Diaper Cakes - A Fun Gift To Give

Diaper cakes are a wonderfully creative way to give a mother-to-be a very practical gift. Whether you have little or no crafting skill or you’re an award-winning artist, you can still make a beautiful diaper cake gift. Let’s look at how to make these useful gifts.

To make a diaper cake, you’ll need a large package of disposable diapers – at least 54 total. You’ll also need a large number of rubber bands, including many small ones and a few large ones. In addition, you’ll need a base for the diaper cake – this can be a cake plate or a cardboard circle, either commercially cut or made from scratch. Finally, you’ll need either two 8 ounce baby bottles or one 8 ounce bottle and one 4 ounce bottle. These supplies form the basis for the cake. In addition to this, you’ll need materials to decorate the cake. At a minimum, you’ll want some ribbon and tape, preferably double-sided.

As you’re making the diaper cake, keep in mind that the diapers aren't just an art supply – they're the present! Be sure to handle the diapers in such a way that they remain usable.

To make the cake, roll the diapers up into round cylinders. Beginning at one end of the diaper, roll it up into a cylinder and secure it with one of the small rubber bands. You can open the diaper out flat and roll from one edge all the way across to the other top edge, or you can leave the diaper folded and roll the diaper that way, beginning at either the top or the bottom. Many disposable diapers have colored borders at the top – you can roll this to the inside or the outside, however you prefer. Roll up all of the diapers before you move to the next step.

For the next step, you'll need the cake plate or cardboard circle that you’re using for the cake base. If you want to cover the base – with wrapping paper, for example – do so now. Then, place the 8 ounce bottle in the center of the base. Using one of the larger rubber bands, secure about six diapers around the baby bottle. You'll want the inside of the diaper cylinder turned toward the bottle. Place another circle of diapers outside these, again securing them with a large rubber band. If you’re making a three layer cake, place a third circle of diapers around the base, also held in place with a rubber band.

For the second layer, place two circles of diapers around the top of the baby bottle and on top of the layer you just completed. Place the additional bottle in the center of the cake and make a final circle for the top layer.

The basic structure of your cake is now completed. At a minimum, you’ll want to cover the rubber bands holding the outermost circles in place with ribbon, which can be held in place with double-stick tape. Remember not to get tape on the diaper themselves!

Some decorators like to tuck candies inside the bottom bottle and use the top bottle as a “vase” for holding artificial flowers. You can use real flowers, as long as they’re contained in a water tube so that the diapers don’t get wet. After all, we're saving that bit of fun for the baby!

The decorations on the cake can be as elaborate as you want. You can cover entire layers with blankets, decorate the cake with flowers made from baby socks, or tuck baby toiletries into the layers. You’re only limited by your budget and your imagination!