If including a library is overkill here is a solution that is guaranteed to work.

$('div').click(function() {
    $(this).css('background-color','#FFFFCC');
    setTimeout(function() { $(this).fadeOut('slow').fadeIn('slow'); } , 1000); 
    setTimeout(function() { $(this).css('background-color','#FFFFFF'); } , 1000); 
});

1. Setup event trigger
2. Set the background color of block element
3. Inside setTimeout use fadeOut and fadeIn to create a little animation effect.
4. Inside second setTimeout reset default background color

Tested in a few browsers and it works nicely.

If including a library is overkill here is a solution that is guaranteed to work.

$('div').click(function() {
    $(this).css('background-color','#FFFFCC');
    setTimeout(function() { $(this).fadeOut('slow').fadeIn('slow'); } , 1000); 
    setTimeout(function() { $(this).css('background-color','#FFFFFF'); } , 1000); 
});

1. Setup event trigger

2. Set the background color of block element

3. Inside setTimeout use fadeOut and fadeIn to create a little animation effect.

4. Inside second setTimeout reset default background color

   Tested in a few browsers and it works nicely.