This fresh Watermelon Cake is the perfect summertime dessert! It’s light, refreshing, and is delightful on a hot day. Made with just a handful of ingredients, you don’t even have to turn on the oven to prepare this cake!
There are a lot of things I truly love about summer (you know, like ice cream, burgers, butter-soaked corn, beer), but the best thing by far is watermelon. While watermelon is fantastic just sliced up and slurped up, it’s irresistible in this vegan watermelon cake. It’s a perfect dessert to please a crowd because it’s light enough that you can enjoy after a huge BBQ dinner, dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, and OMG so good.
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
I make this watermelon cake at least once a month in the summer months and here is why you should as well!
- It’s great for summer evenings or holidays such as the 4th of July, Canada Day, and labour day.
- It comes together quickly.
- You can decorate it however you please.
- It doesn’t require planning ahead. There’s no need to bake, chill, etc.
Key Ingredients
Watermelon — Watermelon is low in calories and packed with antioxidants like lycopene which research has linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers.
Coconut yogurt — This is what we “frost” the cake with. The coconut flavour pairs really well with the watermelon as well.
Shredded coconut — Again, this is used to frost the cake as it’s mixed into the coconut yogurt. It also adds to the coconut flavouring!
Toppings — I decorate and top the watermelon cake with an assortment of fresh fruits and sliced almonds. Feel free to change it around!
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Cut off the ends of the watermelon and sit it up straight. Cut the watermelon edges off to yield a straight up and down side all around. Then go around the sides you just removed and round off the edges so it looks a bit more circular.
Step 2: Pat the watermelon a bit dry with a paper towel or a dishtowel. Set onto serving platter or cake stand on top of newspaper.
Step 3: In a small bowl, mix together the equal parts yogurt and coconut.
Step 4: Add a very thin layer on the top and sides of the watermelon. It may seem like more is better, but it will actually make it harder to decorate.
Decorate the top of the watermelon cake with the berries and sliced almonds.
Expert Tips
Feel free to skip the fruit and coat with some sprinkles, chocolate shavings, or coconut whipped cream! Feel free to change things around.
An offset spatula makes frosting the watermelon cake much easier.
Can’t finish a whole watermelon? Cut it in half and wrap the other half with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge. Frost and serve just half of the watermelon.
Recipe FAQs
A watermelon should feel heavy for its size. When you knock on it, there should be a deep sound if ripe. If it sounds hollow, it’s overripe. If the melon is very shiny, it is likely underripe as well.
Simply store the leftover watermelon cake in an airtight container or covered in the fridge. Enjoy it as soon as possible.
Simply skip the almonds if you have a nut allergy.
Sprinkling the coconut onto the sides can be difficult, so I suggest you place a newspaper down and gently toss the coconut onto the sides. I also found that you can blow it on and it works A-MAZ-ING, but I maybe wouldn’t tell anyone you did that LOL
More Recipes You Might Like
Want more vegan friendly recipes like this watermelon cake? Try these reader favourites:
- VEGETABLE SPRING ROLLS WITH CASHEW DIPPING SAUCE (VEGAN!)
- VEGAN CAULIFLOWER WINGS WITH “HONEY” GARLIC SAUCE
- PROTEIN OATS WITH TOFU (VEGAN)
- VEGAN BUTTER “CHICKEN” WITH TOFU (GLUTEN FREE)
Have you tried making a vegan watermelon cake? Leave me a comment below with some of your favourite ideas!
Watermelon Cake (Vegan Summer Dessert!)
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 large watermelon
- 1/2 cup dairy-free coconut yogurt unsweetened
- 1/2 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut
Decorations
- 1 small banana very thinly sliced
- 6 strawberries halved
- 1/3 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1/4 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced almonds
Instructions
- Cut off the ends of the watermelon and sit it up straight. Cut the watermelon edges off to yield a straight up and down side all around. Then go around the sides you just removed and round off the edges so it looks a bit more circular.
- Pat the watermelon a bit dry with paper towel or a dish towel. Set onto serving platter on top of newspaper.
- In a small bowl, mix together the equal parts yogurt and coconut. Add a very thin layer on the top and sides of the watermelon. It may seem like more is better, but it will actually make it harder to decorate.
- Decorate the top of the cake with the berries. I added a ring of blueberries around the edge, strawberries on top, raspberries peeking between the strawberries and lots of blueberries in the middle.
- Lightly toss coconut in between any empty places on the top and all along the sides of the “cake”.
- Add a row of alternating blueberries and raspberries along the bottom, then an overlapping ring of thin banana slices. Finish with thinly sliced almonds scattered throughout the sides of the cake.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve and enjoy crisp and cold.
Notes
- Feel free to skip the fruit and coat with some sprinkles, chocolate shavings, or coconut whipped cream! Feel free to change things around.
- An offset spatula makes frosting the watermelon cake much easier.
- Can’t finish a whole watermelon? Cut it in half and wrap the other half with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge. Frost and serve just half of the watermelon.
Nutrition
Updated on July 27th, 2021
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
Abbey Sharp says
Thanks for sharing! Love the post 🙂
Abbey Sharp says
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Sara says
yummy!
Abbey Sharp says
Thanks for sharing!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
OMG! This is soooo much fun. I love how fresh and festive it is for the 4th.
Abbey Sharp says
thanks Julie- enjoy!!
Christina Bauer says
Oh how fun! What a healthy alternative to a cake 🙂
Abbey Sharp says
exactly!
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner says
That might be too beautiful to eat! Love it
Abbey Sharp says
almost too beautiful…
KAYLA @ BLONDES HAVE MORE RUN says
This is so festive! I love it!
Abbey Sharp says
thanks Kayla! happy 4th of july!
debbie says
This is so creative and beautiful! I have to bring something to a 4th of july party and this would be perfect. though I have serious doubts mine would look as good as yours. 🙂
Abbey Sharp says
your friends and fam will adore this!!
Liz @ The Clean Eating Couple says
This looks amazing! I’ve always wanted to try a watermelon cake 🙂
Abbey Sharp says
youll love this!! its so refreshing.
Susie @ SuzLyfe says
How about we infuse it with vodka ;D
Abbey Sharp says
haha love this idea!!
GiGi Eats says
This is one of the most stunning cakes I have ever seen!
Abbey Sharp says
thanks! and its so healthy too!!
Tricia Vaughn says
What??? That picture sure had me fooled even after I read the caption. WATERMELON in the middle, oh my daughter would just love this, and hey today is her birthday too! hAPPY 4TH OF jULY!
Abbey Sharp says
you too!! that would make an AWESOME cake for a birthday party in the summer!!
glenneth says
i LOVE red white and blue desserts. this one looks fantastic! love how healthy it is.
Abbey Sharp says
its so good too!! video coming out today with it!
Abbey Sharp says
exactly!! so good
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home says
Oh my gosh, is this beautiful? I’d love to bring this to a picnic or BBQ. I’m afraid I’d make it a pinstrosity, tho…
Abbey Sharp says
hahaha oh no no, you will NAIL it. I have a video coming out today with a tutorial