Taste the Rainbow: Simple Skittle Cake

A few weeks ago I looked all over my blog for this post I know I had written.  Well, I never found it, because it turns out, I wrote it for a guest posting stint over on the 733 blog. That was last July, so I think they will forgive me, if I repost it here, so I can find it in the future and to share with those of you who weren't with me at the time.

On my blog you'll find lots of parties that I spend months planning and preparing for.  Unfortunately, we don't always have months to get ready for an event.  For example, I found out that we would be having my SILs b-day dinner at our house just a week or so before the event.  No one really asked or expected me to do much other than provide dessert, but if you know me (do you know me?), you know I have to inject a little insanity into most every occasion.  I really did keep this one pretty simple for once!

While shopping at Target a day or two before the dinner, I found some fun napkins, plates, and decorations on 75% off clearance!  (Did I mention I'm cheap?  Anyone else have a radar for those red price tags at Target?  I'm drawn to them like a moth to a flame.  But I digress...)

These were actually the perfect things to go with the chicken enchiladas my Mother-in-law was making and the sort-of Fiestaware plates I have (I have Oneidas Petals line. They look a lot like Fiestaware.)

Then to keep the cake simple (I was at this amazing photoshoot all day the day before, and didn't have a lot of time to go crazy), I used a lemon cake mix, filled with lemon pudding.  I added some fresh lemon zest and juice to both to help them taste fresh, and a layer of coconut with the pudding filling.  We made cream cheese frosting and then decorated the cake with Skittles to mimic the pattern on the napkins.

It was fast and easy, and I learned that everyone was excited about having skittles on their cake!  My daughter had her purple bouquet left over from the photoshoot (originally made by Zuzu's petals), and it made a great centerpiece.  So all in all, it was a festive and fun celebration for just a few dollars!

*****

This could be a fun and easy cake to do for St. Patrick's Day or any spring celebration where you might want a rainbow design.  I chose these colors based on the napkins, but if you added the yellow, it would look a lot like a rainbow.