When I was a kid I wanted to be a gymnast. I remember watching a movie on Romanian Nadia Comaneci and how she scored a perfect 10 on the uneven bars in the 1976 Olympics and thought to myself that I was born to be a gymnast.
So my best friend and I started teaching ourselves cartwheels, back bends and once even decided to create our own dismount station on the side of my brother’s bed so we could practice somersaults (I shrudder at the thought of our bravery then!). During long car trips my Dad would play classical music and I would close my eyes and pretend to do a floor routine to the music of Mozart and Tchaikovsky.
So the logical thing to do was ask my parents permission to take proper gymnastic lessons – and I was devastated when they said no. I am assuming they thought it was too dangerous. Maybe they thought I wasn’t ready… maybe, they weren’t ready. I brooded over what to do next for months. Finally, I decided to write them what I thought was a tear jerker of a letter asking them to reconsider their decision. And what a letter it was. I’m pretty sure the phrases “this is my dream” and “please, please, please” came up many times. The next day, they relented.
Now take a look at this Strawberry and Watermelon Cake which is a signature dish at the Black Star Pastry in Newtown. I first heard about this cake from a number of bloggers many months ago and thought “Huh? No that’s just wrong! Watermelon in a cake? How is that going to taste?” Then I saw it again in this month’s Gourmet Traveller and glanced at the recipe and knew I had to give it a go.
Think layers of almond dacquoise, rose scented cream and a refreshing watermelon surprise in between. Now on top of this you’ve got the sweetest, juiciest rose scented strawberries, grapes and pistachios. Don’t be intimated by it’s beauty. It’s a relatively simple cake to make but looks very impressive and it’s a great cake to make ahead of time for parties or dinners. This is a wonderful gluten free cake that I know I am going to be making many times while strawberries are in season.
I humbly admit I was wrong. Maybe I just wasn’t ready then.
Sometimes, no, means just not now.
Black Star Pastry’s Strawberry and Watermelon Cake
- 250 grams seedless watermelon, thinly sliced
- 60 ml rose water
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
- 40 grams almond meal
- 500 grams strawberries, quartered
- 10 seedless grapes, halved
- 1 tbsp chopped pistachios, raw and shelled
For Almond Dacquoise
- 150 grams ground almonds
- 150 grams icing sugar
- 5 egg whites
- 135 grams caster sugar
Rose Scented Cream
- 300 ml thickened cream
- 30 grams caster sugar
- 30 ml rosewater
Procedure
- For the almond dacquoise, preheat the oven to 200c. Process the almonds and icing sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks (around 3 to 4 minutes) then add the caster sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form (around 1 to 2 minutes). Gently fold through almond mixture, spread on a 30 cm by 40 cm oven tray lined with baking paper and bake around 10 to 15 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool on a tray, then cut in half, lengthways.
- Arrange the watermelon slices in a single layer on a wire rack. Sprinkle with 20 ml rosewater then scatter 2 tbsp sugar. Stand to macerate around 30 minutes then pat dry with absorbent paper.
- Meanwhile, for the rosescented cream, whisk the 300 ml cream with the 30 grams sugar in an electric mixer until soft peaks form, gradually add the rosewater and whisk until stiff peaks form (do not overwhisk).
- Spread 1/3 of the rose cream evenly over the half dacquoise, scatter half the almond meal (20 grams), then layer the watermelon, the remaining almond meal (20 grams) then spread over half the remaining cream. Top with the remaining dacquoise, spread over the remaining cream and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours until firm.
- Combine the strawberries, remaining rosewater and remaining sugar in a bowl, toss to combine and set aside to macerate (around 15 minutes). Carefully arrange on top of the cake, gently pushing into the cream. Trim the edges of the cake, scatter over the grapes, pistachios and serve. (Optional – 1 tbsp dried rose petals to spread over the cake as well.
