Want a party game that doubles as dessert? Host Cupcake Wars! We split guests into two teams (kids versus adults) —and our theme was My Melody vs. Kuromi. Everyone decorated four cupcakes (two inspired by each character). Then we built two giant displays and crowned a winner. Here’s exactly how we ran it so it was fun and organized.
Cupcake Wars arena: My Melody vs. Kuromi in our pink-lit garage theater.
The Setup (“be extra", if you want) I repurposed our annual themed Halloween garage “theater” by keeping the black drape walls and projector, swapping the lights to pink, and hanging My Melody decor on one side and Kuromi on the other. Two folding tables (one per team) were covered with themed tablecloths, set with pink plates, and lit with battery-powered hanging bulbs. If you aren't as crazy as me and don't theme your garage for Halloween every October, two basic tables work just fine.
The Kuromi side—moody colors, spooky-cute vibes, and a hanging Kuromi balloon.The My Melody side—bright, sweet, and ready for pink frosting
The Labeling System (the secret to zero chaos) • Place a colored dot sticker on each plate: we used blue for kids and yellow for adults. Number every dot (1, 2, 3…). • On each large display stand, set individual cupcake circles and put the matching sticker + number on each circle—four per person. • Put the same numbered sticker on each guest’s cupcake to-go box. After decorating, guests transfer their cupcakes to the display by matching numbers. At pickup time, it’s easy to box the right four cupcakes for each person (using food-safe gloves, of course).
Decorating Rounds Each guest received 2 vanilla + 2 chocolate cupcakes (four total). • Round 1 (5 minutes): Decorate two Kuromi cupcakes at the Kuromi table (chocolate/purple frosting, bat sprinkles, pink chocolate skulls, etc.). • Round 2 (5 minutes): Switch tables and decorate two My Melody cupcakes (pink/white frosting, strawberries, mini marshmallows, cute sprinkles). We ran a big countdown on the projector between rounds.
The adults’ team hard at work creating their My Melody and Kuromi themed cupcakes, with the countdown clock projected on the wall behind them.The kids’ team, with my dad joining in as an honorary kid to help balance the teams.A guest on the kids’ team adds the finishing touches to her final cupcake.
Display, Judging & Prizes Everyone added their cupcakes to the corresponding numbered spots on the two tiered displays—about 40 cupcakes per team. I “agonized” over the decision and (of course) declared the kids’ team the winners. As a reward, they got to visit "Batz-Maru's XO Arcade" at the end of the party.
The final reveal—two giant displays packed with My Melody and Kuromi cupcakes.
Wrap-Up Our My Melody vs. Kuromi Cupcake Wars turned into the sweetest showdown. The numbered-sticker system kept everything organized so guests could proudly add their creations to the towers and take them home in to-go boxes (no cupcake mix-ups here!).
Huge shout-out to Crafty in Crosby for the foam-board cupcake tower tutorial that made our giant displays possible. My mom followed their guide to build the tiered stands we used for judging—and we loved them so much we re-used the towers in the Bubba’s Pizzeria party gift shop to display prizes. You can make your own with their tutorial here: Crafty in Crosby: Make Your Own Cupcake Tower.
Planning a full Sanrio celebration? Check out the rest of my Hello Kitty series: • Sanrio Party Menu Ideas (cute, kid-friendly snacks) • How to Make Big Party Signs (bold backdrops on a budget) • Hello Kitty Party Overview (all eleven themed activities in one place)
Pin this post for later, and if you run your own Cupcake Wars, tag me—I’d love to see your creations!
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