How to Make a Diaper Cake (The Easy Way)

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Diaper cakes are easy to make, especially this no-roll diaper cake! Create this easy diaper cake in just minutes with these tips and tricks.

DIY stacked diaper cake with brown satin bows

I like to give useful gifts when I go to baby showers, everyone loves buying newborn clothes but I’m a diaper girl-I give diapers because they are useful and something I know will get used.  But I do like to dress them up a bit into a pretty little diaper cake, just because a gift is practical doesn’t mean it can’t be cute!

How to make a diaper cake without rolling

You’ll need a base, diapers, large rubber bands, dowel, and various sizes of round dishes or bowls. Instead of rolling the diapers, we’ll be created a swirled pattern using the dishes as a template.

An in process collage of how to make a DIY diaper cake with four different pictures
  1. To create the largest of the swirled layers place a stack of diapers in the large pan and curve around the plate to let them form a circle. Adjust until the spacing is just right.  Then use a rubber band around the outside to hold it together. 
  2. I like to place a little surprise in the middle of the bottom layer-here it is a tube of diaper cream.  Repeat for the second layer.  I formed the top layer in my hands before securing with a rubber band as I didn’t have a small enough dish.
  3. Stack the layers and insert a dowel down the middle to hold it up. 
  4. Tie ribbon around each layer to cover the rubber bands and decorate as you like. (I used roughly 50 diapers for this cake.)
  5. Decorate as desired (see below for ideas)
diaper cake with blue and green ribbons and accents

How to decorate a diaper cake

  • cake topper
  • tissue paper flowers
  • silk flowers
  • scrapbooks paper flowers
  • curling ribbon
  • small toys
  • ribbon & bows
  • floral picks
  • baby booties
  • stuffed animals
  • rubber duckies
collage of diaper cakes with text reading super easy diaper cake

FAQs

What are the best diapers to use for a diaper cake?

I suggest finding plain or subtlety patterned diapers for your diaper cake. You can also choose diapers with a fun pattern that matches your decorating idea.

What size diapers should I use?

While any size diaper will work, I like to gift size 2 or 3 diapers so I use those in my diaper cakes. Babies grow quickly and many will outgrow newborn and size one diapers before they can use them all if they received many as gifts.

How many diapers do you need?

Depending on the size of your cake you’ll need between 40-75 diapers for a three tiered diaper cake.

What do you use as the base?

The base can be a pizza pan (get one at the Dollar Tree inexpensively), cake board, charger, or even a piece of cardboard cut to size.

DIY stacked diaper cake with brown satin bows

What else can I make with diapers?

To complement the diaper cake I made a little basket with the leftover diapers and ribbon.  I also made a couple of cutey-patooty diaper babies.  These guys are adorable and super cute. 

Simply roll a diaper up and secure with a rubber band. Then using a baby washcloth, wrap the bottom 2/3 of the diaper up swaddle style.  Roll a baby sock up and use as a hat.  You can dot some eyes on with a sharpie like I did or glue on a couple of googly eyes.

A close up of diaper babies in a wicker basket with a brown bow

What do you like to give expecting parents at baby showers? Do you have any tried and true parenting advice to give new parents? Find more DIY Baby Shower Crafts here.

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23 Comments

  1. Too cute!! I love the added ribbon!! I haven’t been to a baby shower in a long time. Most of my friends, myself included, are done having kids. When I used to go, I give a basket/hamper with diapers, Desitin, my favorite sippy cups, travel toys, and something for the Mom like a Starbucks gift card.

    1. Crystal, that is such a great idea to include a little something for the mom, I’ve never heard of that and it sounds like such an ice touch-I’m definitely going to start using that idea! My baby shower days are starting to dwindle down as well…for a few years there it seemed like there was once every month!

  2. Oh. Man. Why don’t I have any showers to go to? I had no idea these diaper cakes were so easy to make! And those babies too!

  3. Pretty dang cute! I think the ribbon was the perfect touch. No babies around here but I’ve pinned for later…fingers crossed!

  4. How great does that ribbon look with those diapers? That is a great “double-duty” gift! So cute and SO practical! The diaper babies are adorable. My sister is still in baby making years…..maybe I can do this for her soon!!

  5. Oh my gosh, that looks too cute! I love the non-traditional baby brown too, it “goes” with the tan & blue on the diapers! I’m going to have to save this for the next shower, that makes a wonderful gift!

  6. Oh, lord have mercy! Those diaper babies are beyond cute! I’ve seen diaper cakes, but never diaper babies! I’m going to do that for my niece and nephew’s new baby. They will LOVE it!

  7. Oh my goodness! These are too cute! I am definitely going to copy for my friend’s upcoming baby shower!

  8. I like handmade things. I usually make some burp cloths and a pacifier clip. I’m going to try my hand at a car seat cover for a friend who’s due in February. I like to try and use fabric that fits the parents’ personalities, too.

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