On other news please head on over to the New Asian Cuisine site for some of my recipes! I’ve been a big follower of this site for months and it has provided me with tons of inspiration for my posts. I’m so happy to be featured here as well.
New Asian Cuisine is a celebration of Asian cuisine by providing the largest database of delicious Asian recipes from over 100 chefs, restaurateurs, bloggers and Asian food experts worldwide. From a variety of Dumpling recipes, Sweet Rice stuffing for your Thanksgiving turkey, to lots of cooking tips from the chefs themselves, they’ve got it all! They are also an online resource guide of Asian cookbooks, Asian ingredients and have provided a list of over 1000 Asian supermarkets and Asian online grocery stores in the US and Canada.
New Asian Cuisine was originally launched in 2005 by original founders, Wendy Chan and Grace Niwa. As of 2009, New Asian Cuisine is owned by Asian Culinary Productions, Inc. and published by Grace Niwa of Niwa PR and Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen.
Hi! I’m working on a watermelon recipe round-up for The Huffington Post Taste and would love to feature this recipe. Please contact me if you’re interested. Thanks!
[…] Strawberry and Watermelon Cake, from Trissalicious – This dessert has two of the best summer fruits, so luckily you don’t have to make a tough choice between strawberry and watermelon. Enjoy the juicy sweetness of this amazing fruit pairing, and in the form of a moist and delicious cake no less! […]
My name is Nora and I work for Bon Appetit Magazine. We’re creating a feature on top web watermelon recipes and we’d like to feature your Strawberry and Watermelon Cake . Can you please send us your best photo in 646 pixel format, and grant us permission to use the photo on our website in a slideshow? The picture will link back to your blog. Please let me know ASAP!
Best,
Nora Landis-Shack
[…] Strawberry & Watermelon Cake from Trissalicious […]
The cake is so gorgeous and the combination of watermelon and strawberry so intriguing that I had to include in a post on my blog. Really, really gorg and original. Thanks for the post!
[…] dacquoise, rose scented cream, sweet berries and pistachios that make up Trissalicious’ Watermelon Strawberry Cake with Rose Scented Cream is a totally impressive gluten free dessert for any special dinner party and Trissa promises […]
How unique is this cake!! Watermelon!!! Looks yummy, but looks so hard to make! and the almonds and pistachios are very expensive in my country…any substitution?
[…] saw this thanks to a fellow facebook friend, and decided I had to give it a crack. Isn’t quite as […]
[…] title alone just makes you drool! This entry from Trissalicious sounds like the perfect addition to my recipe […]
My jaw just dropped looking at your cake. This is beautiful, Trissa!! I’ve never had watermelon in my cake before, how was the texture? And a gymnast? WOW! We just have to be relentless with our dreams!
beautiful cake~~
Just checking that you only have to cook the almond dacquoise for 10 to 15 minutes?? another recipe I saw said 70 to 80 minute…
Lovley cake – do you really only have to cook the almond dacquoise for 10 to 15 minutes?
@Donna – Yes the dacquoise was only baked for that long… 🙂
Well done Trissa, looks great!
My jaw just dropped looking at your cake. This is beautiful, Trissa!! I’ve never had watermelon in my cake before, how was the texture?
And a gymnast? WOW! We just have to be relentless with our dreams!
Gorgeous photos! How did the gymnastics go?
@Jamie – I was terrible at it! 🙂
Wow trissa! Another delicious dessert! It actually looks better than blackstars if I may say so! What an explosion of exciting colours and flavors!
This is my favourite cake of theirs. It’s so unusual. I had no idea that Gourmet Traveller had printed their recipe. I tried making a while back it by just guessing 😛
Holy smoke!! that just looks fantastic!!!!
That is one of the most beautiful cakes I’ve seen in a very long time. And so many flavours that I adore!
I, too, wanted to be a gymnast when I was younger. I took lessons for a few years (I think?) and my crowning glory was the night I finally did a backflip for the first time.
