Diaper Cakes – How to make this “must-have” gift

Joanna Sloan from our sales department made a diaper cake for a baby shower we had here at Nashville Wraps. No, diaper cakes are not edible, and no, they don’t have a chocolate filling, but they have become a “must have” shower gift. Seriously, though, diaper cakes are a great and easy way to add to your gift basket business with a gorgeous, usable item for new moms. I liked the idea so much I asked Joanna to write a blog and explain how she did it. I snapped a few pictures and here it is.

Joanna said that it’s very easy (and economical) to make a diaper cake. They are all the rage right now, so cash in while you can. First, you will want to decide on your style. For this how-to blog, I chose a gender-neutral approach, but you can customize it for the individual. You will need to have the following “ingredients” on hand to begin:

• At least 50 diapers (depending on the size you choose, you may use more or less than I did for this cake)
• Various ribbon for decorating – I chose the flora satin, wired Satin Edge Organza, Curling Ribbon, and a few of our White pre-tied Organza Bows to finish.
• Some sort of base for the cakes – I chose White Matte Nested Boxes – I like to use nested boxes for the base because they add value to the diaper cake. The new mom can reuse them to store baby mementos and other things after the diapers have been used.
• Glue dots, double stick tape or hot glue gun — I used the High Tack Glue Dots and Double Coated Tape – I prefer glue dots and tape over hot glue for this project because they both peel off the diapers easily.
• Baby items to decorate the cake – anything works, but for this cake, I got some inexpensive items like a rubber ducky, socks, washcloths, pacifiers and teething rings. Again, this is something that will add value to the cake, and can be personalized for the individual customer.
• A cake plate or cake pad to hold the base box

First, we will cover the boxes with diapers. Start by taping the diapers on the boxes in a spiral pattern. I used the double-coated tape for this step. There are many different ways to make a diaper cake, but I have found that this tends to create a more cake-like look. Repeat this step for all three layers. We took some pictures to show how to do this.

The diapers I used for this cake are not quite as wide as the height of the box, so you notice that the lid is visible. Don’t worry about that, I am going to show you how to make it look like you wanted it to show. Once you have enough diapers on each layer to create a proportional cake, you will want to secure the diapers. This is easiest if you have a spare set of hands, but it is possible to do by yourself. Since I had a spool of elastic stretch cord, that is what I used, but if you have a very large rubber band, it will work as well. Secure the diapers tightly enough to keep them in place, but not so tightly as to create a dent in the edge of the cake. See picture above.

Once the diapers are secure, it is time to decorate with the ribbon. I created a layered look with my three ribbons. I like using the 2¾ inch (size 40) poly Satin, it is wide enough to keep the edge of the cake nice and smooth. After I decorated the “cake” layers, I applied my curling ribbon to the exposed lids. This creates an extra pop of color and makes it look as though we wanted the lids to show.

Now fill the boxes with baby items. I filled the top section with diapers rolled up and tied with curling ribbon.

Finally, it’s time to assemble the cake. I like to use glue dots or lines to attach each level to the one below it. Hot glue works well, but again, it doesn’t peel off as easily, so the boxes would not be reusable. Your customer will appreciate the value! Once each layer is secured in place, it’s simply a matter of decorating the cake. Be as creative or simple as you want – or let the customer decide. Create a few designs from which the customer can choose and then customize the ribbon color.

I love the way Joanna’s cake turned out. It would be an adorable centerpiece for a baby shower or a memorable gift. Send us pictures if you make this item – we will put you on our Facebook page. Email them to facebook@nashvillewraps.com be sure to give us your name and store name so we can give you credit.

Kathy Green
Packaging Consultant
Nashville Wraps