Rainbows make a great last-minute party theme. Colorful and bright rainbow decorations and a great cake are easy to pull together for a birthday party, a Wizard of Oz party, a teen dance or for St. Patrick's Day.
Rainbows are a good choice for co-ed parties for tweens and teens, as bright colors work well for boys and girls of any age.
Easy Rainbow Party Decoration Ideas
The actual colors seen in a rainbow are: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. You can stick with these jewel tones, or use variations on the theme.
Quick colorful decorations include:
- Bright balloons (in balloon bunches, or formed into a rainbow-shaped balloon arch)
- A rainbow of solid color party supplies (yellow table covers, blue plates, green cups,etc,), mixed and matched
- Streamers in rainbow colors can be hung like swags, twisted and wrapped around poles, and used in all sorts of decorating.
- Hand drawn or purchased rainbows on poster board or banners are fun to display on the party entrance.
Variations include using pastel colors for a baby shower, pink and purple for a girl, or whatever color you wish your rainbow to be. A good place to start party planning is with your decorating colors. This helps pull any event together.
Fast & Easy Candy Rainbow Cake Decorating Instructions
A charming rainbow cake is a pretty party centerpiece. Using candy, it is also fast and easy to make. Using jelly beans or other candies, such as M&Ms, Dots, gumballs, or Mini M&Ms to form a rainbow and some mini marshmallows to form clouds, anyone can decorate a beautiful rainbow cake easily.
A rainbow design is adaptable to most any size or shape frosted cake. Use a common 9 X 13 inch cake pan, or adjust the rainbow size to fit the cake.
Rainbow Cake Supplies:
- 1 purchased or homemade cake, frosted in sky blue
- 2-3 bags of candy in rainbow colors of your choice
- 1 bag mini marshmallows (and some extra frosting) for clouds, white
Directions:
- Place frosted cake on a serving sheet before decorating, or leave in baking pan
- To assemble the rainbow, arrange different colors of candy in curved rows, to resemble the bands of color in a rainbow. It may help to draw a rainbow design on paper. See how to transfer a pattern onto a cake top at Wilton online. Check their Pattern Locator for "rainbow" designs, if you like. When planning your design, be sure to leave room on each side and bottom of the rainbow to add "clouds."
- Finish by adding mini marshmallows as puffy clouds on each end of the rainbow. Use spare frosting to get marshmallows to stay in place.
Variations:
- A pastel rainbow is sweet for a toddler birthday or baby shower cake. Simply purchase pastel-colored candy. Remember choke hazards when making a cake to be eaten by children.
- Clouds may be formed with frosting instead of marshmallows
- For a fun, casual event, kids can help decorate the cake and place the candies.
Note: Buying a few bags of colorful candy assures there will be enough of each color to complete the design. Extras may be added to party favor bags for guests.
Wizard of Oz Theme Rainbow Cake
Having a Wizard of Oz party? How about adding a yellow brick road winding diagonally across the cake (under and over the rainbow)? For the road, try using yellow Chiclets gum, cut Fruit Roll-Ups, or Starburst candies.
Another idea is to write "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" across the top of the cake.
Irish St. Patrick's Day Cake with Pot of Gold
Another twist on the rainbow theme is to add some (chocolate) gold coins or (chewing gum) gold nuggets at the end of the rainbow for an easy St. Patrick's Day holiday cake.
Baby Shower Cake
A bright or pastel rainbow cake is lovely for welcoming baby. Some ideas for phrases to write on the cake include: Bright Beginnings, Welcome Little One, God's Precious Gift, or Thank Heaven For Little (Boys) Girls!
Having twins? How about making a double rainbow cake? Or two baby shower cakes?
Your rainbow event will be fun and colorful whether you choose to use jewel tones or pastels. Bring out the balloons, expand on your chosen theme, and let the fun begin!
Other Party Food Ideas
Sometimes there is not enough time to do everything one wants to do. With easy party ideas like the rainbow party and 4-ingredient cookies, there is always time to enjoy friends and give gifts of fresh, homemade treats.
For even more easy ideas, please see:
- 3 Ingredients Easy Dessert Recipes Quick, Simple Sweets & Treats for Parties, Entertaining, & Everyday and
- Fast Easy and Yummy 3 Ingredient Cookies: Very Quick and Simple Three Ingredients Cookie & Bar Recipes
Rainbow Song Quote
Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high, / There`s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. ~ Anita Duarte
Janienne Jennrich - Janienne Jennrich, Topic Editor for Kids & Teen Parties and for Hair, is an award-winning freelance writer & webmaster.
