Cupcakes may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
