Making the Base
Find several pie or cake pans in different sizes. Most diaper cakes will have about three layers, but you can do as few as one or two. If you can't find any pie pans, you can use other round, shallow containers—just make sure that the container is no more than half the diaper's height. This will make it easier to tie the diapers together later on. You can use any sized pans you want, but for a standard cake, consider getting the following three sizes: 10 inch, 8 inch, and 6 inch (25.4 centimeters, 20.32 centimeters, 15.24 centimeters).
Start filling the largest pan first. Put a stack of diapers inside the pan. Place them sideways, with the folded part facing outwards (towards the wall of the pan). Try to use size 0 or 1 diapers.
Keep filling the pan with diapers to form a swirl. Try to pack them as close together as you can. As you continue to fill the pan, you'll notice the diapers begin to swirl and curl within the pan. You may notice a gap or hole towards the center of the pan. Don't worry about the hole yet. If your largest pan is 10 inches (25.4 centimeters), plan on using about 20 diapers.
Wrap some string or a rubber band around the middle of the diaper "cake." This will hold your diaper cake together. Do not use tape or glue, as this can ruin the diapers, and make them unusable for the new mom.
Repeat the process for the other pie pans. Use the same process to make more layers. Each layer should be smaller than the last one. Remember to tie each diaper stack with a piece of string or a rubber band. If your next two pans are 8 and 6 inches (20.32 15.24 centimeters), plan on using 13 and 7 diapers respectively.
Putting it Together
Pull the diaper stacks out of the pans. They will keep their shape because you tied them together, but you may still want to be careful. Set them down on a flat surface.
Wrap a ribbon around the middle of each cake to hide the string or rubber band. Choose a ribbon whose color matches the cake's theme or the baby's gender. Cut a piece that is 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) longer than the circumference of your cake. Wrap the ribbon around the middle of the cake. Overlap the two ends by ½ inch (1.27 centimeters). Secure the two ends with a pin or a line of hot glue. Repeat for all of the stacks/layers. Don't pin the ribbon directly to the diapers. Also, don't get any hot glue on the diapers.
Stack the layers, starting with the largest layer on the bottom. Try to keep them as centered as possible. If your stacks have a hole in the middle, use that as a guideline.
Stick a dowel down the center of the cake. The dowel should fit right through the center hole of each stack. If not, push the dowel through each layer carefully, so that you don't pierces the diapers. Try to find a dowel that can reach through all the layers, but without sticking over the top of the cake. If you can't find a short enough dowel, don't worry. You can always cover the excess dowel up by tying soft toys around it.
Decorating the Cake
Consider the theme. If you are having difficulties choosing decorations for your cake, as the new mom what the theme for her baby shower will be. Base your cake's theme off of that. If the mom does not have a theme yet, here are some popular themes that work well for babies: Animals, especially zoo animals Trains Flowers and butterflies Teddy bears Oceans, such as whales and fish
Consider the colors. Soft and pastel colors are often associated with babies, so you might want to use those for your diaper cake. This does not mean that you have to use light blue for baby boys and pink for baby girls. There are other colors you can use too. Here are some ideas to get you started: Match the colors to the baby shower's theme. Use pastel primary colors, such as pink, pastel yellow, and light blue. Try warm colors for a baby girl, or cool colors for a baby boy, but in pastel hues (so pink instead of red, and mint green instead of green). Use yellow or purple if the baby's gender and the shower's theme are not yet known.
Use items that the new mom will find useful. Diapers are not the only thing a new mom will need and appreciate. There are lots of items babies need, and you could make the new mom really happy by including some of them in your cake. When picking out decorations, consider any of the following items: Baby socks Baby wipes Bibs and burp cloths Chew toys Pacifiers Rattles Soft toys
Consider mimicking a real cake. Just because you are making a cake out of diapers and baby items does not mean that your "cake" shouldn't resemble a real one. There are some details you can add that will give it the feel of a real cake. Here are some ideas to get you started: Find some baby barrettes or hair clips with rosettes or flowers on them, and clip them to the ribbons around your cake. Wrap some rickrack around the ribbon bands to resemble frosting. Secure it with a drop of glue. Cut shapes out of felt (or use baby-themed iron-on patches) to resemble fondant designs.
Attach the decorations so that they are easily removable. Hot glue might be the most durable, but the new mom might appreciate a cake she can pull apart and use. Avoid gluing or pinning the decorations directly to the cake. Instead, consider any of the following: Slip thin items, such as baby wipes, behind the ribbons. Stick pointy items, such as rattles, in between the diapers, so that they stick out like candles. Pin soft items, such as bibs and teddy bears, to the ribbons. Be careful not to pierce the diapers themselves. If the dowel was too long and sticks out of the top of the cake, consider tying some soft toys around it. This will hide the dowel and ensure that the cake topper of soft toys won't fall off.
Stack large items, such as soft toys, on top of the cake. Every cake needs a cake topper, and soft toys are perfect for this. Use a few pins as possible. These pins will pierce the diapers, and possibly make them unusable. You can also use other items for the topper, such as baby bottles or other nice baby toys.
Place the finished cake on a decorated cardboard circle. Many arts and crafts stores sell decorated cardboard circles meant for cake bases. You can also use a pretty plate or cake strand instead. A cardboard circle or cake stand will also make the cake easier to move around.
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