Now I can’t even touch my toes without it hurting.
Sigh.
This looks so good, but I’ll have to wait for watermelon season. I love the colors though for this time of year.
This cake looks stunning! Simply beautiful 🙂
It’s truly a lovely cake, Trissa. Not only does it sound delicious, but the presentation is so elegant….all those lovely layers. Very unusual and I’m copying now.
So what happened with the lessons? Did you ever compete?
I almost fainted when I first sank my teeth into this dessert. Your pics are bringing back great memories. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Ah you have just given me a touch of summer in the snow blizzard we are in at the moment! That looks so good and indeed and intriguing combination to have watermelon in a cake… Hmm, maybe I’ve got to give this a go next summer!
When I saw your tweet of this Watermelon cake, I couldn’t stop thinking of how gorgeous and tasty this cake would be. Look at the colour …Oh, very mouth watering… Should try it some time.
I’ve never heard of watermelon in a cake before! This looks so cool! As soon as I can get my hands on some watermelon, I want to try this recipe out. Yum!
Wow! These photos are stunning! I was thinking of making this recipe too. Yours looks absolutely perfect. Bet it tasted amazing 🙂
Oh my God Trissa- Gorgeous!. I saw it in GT and thought what a bugger it is that I won’t be around for summer as it looks like the perfect Xmas Day dessert to me. You are very clever! And your blog is beautiful. Thanks for visiting mine btw – appreciate your support. It is only a fledgling but I look forward to nurturing it a bit more from Japan x
This is too pretty and I’m daring when it comes to food so I say “yes” and I mean “yes please right now!” :).
Watermelon in a cake? Wow! This is new to me too…but rose scented cream!!!!!!!! Phew! I want to make it for that alone! Thank you for sharing another one of your gorgeous creations!
what an exquisite cake. stunning work, trissa. oddly enough, my favorite thing about this post is your nifty knife–i love that heart cut-out at the end! 🙂
I’d say no too! But I recently figured that watermelon can be quite versatile. I had watermelon “sashimi”. At a glance, i thought it was tuna.
nice presentation! never thought of putting watermelon in there. rose scented cream though…omg.
this cake looks amazing trissa!
Pretty!
I think I have an opposite story to yours, I remember pushing my daughter to join gymnastics but she was scared, I think she will love it that’s why I was pushing her but to my luck nothing happened. Anyway, watermelon is a bit odd on the cake but I guess just by the sound of it as by norm we dont do it always, but looking at the recipe and pictures above looks like its really delicious
Raymund
http://angsarap.wordpress.com
I had this the other day – it was yummy! i’m so lucky my sister can do these incredible things with food 🙂
What a pretty cake! I love the addition of the pistachios – gorgeous 🙂
My mouth was watering as I read the description! And the photos!! Oh, I want that plate now.. the bigger one that is ;-D
That is absolutely neat…there needs to be a cute teapot and some nice friends in the picture for an awesome tea party.
Absolutely LOVELY!
You are right – I could do this. I am glad you said it was relatively easy, or I wouldn’t have read the recipe in such detail as it looks daunting. And, I love the flavour combinations. Definitely a cake for a ladies birthday or a tea party. YUM. I like the idea of switching it up, too… for instance, I have some violet essence that is incredible that I got in Paris. I could see voilet making a beautiful flavour combination with the watermelon, as well…
🙂
Valerie
this looks awesome,I love the knife..
Trissa, this is absolutely beautiful!! I can only dream of making something like this! Do you have to eat this quickly? Does it turn soggy? Oh, big congratulations on being featured on New Asian Cuisines!
@Shirley – You don’t have to eat it early… in fact, you have wait awhile for the dessert to “set” before you cut it. Adding almond meal below and on top of the watermelon helps to keep it from sogging!
Wow – looks just like (if not better) than Black Star’s!
I wonder if i could make a cake that looks that beautiful. It is truly gorgeous daaaaahling. It looks like it could have come right out of one of the big French patisseries.
