Fresh Watermelon “Cake”

Watermelon and summer go hand-in-hand. Here’s a fun way to serve it up!

This recipe comes from an image I found on Pinterest. It is important to use full fat, not lite, coconut milk. Lite coconut milk will not whip.

Placing the coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight is also a must. It will cause the cream to separate from the milk. The thick cream is used, and the milk is poured off.

If you’d rather skip the coconut cream altogether, I have another Watermelon “Cake” photo from Pinterest at the end of the post, no recipe is needed for it.

Fresh Watermelon “Cake”

2 cans cold full-fat coconut milk, left in the refrigerator overnight
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1  1/2 cups sliced almonds, toasted
1 large seedless watermelon
Blueberries, strawberry slices, and kiwi slices for garnish

Turn the cans of coconut milk over and open the bottom of the cans, then slowly pour the separated milky liquid out into one container and then use a rubber spatula to scrape out the thick cream into the bowl of a standing mixer.

You may want to save and use the milky liquid for smoothies or other recipes that call for lite coconut milk. Refrigerate and use within a day or two.

Add the vanilla and agave nectar to the thick cream in the bowl. Whip the cream on high speed until it is thick and fluffy and has the consistency of whipped cream. Place the bowl of whipped coconut cream in the refrigerator until ready to frost the cake.

Use a long sharp knife to remove the top and bottom ends from the watermelon. Using the same knife, cut off the rind from around the watermelon. You will be left with a double-layer cake-shaped piece of watermelon. Cut the watermelon “cake” into 8 wedges and then put it back together on a cake platter to form the double-layer cake shape once again.

Pat the outside of the watermelon dry with paper towels. This will help the whipped coconut cream adhere to the watermelon.

Frost the “cake” on the top and the sides with the cold whipped coconut cream.

Press the toasted almond slices onto the sides of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with the fruit.

Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serves 8

Another lovely fruit “cake”  –   I’m not certain if the stars and small white layer are angel food cake or jicama, but either will do the trick.