This Watermelon Cupcakes Recipe is a must try for Summer. Everyone will go crazy over these watermelon themed cupcakes, and they are so easy to make!

I just love watermelon themed stuff so this Watermelon Cupcakes Recipe seemed like a great cupcake recipe to try. These cupcakes are so fun to make, and you will impress your family. You might also like Watermelon Cookies Recipe and Watermelon Popsicles Recipe. Also try 35 Best No Bake Summer Desserts.
Table of contents
Why this recipe works
The secret is a cake mix but there are so many delicious add-ins that you will think it is all from scratch. Plus, the decorations are not hard.
The “watermelon seeds” are chocolate chips. Yum! The gorgeous color of the cupcakes gets its vibrant color from jello. Plus, we just used a green cupcake liner and it easily completed the look. Another fun summer recipe is Margarita Cupcakes for a birthday party.
What makes the Watermelon Flavor?
When making these Watermelon Cupcakes, there is no need to buy a fresh watermelon. All you need is a watermelon flavored jell-o packet. It makes it easy to bring that yummy flavor of watermelon to your cake mix.
Ingredients

- White Cake Mix or our Homemade Cake Mix Recipe
- Small Box Watermelon Flavored Jell-O
- Buttermilk or Milk
- Large Eggs, Room Temperature
- Pink Food Coloring, optional
- Mini Chocolate Chips – plus more for decoration
- Frosting of your choice
The entire ingredient list can be found at the very bottom.
Variations
- Use Chocolate Sprinkles – Instead of mini chocolate you can use chocolate sprinkles instead.
- Change the Cake Mix Color – You can dye the cake mix green instead of pink. You can also use red food coloring instead of pink.
- Powdered Sugar – You can dust with Powdered Sugar after you frost the cupcakes.
How to make Watermelon Cupcakes
- Step 1. Prepare oven and Muffin Pan – Preheat oven to 350 degrees and add cupcake liners to pan.

Step 2. Combine Cake Mix and gelatin in a large bowl. Whisk together dry ingredients.

Step 3. Next, add the eggs, buttermilk, and oil to the mixing bowl. If using food coloring, add a few drops and mix until desired color. Then fold in chocolate chips to the cake mixture by hand and not with an electric mixer or stand mixer.

Step 4. Combine until everything is mixed together.

Step 5. Divide the batter into the muffin tin and bake. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Then top with frosting and more chocolate chips.
What type of frosting to use?
Decorate with frosting of your choice and add mini chocolate chips. We love Cream Cheese Frosting and this Buttercream frosting. Both are delicious choices and very simple to make.
If you don’t want to make your own frosting, you can use the store bought frosting, and top with chocolate chips.
Frosting the cupcakes with piping bags makes it easy to frost.

Frequently Asked Questions
Cupcake liners are not required. It is something that I forget to grab when I get supplies for this recipe. If you don’t have any, you will need to spray the cupcake pan with non-stick spray so cupcakes can easily be removed from the pan.
Using cupcake liners, do help with easy clean up on the cupcake pan.
Keep the cupcakes covered or in an airtight container at room temperature and they should last for up to 4-5 days.
More easy cupcake recipes
- Lemon Cupcakes Recipe
- Pink Champagne Cupcakes
- Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
- Lemon Cupcakes
- Piñata Cupcakes
- Key Lime Cupcakes
Try this delightful summer recipe for birthdays and treat your family. Then come back and leave a comment.
Watermelon Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 small box 3.4 oz watermelon flavored jello
- 1 cup buttermilk or milk
- ½ cup oil
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- Pink food coloring optional
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips plus more for decoration
- Frosting of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and add cupcake liners to pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake mix and watermelon jello.
- Add eggs, buttermilk, and oil.
- Mix until completely smooth.
- If using food coloring, add a few drops and mix until desired color.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Divide batter into cupcake liners.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Decorate with frosting of your choice and add mini chocolate chips.