Maybe you’ve already eaten a lot of watermelon this summer and it’s starting to get a bit old, or maybe you’re just looking for something inspired by the watermelon to make for a BBQ or get-together. Either way, watermelon is so fresh and delicious that you should definitely try to get your fill while you still have the chance. This watermelon-flavored jello cake is just the thing! It tastes great and it actually looks like a slice of watermelon — what could possibly be sweeter?
Watermelon Jello Cake with Cheesecake Cream Filling and Cookie Crust
This watermelon-flavored jello cake is just the thing! It tastes great and it actually looks like a slice of watermelon — what could possibly be sweeter?
Equipment
- Springform pan
- Mixing bowls
- Piping bag
- Plastic Wrap
Ingredients
- 14 oz graham crackers
- 1.75 sticks butter, melted
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 0.25 cup sugar
- 0.25 cup milk
- 2 tsp unflavored gelatin powder or 2 gelatin sheets
- 2 tbsp warm water
- 2 cups chopped watermelon
- 3 tbsp watermelon jello powder
- 0.25 cup sugar
- 0.75 cup warm water
- 4 oz dark chocolate
Instructions
- Place the graham crackers in a sealable bag and smash them with a rolling pin until they turn into crumbs. Divide the cookie crumbs evenly between 2 medium-sized bowls. Divide the melted butter evenly between 2 small bowls. Put green food coloring into 1 bowl of butter and red food coloring into the other. Whisk together the butter and food coloring until combined, then pour the red butter mixture into 1 bowl of cookie crumbs and the green butter mixture into the other and stir everything together thoroughly.
- Use a spoon to press the red cookie crumbs firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, then transfer the pan to the refrigerator and let it chill. Once the first layer of crust has chilled, remove the red crust from around the edge of the pan so that there's a gap about ½ inch thick around the perimeter of the pan. Press some of the green cookie crust in between your palms and line the edge of the pan with it. Once the green cookie crust is positioned around the interior of the pan, press a spoon against the crust to make sure it stays in place. Transfer the springform pan to the refrigerator and let the crust chill.
- For the cheesecake cream, use a whisk to combine the cream cheese, sugar, and milk. Dissolve the unflavored gelatin powder or gelatin sheets in warm water, and once they've dissolved, stir it into the cream cheese mixture until combined. Transfer ⅓ of the cheesecake cream to a small mixing bowl and stir in a few drops of pink food coloring. Pour the pink cream into the springform pan, transfer the pan to the refrigerator, and let the pink cream set.
- Cover a medium-sized bowl with plastic wrap and place it upside down on the pink cream in the center of the pan. Transfer the remainder of the cheesecake cream to a piping bag and pipe it around the exterior of the bowl. Transfer the springform pan to the refrigerator and let the cheesecake cream set.
- For the watermelon jello center, either make a package of watermelon jello according to the instructions on the packet, or make the homemade version. For the homemade watermelon jello, use an immersion blender to puree the cubed watermelon chunks until everything becomes a smooth liquid. Pour the pureed watermelon through a sieve directly into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the sugar, watermelon jello mix, and warm water until the jello mix and sugar have dissolved, then pour the jello mixture into the watermelon juice.
- Remove the springform pan from the refrigerator and carefully pull the bowl out of the set cheesecake cream. Use a ladle to spoon the watermelon jello mixture into the opening in the cake where the bowl used to be. Pop any air bubbles that form in the jello mixture, transfer the springform pan to the refrigerator, and let the cake chill.
- For the watermelon seeds, melt the dark chocolate and transfer it to a piping bag. Squeeze small drops of chocolate out of the piping bag onto a piece of parchment paper in the shape of watermelon seeds. Once the cake and the chocolate seeds have set, take the cake out of the refrigerator and carefully remove the chocolate seeds from the parchment paper with the tip of a knife. Place the chocolate seeds on the jello center of the cake.
VIDEO
This is the perfect summer cake recipe — the fresh taste of watermelon blends perfectly with the cheesecake filling and fruity jello center, and it’s all complimented perfectly by a crisp cookie crust. Now all you need is a refreshing drink, and you’re ready to kick back in the garden and enjoy a beautiful summer’s day!