True story: No one built me a diaper cake for my baby shower and I was a little disappointed. They’re just so pretty! What a nice thing to think about during 4 a.m. diaper blowouts. Bonus: They’re useful. If you’re wondering what a diaper cake is, it’s pretty easy to explain: It’s a bunch of diapers rolled and stacked to resemble a tiered cake. Of course, these days people are getting even more adventurous with their diaper “cakes” and sculpting everything from motorcycles to Cinderella’s carriage. If you’re feeling crafty and want to show your love and excitement by spending some time building your very own diaper monstrosity to gift your mama-to-be friend’s baby shower, we have a few lessons and tips. If, however, you want to give the gift of a diaper cake without actually putting in the work, we’ve got you covered there, too.
DIY Diaper Cake Instructions
The gist is pretty simple. You take diapers and roll them up, securing with a small piece of tape or some rubber bands. When you have enough, you cluster them together in a circle to make your base cake. From there, you can simply tie a ribbon around the outside of the circle to hold them in place and hide the bands. Some people get more creative and layer another row of overlapping diapers around the bunch, first. It makes it look a little more polished, but also requires a ton more diapers. You’ll repeat these steps for each tier, making them smaller, as you go up. Don’t forget to use a cardboard cake round at the base to avoid the center collapsing during travel. Still lost? It’s probably easier if you watch a video or two. Each one offers some unique guidance, so you can go your own way from there.
DIY Diaper Cake Tips
Seems easy enough now, right? Here are some tips we found helpful.
Don’t go for the crazy-expensive diapers. Free diapers are free diapers. Plus, many mamas prefer the Target brand, anyway. Consider the fancier, decorative diapers for the outside-only If you don’t want to look cheap or just want to add some color, you could always use more expensive diapers with cute designs for the outer layers but fill the center with cheaper diapers.
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Embellish with more useful items
Instead of ribbon to hold that top tier in place, how about a baby headband? And those rubber bands you’re using to hold each rolled diaper? If they’re having a girl, why not invest in some small hair elastics, so they’re reusable? You can clip or attach decorative tchotchkes from Hobby Lobby, but you could also attach more useful things like binks, socks, mittens or bows.
For more color and design, throw in bibs, burp cloths, or blankets, all things experienced parents know can come in clutch when your laundry basket is filled to the brim and you need a burp cloth stat!
Use tape sparingly It’s a pain to peel off diapers. You want this thing to be useful, right?
Think Outside The (Diaper Cake) Box
Maybe you’ve seen plenty of cakes and want to try your hand at a different sculpture? There are plenty of options out there. Check out some of these awesome diaper sculptures.
Check out this motorcycle!
An adorable deer
Maybe you need a princess castle?
Or a choo-choo train
How About A Diaper Bouquet?
If you’re feeling especially ambitious, you could also try a diaper bouquet. Each bouquet would only have as many diapers as you feel like rolling up. Option: Make a bunch of mini bouquets for the tables at a baby shower. And, of course, if you want to be slightly more unique or want something more colorful, don’t be limited by diapers. You can also roll baby washcloths, socks and bibs and use those to make flowers for your bouquets, too.
Or A Diaper Bear
This teddy bear made of diapers is also adorable. If you take a closer look, we think you can figure out how to make it pretty easily. Plus, you can give mama a few more essentials by dressing the teddy in a hat, socks and mittens. And don’t forget a bink!
The Best Diaper Cakes You Can Buy
While this is by no means even close to a full or extensive list of the diaper cakes available to purchase online, they are some of our favorites. Want to match a certain theme? Just go to Etsy, where mamas across the globe are making a little extra money by selling diaper cakes and diaper sculptures. The possibilities are endless.
Honest Brand The Honest Company knows ain’t nobody got time to make their own diaper cakes. They make and sell their own versions that include all their cute prints and come in multiple sizes to accommodate any budget. (As long as your budget is between $40-100.) Etsy’s MagsWheels These mini-cakes might just be genius! The four cakes cost $50, but they can also double as centerpieces for the shower. We’re lovin’ the cute nautical design on these. Mommy-to-bee Cake From Etsy This design takes the cake. (Yeah, we went there.) Not only is this $60 cake with a sunflower/bee theme super chic, but the cost averages out to a dollar per diaper. That’s really not bad when you consider all the extra prettiness (and effort) involved.
Diaper Motorcycle From Etsy
If diaper cakes are not your jam and the mama-to-be is a bad ass, why not go for a motorcycle made entirely of diapers? Coming in at $88.50, this diaper cake is sure to be a centerpiece no one forgets any time soon.
Silly Philly Unicorn Diaper Cake (For Twins!)
Looking for something absolutely over-the-top? This sculpture is a diaper cake and so much more! It has diapers, diaper covers, wash clothes, burp pads and blankets designed specifically for a set of boy/girl twins.
So, what do you think? Are you making your own or just buying one of these awesome creations?
Some of our favorite baby jokes to go with that diaper cake
How did the baby tell her mom she had a wet diaper?
She sent her a pee-mail.
Tell me, does the stork deliver babies with their diapers on?
No, they’re stork naked!
What did the new parent say upon seeing “16 to 28 pounds” on the side of the diaper box?
“That’s one huge bowel movement!”
When do parents change the most baby diapers?
In the wee wee hours.
Do I have to have a baby shower?
Not if you change baby’s diaper very quickly.
“Why is that baby still in diapers?” I’ll give you two reasons: Number 1, and number 2.
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