Diaper Cakes by Devon

These past few weeks, I have slowly been making a creation for a baby shower! A diaper cake!

The excited couple are (appropriately) going with a tool theme in the nursery, so I was equally excited to tackle this one.

I racked my brain to figure out how to make it perfect. And because my friend SA always wants to know how I do "crafty things" I will include instructions for her so she may continue to add joy to people's lives.

I began with 96 diapers in size 1-2. You can use more or less diapers, but go with a ratio 1:2:3 when deciding how many diapers to use in each layer. It is very important to NOT to any tape, pins or rubberbands on the diapers so you do not ruin them.

Take a large item, such as a soup can and place in the middle of a pizza pan. Then, begin the bottom layer of your cake. Take 3 diapers and fan them out with approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch overlap. Continue all the way around the soup can until a complete circle is made.

Once the outer circle is made, use the remaining diapers for that layer and fan them in the inner circle.

Take a piece of scrap ribbon and pull around the cake TIGHTLY. Make sure all the diapers are laying flat and tight against one another and tie as tightly as you can.

Measure the decorative ribbon by wrapping around the cake, with about a 1/2 inch extra (I have folded this under already) - this makes for a perfect, straight edge.
Cut the proper length.



I double layered the ribbon, using a dark blue and a blue and tan plaid because of the colors being used in the nursery. Measure the second layer of the ribbon by laying aross the wider ribbon. You can use more layers if you wish, just vary the width of the ribbon. I finished the edge using a lighter (to prevent unraveling). If you do not know how to do this, please do not do it. You will set the ribbon on fire.

I hotglued the two ribbon layers together, and then added decorative buttons to accent. This step is not necessary, but I wanted to add a little extra without overkill.

I completed these steps with all 3 layers of my diaper cake.

Here is the finished product.

I then used paper shreds in a beige color to fit around cardboard circles. The circles were cut the came size as each layer of the cake.

Normally, I would attach all the layers of the cake with cake dowels. In order to do this, holes would be cut in the cardboard as well. I did not do this so it could easily be taken apart for the transit to the shower.

The cake was topped off with an adorable Build-A-Bear in overalls, workboots, and a toolbelt. I used a cake dowel to stand him on the top of the cake, which was hidden in the back of his overalls.

For some reason, the picture makes it look a little lopsided, but here is the finished product.

The mom-to-be LOVED it and is so excited about it, she declared that she will not be taking it apart to use the diapers. HA! I hope she wakes up when she realizes how many diapers she will be changing!