Instructions for a Diaper Cake

Expectant mothers will love the ingenuity and usefulness of a diaper cake.

Diaper cakes make practical gifts for expectant mothers because all of the items in the cake are then used for the baby. Baby shower hostesses often make a diaper cake as a centerpiece for the gift table and incorporate colors and theme elements from the rest of the party and décor. Some people like to bring a diaper cake to the hospital as a fun gift shortly after the baby is born.

Things You'll Need

• Round platter or cardboard base
• Tall 8-oz. baby bottle
• Double-stick tape
• 60 disposable diapers, size 1 or 2
• 60 small rubber bands
• 3 large rubber bands
• 2 yards of 1-inch ribbon
• 4-oz. baby bottle
• Small baby toys and supplies

Instructions

1. Place double-stick tape on the bottom of the 8-oz. baby bottle and stick it on the center of the round platter or cardboard base. The rest of the cake will be built around this bottle.

2. Unfold each diaper and roll it into a tight roll, starting at the front of the diaper and ending at the back. Secure each diaper roll with a small rubber band in the middle. When you are done, you should have 60 diapers rolled into tight cylinders.

3. Arrange six diapers in a circle around the baby bottle. The diapers should be standing on their ends and should completely surround the bottle. Put a large rubber band around the whole thing to keep it tight.

4. Arrange 11 more diapers in a circle around the first ring of diapers. Use another large rubber band to hold them together.

5. Arrange 18 more diapers around the previous set to make a third ring of diapers. Instead of securing these with a large rubber band, tie a length of the ribbon around the entire bottom layer of the cake and tie off the ends in a pretty bow.

6. Build a second layer on the diaper cake by arranging six more diapers around the top of the baby bottle sticking up from the bottom layer and securing them with a large rubber band. After making a second ring of 11 diapers, tie a length of ribbon around them like you did to finish the previous layer of the diaper cake.

7. Set the small 4-oz. baby bottle on your work surface and arrange six diapers around it. Tie pretty ribbon around the top layer, which you can just set on top of the cake. Use a bit of double-stick tape to hold the bottles together in the center if needed.

8. Decorate the diaper cake with baby toys and supplies, such as a hairbrush, bibs, rattles, washcloths and pacifiers. Place a stuffed animal or toy on the top of the cake as the topper, and stick other items between the diapers or under the ribbon on the outside of the cake.

Tips & Warnings

• You can build a diaper cake that is only two tiers if your budget will not allow for a larger cake.

References

• Plan the Perfect Baby Shower: How to Make a Diaper Cake