How to Make Diaper Cakes: 18 Adorable Ideas (2024)

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Diaper cakes are the hit, still, to give moms to be to help celebrate their new baby, but with professional diaper cakes costing around $100.00, you might find yourself wondering if you can create your own. With a little bit of patience, you can create your own DIY diaper cake with this guide onhow to make diaper cakes as well as diaper cake ideas.

It’s no surprise that giving diapers at a baby shower is one of the best gifts you can give a new mom. I mean with babies going through over 2500 diapers in the first year you could say they will be very appreciated.

But giving a box of diapers might seem very underwhelming to you. That’s why giving a diaper cake is a great idea!

The great thing about diaper cakes is that they make great centerpieces for the baby shower! So if you are throwing a shower and have all thebaby shower gamespicked and all you have left is the decorations think about creating this very useful centerpiece to fill the table.

What is a diaper cake?

A diaper cake is a structure that resembles a cake that is made of diapers. It is then covered with smaller baby items or ribbon to tie it all together.

The diaper cakes can be thebaby shower themebut most often they are just simple and decorated for a boy or a girl.

Of course, if you want to get creative you can do a zoo, car, princess, or any theme that fits the new mama’s style.

How to make a diaper cake

While it may seem complicated, creating a diaper a cake is actually quite simple with the right supplies and patience.

Supplies:

  • Cardboard
  • Double-sided tape
  • Rubber bands
  • Scissors
  • Twine
  • Sparkling cider
  • Diapers
  • Decorations / ribbon
  • Hot glue

Instructions to make a diaper cake

  1. First, you will want to glue your sparkling cider to the middle of your cardboard.
  2. Roll up 64 diapers and then rubber band them.
  3. Take 32 of your diapers and arrange them close together around the bottle. Be sure to evenly distribute them around the bottle.
  4. Once you have them where you want them, take your twine and tie them together. Be sure this is in the middle of the diapers. (Don’t worry, it will be hidden).
  5. Next, create your second layer on top of the first. Use 16 diapers.
  6. Again tie this with the twine.
  7. Repeat the process of arranging the remaining diapers (8) and tying them with the twine.
  8. Wrap the bottom layer of your cake with ribbon to hide the twine. You will want to use a thicker ribbon for this.
  9. Repeat this process for the second and third layers.
  10. Add your decorations.

It’s that simple to make a diaper cake.

18 Adorable Diaper Cake Ideas

There are so many adorable diaper cake ideas that you can create. Try one of these great ideas!

  • Princess
  • Motorcycle
  • Ballerina
  • Elephant
  • Shark
  • Owl
  • Disney themed
  • Unicorn
  • Jungle
  • Star Wars
  • Baby duck
  • Bath Themed
  • Boat
  • Fondant Themed (covered in fabric)
  • Book Themed (for the book lovers)
  • Harry Potter
  • Dr. Seuss
  • Snowman

FAQS when it comes to making a diaper cake

With so many questions out there on how to make a diaper cake, we thought it would be a great idea to answer all the frequently asked questions when it comes to creating diaper cakes.

What size diapers do you need to create your cake?

Many people think you want to use newborn diapers to create your cake. I like to use size 3 diapers. Be sure whichever size and brand you use that you find ones that are white.

How many diapers do you need for a diaper cake?

The amount of diapers really depends on the size of the cake that you create. You can expect to use anywhere from 38 to 64 for a three-tiered cake.

To determine the exact number of diapers you need you will want to decide how wide you want the bottom layer. A common amount is to use 32 diapers. You will then halve this amount for layer number 2 (16) and then halve it again for the top layer (8).

What do you put on a diaper cake?

You can pretty much put anything you would like to fill a diaper cake. If you are creating a theme cake you will want to stick with items that go with your theme. But if you are creating a generic diaper cake you can add bath toys, shampoo, lotion baby powder, washcloths, etc. On the top, you can add a small toy or a stuffed animal.

Do you use the diapers from the diaper cake?

Some wonder if you actually use the diapers from your diaper cake. The answer, absolutely. You will want to undo the diaper cake and lay them flat so that they can become flat again so they are easier to use.

What do you put in the middle of the diaper cake?

When creating your diaper cake you need to put something heavy in the middle. You can use a shampoo bottle but another great idea that I like to use is a bottle of sparkling cider for the mom and dad to be to drink to celebrate.

How much does it cost to make a diaper cake?

It is certainly cheaper to make a DIY diaper cake than to buy one. Professionally made cakes can cost close to $100.00 or more. But you can create your own for the cost of diapers, a few decorations, and some simple craft supplies.

