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Challenge: Healthy Swaps

No Bake Watermelon Cakes

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Need a fresh idea for a dessert for your Fourth of July celebration? Have you heard of watermelon cakes? No cooking required!

No Bake Watermelon Cakes

Ingredients

  • Watermelon (I like the large seedless variety)
  • Your favorite fruit (I like berries, grapes, cantaloupe and pineapple)
  • Lots of toothpicks and wooden skewers
  • *Whip cream ingredients and directions below – if you want a frosted cake

Preparation

  1. Cut the caps from each end of the watermelon. You want to remove enough off each end of the watermelon to leave a wide cross section from which the cake round(s) will be cut from.
  2. Stand the watermelon upright on one of the flat sides. Using a long slender knife cut along the inside of the watermelon just before the rind. Slowly work your way around ensuring the knife reaches the bottom on each cut. Flip the watermelon over and repeat the cut.
  3. Next, cut the rind vertically to release the watermelon round. Pat dry with paper towels and transfer watermelon round to a serving plate and set aside.
  4. Prep your fruit to add to your watermelon cake. I like to use small cookie cutters and wooden skewers.
  5. Prep your coconut whip cream for frosting, if desired. TIPS for icing – pat the watermelon dry and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to overnight to dry the outer layer so the icing will adhere. One the icing is on the watermelon, keep chilled until served.
  6. Add whipped cream frosting followed by fruit (sliced almonds and/or shredded coconut are a nice addition to the frosting) or simply start adding your fruit with toothpicks. If you are creating more than one layer of watermelon cake, insert long wooden skewers through the tiers of cake for stability.

Recipe Tags

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Need a fresh idea for a dessert for your Fourth of July celebration? Have you heard of watermelon cakes?

Let me walk you through the fun steps to create this sweet, healthy NO BAKE cake!

You are only limited by your imagination here. You can make a single layer cake – even using frosting if you like (coconut whip cream recipe below) or you can make a grand 3-tier cake and surround each watermelon round with cut fruit – getting as festive or as simple as you prefer.

Optional - Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients:

1 can of full fat coconut milk (left in fridge for 6 hours/overnight or the freezer for 2 hours) *I have used Thai Kitchen and Native Forest

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp raw honey

Directions:

1.Make sure to place the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours/overnight or the freezer for 2 hours. This will cause the cream to separate and harden. The cream will be at the top of the can.

2.Open the can of coconut milk upside down and pour out the liquid – saving for smoothies. Scrape out the cream into a medium sized bowl.

3.Add the vanilla and honey to the mixture. Whip the cream with a hand mixer on medium speed and work your way up to high speed until the cream is fluffy, about 5 minutes. Place the bowl of whipped cream in the fridge until ready to use.

These cakes (or cupcakes) are such a guilt free and refreshing treat. They are super easy to make, but will make you look like a superstar when you serve this unexpected delight!

Find more Simple, Healthy Solutions at www.thenutritionmom.com

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