Watermelon Cake

1 . Stage

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat three 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray; set aside. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

2 . Stage

Whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, gelatin, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl.

3 . Stage

Beat butter at medium speed with a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, until creamy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended and stopping to scrape down sides of bowl after each addition. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

4 . Stage

Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating at low speed until just blended after each addition.

5 . Stage

Beat in vanilla and red food coloring gel until blended. Toss chocolate chips with remaining 1 tablespoon flour in a small bowl. Gently fold into batter. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

6 . Stage

Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

7 . Stage

Bake in the preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 28 to 32 minutes.

8 . Stage

Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on wire rack about 1 hour. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

9 . Stage

Prepare Frosting: Beat butter and salt with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes; beat in vanilla. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

10 . Stage

Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with 6 tablespoons cream, beating on low speed, until completely incorporated and smooth, about 2 minutes. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

11 . Stage

Remove 1/3 cup of the frosting to a small bowl. Remove 2 cups of the frosting to a medium bowl; stir in enough red food coloring until desired shade of red. Tint remaining frosting with green food coloring gel until desired shade of green. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

12 . Stage

Assemble Cake: Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter or cake stand. Spread top with 2/3 cup red frosting. Top with a second cake layer; spread top with 2/3 cup red frosting. Top with remaining cake layer; spread top with remaining red frosting, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

13 . Stage

Frost sides of cake with green frosting. Place reserved 1/3 cup plain frosting into a piping bag or zip-lock bag with a 1/4-inch hole cut in the corner. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

14 . Stage

Pipe plain frosting around top edge of cake, filling in the 1/4-inch border. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

15 . Stage

Sprinkle top with miniature chocolate chips to resemble seeds.