Watermelon Jolly Ranchers [paid link] do not taste like watermelon.  The same applies to watermelon blow pops [paid link] and watermelon licorice [paid link]. To me, the flavor of these candies is as close to the taste of a real ripe watermelon as a McDonalds burger is to an hand-formed grass-fed beef hamburger patty.   Likewise, you don’t find many watermelon cakes and cupcakes that taste similar to watermelon.  Most so-called watermelon cupcakes are cupcakes that are designed to look like a watermelon – not taste like one.

I wanted to make a true watermelon-flavored cupcake.

Step 1:  Make a watermelon syrup.