*kisses* HH
This looks devine! I would be dubious about watermelon in cake too, but I am converted.
What a stunning looking cake and different too, just the sort of show stopper a girl wants to bring along to Christmas dinner as my offering Im thinking, so thanks for this. Congratulations also on being featured on New Asian Cuisine.., I’m off to have a look see now.
@Anna – this would definitely be a hit at a Christmas dinner!
What a yummy treat! Love the summery layers. Can’t wait to make this recipe myself!
Looks like a great recipe! Must give it a try.
Not sure if I’m missing something, but the ingredient list seems to be short the almond meal that gets spread over the daccquoise. “scatter half the almond meal”
Keep up the good work!
Scott
@Scott – thanks for picking that up – my bad – I adjusted the recipe.
The photography on this post is so wonderful … I wish I was a little bird on your windowsill! Not only would I observe your camera technique, I’d peck at those strawberries atop that gorgeous cake!
Being a gymnast sounds terrifying! I wasn’t that rough-and-tumble as a kid; it freaked me out. Haha.
This is a really interesting idea for a cake. I bet the watermelon adds a really interesting texture.
Oh – an congratulations on your feature! Very cool!
I am baking this. MUST… so beautiful. I just LOVE it!
This is surely a cake that has to be eaten at least one… or twice… or more!
I’ve been hanging to go back to Black Star but maybe I’ll just make it myself now =)
That just looks so beautiful. You did a great job of it. I just love those photos 🙂
Oh that is so beautiful. I am there with you, I would never of using watermelon.
This cake looks so pretty! At first I was also thinking “watermelon in a cake?”…but looking at the lovely layers I’m sure I can be swayed 🙂
Congratulations on your blog featured in New Asian Cuisine. It’s a fabulous site that I visit often. I was a little unsure about watermelon with cake…… Now I AM CONVINCED! It looks so good.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Bettina A delRosario, Trissalicious. Trissalicious said: New Post: Sometimes No Just Means Not Now. Strawberry and Watermelon Cake http://bit.ly/gfaRzO […]
Yum! Looks delish.
One question, the recipe doesn’t say when you’re meant to layer in the watermelon?
Can’t wait for big juicy watermelons to be available in New Zealand (they’re a bit floury and pale at the moment).
@Laura – I forgot to add the watermelon – off all things – the recipe has been fixed now. Thanks for picking this up.
I like you had (think I still do) problems with watermelon in a cake. I too saw it in GT, but now you have tried it and are very impressed, I think I may give it a go.
When I first saw this cake, I though yes, it is definitely beautiful (yours looks absolutely stunning!) but the watermelon factor turned me off. Now that you have said it changed your mind after tasting, I think I will bookmark this after all
Black Star Pastry must be afraid, very afraid – because this looks exactly like their version of watermelon cake. It’s beautiful!
Gorgeousgorgeousgorgeous! I am in love with the whole, but am swooning for the rose-scented cream…[swooned]
After such a heartfelt letter, how could any parent NOT change their minds? But then, what became of your gymnastic dreams?
@Tracey – Re: Gymnastics – you don’t want to know! LOL!
By the way, love that you continued with your gymnastic dream 😛
OMG Trissa! This looks wonderful! I’ve had the one from Black Star and I must say yours looks spot on. Thanks for finding the recipe, definitely want to make it soon.
I remember hurting myself real bad when doing somersaults on mum’s bed when I was a kid! The only reason I did that was because she had a bigger bed. My single race car bed was way too small! LOL
This layer cake is sublime Trish
I bookmarked that very recipe 🙂 Well-done Trissa.
OMG!! That looks soooooo yummy but looks like it would be so hard to make.
@Cassandra – it’s not that hard to make – promise! Just requires some planning ahead! 🙂
That is just gorgeous!!! I bet it was a lot of fun to make 🙂