Watermelon "cake" and whipped frosting

This isn't an actual cake, but it's pretty and healthy too! I've become known for making cakes, but I was supposed to bring watermelon to our gathering. What else did they expect from me? ;)

So how can you make your own? It was surprisingly easy compared to the cakes I normally make, that's for sure!

STEP 1: I found a nice heavy for its size watermelon and washed the outside thoroughly. You don't think about it, but when you cut it, the knife brings all those germs from the outside right on in!

STEP 2: Carve your "cake." Cut off the bottom 2 inches or so, creating a flat bottom. Then, begin slicing the rind off all around the sides. I like using a little turntable underneath my cutting board so I could rotate the melon another few degrees as I sliced off the rind, but it is not necessary. Finally, chop a flat top on your melon. I used a ruler to make a few notches so it was sort of level. Let's face it, it doesn't have to be perfect. The whipped frosting will cover a multitude of sins!

STEP 3: Make the whipped topping. Now, you can use Cool Whip, but a) it doesn't taste as good as this and b) it doesn't hold up as well either. So, give this a try!

Whipped frosting recipe
Beat until creamy:
8oz package of neufschatel cheese (or cream cheese)

To that, add and whip the living daylights out of:
2 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. almond extract

You want stiff peaks, so basically, if you were to remove the beaters, they leave an imprint in there that stays. It varies how long it takes depending on your equipment, but 5 minutes maybe? Go by what you see, not the clock.

STEP 4: Still have that watermelon? Does it look like a good cylinder? Now it's time to dry that sucker off! You want to remove as much moisture as you can. Be careful handling it though, you don't want to stick a finger into it and make a hole. But if you do, just put some extra whipped frosting in there!

STEP 5: Now comes the fun part! Ice the "cake" with the whipped frosting. You can put it in a piping bag and use a decorating tip to make it extra pretty. You can even color it and pipe "happy birthday" or make other designs! It will hold the piping too and won't "melt" like whipped cream alone or Cool Whip will. So there!

Step 6: Decorate with a bunch of pretty fruit. If you want some on the sides, you'll need to put toothpicks in there to hold them (like I did with the blueberries).

Done! Enjoy guilt free!*

 *If you're all about the guilt, by the way, the whipped frosting is INSANE as a filling for cake. It is especially yummy if you put a ganache in there with it. What I'm trying to say is it's an extremely versatile recipe!