Rainbow parties are all the rage right now. The bright festive colors are just in time for summer pool parties and last day of school picnics. These palette inspired cupcakes feature different colored frosting and plenty of bright colored cupcake liners. Mix and match your favorite cupcake liners to create a color palette you love. This is also a great way to incorporate the huge design trend that is spreading like wildfire: ombre! These two color inspired frosting techniques can be easy to create yourself.

{Pink Ombre Cupcake Wrappers: Baby Pink Diamond Cupcake Wrappers, Pink Polka Dot Cupcake Wrappers, Emma Blush Pink Cupcake Wrappers, Hollywood Pink Cupcake Wrappers, Platinum Glitter Fuchsia Cupcake Wrappers}

Ombre Frosting: What is ombre? Ombre features graduated layers of colors. The design trend is on everything from wedding invitations to hairstyles! For frosting or cakes, this means starting with dark pink and ending with light pink.  Some bakers are incorporating the ombre into the batter for a surprise once you cut the cake: each layer is a shade darker than the last. This is super cute when combined with ombre frosting.

For an ombre frosting display, choose which color palette you would like to feature. For a wedding cake or wedding cupcakes, stick to one shade. Rich deep tones such as purple, blue or green are perfect. Separate the frosting into four different dishes. One dish should have slightly more than the others for layering over the top of the cake. Four color tones should give you a good amount of coverage without going too far overboard. Using food safe coloring gel, add color to each bowl. Start with one drop each and then add more as you go along. If you’re making ombre cupcakes, decorate with a variety of cupcake wrappers in fun shades.

{Ombre Cupcake Supplies: Yellow Cupcake Wrappers, Orange Cupcake Wrappers, Red Cupcake Wrappers, Pink Cupcake Wrappers, Purple Cupcake Wrappers, Blue Cupcake Wrappers, Tiffany Blue Cupcake Wrappers, Green Cupcake Wrappers}

Rainbow Frosting: The trick to making rainbow frosting is instead of using the same shade and adding more drops, separate frosting into five different colors. When we made rainbow cupcakes we separated the batter into five different colors: red, orange, yellow, green and blue. Each received five to ten drops of food coloring dye. Frosting is the same procedure: separate and dye. Then carefully scoop into a piping bag.

Cupcake Frosting Techniques: One popular way to decorate a cupcake is to use a cupcake frosting tip in round circular motions. With colored frosting this creates a wave of rose flowers. Start at the bottom with your darkest color and then move towards the top. When you frost in circles you’ll have spaces in between each rose. Pipe small swirls to fill these gaps. An easier way to frost your cake with ombre or rainbow is to frost in layers. Starting with the darkest color at the bottom, scoop frosting onto a spatula or frosting knife and “smear” the frosting along the bottom. Add colors as you go.

{Green Ombre Cupcake Wrappers: Kiwi Green Polka Dot Cupcake Wrappers, Kiwi Green Cupcake Wrappers, Kelly Green Spanish Tile Cupcake Wrappers, Platinum Glitter Emerald Green Cupcake Wrappers, Green Chalkboard Cupcake Wrappers}

Rainbow Cupcakes: You can create individual rainbow cupcakes by separating the dyed batter into bowls. Add a teaspoon of each color into your cupcake liners. Once your cupcakes are baked (per your standard instructions) frost cupcakes with rainbow frosting. Each cupcake has a slightly different color by separating the frostings and dying them individually as you go. This process takes longer but it yields pretty awesome cupcakes. To make it easier, use color coded bowls and cupcake liners so you don’t get confused.

Rainbow Cupcake Wrappers: Not up for individually decorating each cupcake? Use colorful cupcake liners and a wide variety of cupcake wrappers to create a rainbow display instead. Each cupcake tier on your cupcake stand can feature an ombre of cupcake wrappers. We’ve showcased this look for many of our cupcake displays. Starting on the bottom tier use blue cupcake wrappers with our green cupcake wrappers; then branch to purple and red, orange and yellow and top off your tiers with white! You’ll have the same bright fun rainbow cupcake display without the fancy baking tricks.

Any of these fun festive cupcake ideas are perfect for your next cupcake party. If you’re having a rainbow themed wedding or a colorful pride party, these are the perfect cupcakes for you!