Fruit Cake for People Who Hate Fruit Cake

Fruit Cake with Coconut
whipped cream

Don't run for the nearest door just because the title says Fruit Cake.  This is a cake of a different color.  Fresh, Spring, Summer, Juice, and Glorious were all invited into the recipe.

Symmetrical melons are easier
to work with.  2 cakes from one
melon.  Cut off ends. Cut in half.

Fortunately, it takes very little time to prepare, and no two or three months to ripen.  This is ready to be eaten in minutes (can wait a few hours).  So grab your forks.

By slicing at the outer edge of the rind you
get the most from the wider melon below

Ready to decorate

The idea/recipe came from Rawforvitality's post on Facebook:  Rawforvitality. They used whipped coconut milk for the "frosting."

About 10 strawberries and one kiwi.
Blackberries were stabilized with
Toothpicks

Just waiting for someone to sing "Happy Birthday,
dear Teresa" then add the whipped cream.

My trial run on that found that the brand I used would not hold its shape for more than a few minutes.*  I needed three hours of "solid" frosting to hold until we were ready to serve.  My solution:  Cover the sides of the "cake" with halved strawberries.  Serve the whipped "cream" on the side so everyone can pour as much as they like over their piece.  Sharing the cake with friends today and sharing the recipe with friends in blogland are Things I get to do today.   I am so blessed!


*PS. The "cakes" were served up to many oo's and ah's.  Coconut cream on the side.  As the cream warmed to the room, it seemed to hold its shape better.  Recipe said to chill it first.  Next experiment will be to start with the coconut milk at room temp.  No sugar or flavor added to the coconut milk.  It was sweet enough on its own.

Flower Powered

I have Viking blood!  Well, more accurately stated, I'm one quarter Norwegian.  That stands for something, I'm not sure what.  Regardless of the fractions, Things I get to do today includes taking watermelon to a family reunion potluck.  Some things stir my creative juices, and the plane watermelon begged for something out of the ordinary.

Well, naturally a bowl made from the rind would be like a boat.  Any Norwegian with any sense, and there would be those who dispute the possibility that Norwegians could have any sense, but they're not we folk, any Norwegian would know that the boat to build would be a Viking ship.

Marsh Mallow masts
Shields of Calendula, Oregano, Borage, Bok Choy

Handy as this Andy is, she has never built a boat, let alone a Viking Ship.  We needed to leave for the family gathering in about 20 minutes.  Fortunately the only tools required were a knife, a BIG spoon, and little gadgets used for carving pumpkins.  A short time later, my helpful husband had cut the "boat" innards into bite-sized chunks while I tossed about Viking shield patterns for the sides of the craft.  With time on the side of extreme simplicity, a citrus zester was used to give a bit of pattern to the rind.  Flowers from the yard stepped up to add color, texture and design as well as to shape the "masts" that the rind/watermelon could not do.

I doubt that this melon tasted better than the others at the table, but folks moved toward the Viking ship and dipped generously of its contents.  Letting flowers on board for the shields seemed perfect--flower power--make peace not war.  Family reunions can always use a generous helping of peace.