That Takes the Diaper Cake

A couple of weeks ago, a colleague reached out to invite me to a baby shower. I immediately said I would try to be there. I do love celebrating a new baby on the way. Then I started thinking about whether I had time to make a diaper cake.

I can’t tell you who in the world first looked at a pile of diapers and thought, “I should make those into a cake.” But that’s the kind of innovative thinking that I can appreciate. I love giving gifts that are useful, disposable, and fun. A diaper cake is all of those things. Babies use so many diapers, and diaper cakes are such a delightful way to present something so useful.

I was thinking that I have no idea how many diaper cakes I’ve made over the years. I’ve celebrated so many nieces and nephews and babies of friends and colleagues. Each time, as I start the process, I think, “How many diapers do I need for this?” And then I jump in and it all works out. You really can’t do it wrong, as long as you tie the diapers together successfully.

With all the babies I have on my prayer list right now, I was thinking that other people might be curious about diaper cake making, too. Here are a few basic instructions:

What You Need

• One package of #1 diapers (the one I bought was 44 diapers, and I used about 30 of them)
• One package of #2 diapers (the one I bought was 37 diapers, and I used all of them)
• Curling ribbon (and scissors to cut it)
• One roll of fun fabric ribbon if you like to tie around the outside
• Something to put on top (a rubber duck is great for this, but a small baby-safe stuffed animal or another appropriately-sized toy would work well, too)
• Items to tie onto the sides of the cake as decorations (baby utensils are great for this, but you can roll up washcloths and bibs and tie them on, and baby keys, tiny books, and little bath toys are fun, too)

How to Make the Cake

• Cut a long piece of curling ribbon—about four feet long. Use the larger diapers for the base. Take one and roll it up, tying it with a long piece of curling ribbon. That rolled-up diaper will be the center of that layer of the cake. Then wind the other diapers around that one, following along with the ribbon to keep them in place. You want to wind them fairly tightly. If you run out of ribbon and you still have more diapers to add, tie the ribbon around what you have and start a new piece. Diaper cakes are fairly forgiving.
• Repeat this process with the middle and top tiers. I usually get a fabric ribbon that’s pink or blue or gender-neutral and tie that around the outside, over the curling ribbon, but that’s not necessary if you’re happy with how the curling ribbon looks. Then you tie on the toys along the outside.

The biggest challenge is often figuring out how to get the cake safely to the shower. If possible, I put it into a clean reusable bag so the parent-to-be can also use to transport it home from the shower.

Also worth remembering is that not every parent uses disposable diapers. I am sure you could make a beautiful one with cloth diapers, but I never have—mostly because of the expense. But maybe one day!

Enjoy the Process

Making a diaper cake should never be anything but fun. If the idea of making one is stressful, you might want to stick to the baby registry or a thoughtful gift card. Or just give them a box of diapers.

If you decide to make a diaper cake, never underestimate the dollar store as a great place to find little items to tie onto the outside. And have fun! As much creative energy as I get to use in my life—and I do—there’s something about actually creating something for a friend and their baby that is special. It gives you a chance to focus on the excitement of the baby on the way and even pray that all goes smoothly in the final weeks of the pregnancy.

Of course, you could give a diaper cake even after the baby arrives, when the new parents have discovered just how many diapers you can fly through in a day. Then they will be especially grateful for the cake.

The baby I made this diaper cake for is due right around St. Patrick’s Day, which is why I put a festively-themed rubber duck on top. The mother was delighted and told me it was the first diaper cake she had received.

Is there anything more exciting than a baby on the way? I hope you will join me in praying for a safe and healthy arrival and a smooth transition for this growing family.

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