Now that you know how to make a diaper cake you can be the talk of the next baby shower you go to with one of these fun themed cakes! Which cake are you thinking about creating? Share in the comments below!

Check out these other great posts!

12 Tips To Host a Virtual Baby Shower

50+ Perfect Baby Shower Quotes and Messages to Share with the New Mom

14 Fun Baby Shower Games to Play at Your Next Baby Shower

How to Make Diaper Cakes: 18 Adorable Ideas (2024)

FAQs

How many diapers do I need for diaper cake? ›

Most diaper cakes use about 50 to 75 newborn or size 1 diapers. Here's what you'll need: A cake topper (a stuffed animal, ribbon, board book, etc.) A sheet of cardboard or a cake plate.

How do you stabilize a diaper cake? ›

Once you're done, secure the diapers in place with an extra-large rubber band or a ribbon. The ribbon can be fastened with hot glue (just take care not to get any on the diapers), or with a knot or bow. If you use a rubber band, you'll be able to cover it later on when you get to decorating your diaper cake.

How to make a nappy tower? ›

For a wraparound nappy cake, place a clean paper towel roll upright on your base and wrap the nappies around it. Keep wrapping until the first tier of your nappy cake is as wide as you want it to be. Once you're done, secure the nappies in place with an extra-large rubber band or a ribbon.

What holds a diaper cake together? ›

Shown below on the left, you can roll up individual diapers and secure each one with a rubber band, or tie them with a ribbon. Place the rolled diapers around the cake and secure each layer with one big rubber band or ribbon.

What size diaper is best for a diaper cake? ›

There is no hard fast rule about what size of diapers to use. As a mom, I thought about this and what my needs were for my children, and decided to go with the size 2 diapers.

Are diaper cakes practical? ›

Diaper cakes for baby showers are a creative and fun way to celebrate a soon-to-arrive or newly arrived baby in a colorful, practical and useful way!

What tape to use for diaper cake? ›

I like using the clear tape to keep the diapers look steady and flat; it won't show or damage the diapers, so later on, the mom is able to use them when she needs them. No wasting what-so-eva! Note: any clear tape will do the job.

Are diaper cakes worth it? ›

Diaper cakes are a very unique and original gift, which makes them a hit with the new parents (and with guests at celebratory events like baby showers). The uniqueness factor alone leaves a big impression on the happy recipients; a diaper cake is simply unlike any other gift.

What can you do instead of a diaper cake? ›

Diaper Cake Alternative Inspirations
  1. DIY daddy's diaper changing tool box. DIY daddy's diaper changing tool box. ...
  2. "diaper" gift sets. "diaper" gift sets. ...
  3. Diaper cake, unique baby shower gift. Diaper cake, unique baby shower gift. ...
  4. USA TODAY: Latest World and US News - USATODAY.com. ...
  5. Baby Clothes Bouquet.

How to make a diaper cake easy? ›

Place a heavy bottle of baby lotion or shampoo in the center of your cake base. You can also use an empty paper towel or wrapping paper tube. Begin making a layer of rolled up diapers all the way around the bottle. Secure all of the individual diapers together with one large rubber band all the way around the outside.

How do you make diaper ice packs? ›

How to Make a $20 Ice Pack for $2
  1. Step 1: Gather Supplies: 1 disposable diaper (any body with little kids has one of these on hand for free) ...
  2. Step 2: Make Like a Tick. Slowly dribble about a cup of alcohol onto a disposable diaper. ...
  3. Step 3: Bag It. Insert diaper into ziplock bag. ...
  4. Step 4: Freeze It.

How do you make a diaper Genie work? ›

Insert the dirty diaper.

Push the dirty diaper all the way down through the clamp. Ensure that the clamp closes again after you have inserted the diaper. Once you have done this, close the lid. Once the clamp closes, the Diaper Genie® twists the film directly under the clamp, sealing the dirty diaper at the top.

What size diapers are best for a diaper cake? ›

60 to 65 size 1 or 2 diapers (but it doesn't hurt to have extras in case; the final amount you need may depend on the size and brand of the diapers) A variety pack of rubber bands. A wrapping paper tube or an empty paper towel roll (cut to 18”) A 10” round cardboard cake board.

How many size 1 diapers do I need? ›

Size 1 (8 -14 pounds): Most babies need size 1 diapers until 4 months of age, and they'll soil about 8-10 diapers each day. Therefore parents can plan to buy around three to four boxes, based on 164 diapers per box.

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