safari diaper cake decorating ideas

Swinging Into A Great Safari Adventure Diaper Cake

Looking for a super cute baby shower idea or a sweet unique gift? This diaper cake is not only too cute but oh so practical. I remember being a new mom and thinking how can someone so little go through so many diapers in a day? The momma to be in your life will so appreciate you for this gift! You can make this too! I will explain exactly how! I will also have a complete supply list at the end.

First step is to purchase cake circles. I purchased these at Walmart in the “Cake” decorating isle. You can also get at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc. You will need a pack that has numerous sizes in it. In this next picture are the sizes that I used for this safari cake.

You will need one 12 inch, one 10 inch and one 8 inch circle. The perforated holes in the center of them are great because it will be your guide to work from the center out. More on that in a little bit.

You will need a cardboard tube of some kind. I used was an empty wrapping paper roll. Once you have your roll then determine how high you want your cake. If you want to add another layer than this is where you will determine a fourth cake circle. I did not cut my wrapping paper tube until the very end to make sure I had enough left to attach the giraffe.

You will notice a black and white polka-dotted platter. This is actually a lazy susan that I found in the dollar spot at Target a while back. This helps so much in turning your cake as you place the diapers around. Any lazy susan will do or if you don’t have one, then work in a space you can walk around the cake. You won’t be able to move your circles without the diapers falling off. I used Pampers size small with a count of 96 diapers to make this cake and yes I used all 96.

Begin by rolling each diaper with the open side (the waist part), you will end with the closed side out (the butt part).

Small hair rubber bands are used to hold the diaper rolls. You can also use small regular rubber bands. These will be removed once all the diapers are tied together. Place a rubber band around the top of the rolled diaper. Continue this process until all diapers are rolled.

Cut the center of both your 10 inch and 8 inch cake circles the same size circumference of your tube. I used a box cutter to cut the circumference. I laid the tube onto the back of the cake circle and I traced it with a pencil.

Remember this will be hidden so it doesn’t have to be perfect just don’t make it too big. This will allow those circles to slide onto the tube and lay on top of the layers of diapers.

Time to hot glue the wrapping paper roll to the bottom cake circle. Make sure you use a high temperature glue gun so that it sticks well. This is the support of the cake.

My favorite glue gun is the RYOBI glue gun. I don’t think I could do without it and I use it for all my creations. I have a link to Amazon in My Must Have Products here on my blog if you want to see one or want to learn more about it.

Once the glue is dry on your tube and bottom layer, begin by placing the rolled diapers on the bottom layer of the cake circle. When full, cut a piece of the “skinny” ribbon and wrap it around all of the diapers, making sure to get it tight but not so tight that it flares the diapers out. Once you have it tied you can always add more diapers to the layer. Remove the rubber band or hair ties from the diapers. Place the 10 inch cake circle on to the tube and repeat layering your diapers and tie them off with the skinny ribbon. Then place the 8 inch circle and repeat the steps.

Here is where the decorating starts. I chose to place burlap ribbon around each layer of the cake. Do not remove the skinny ribbon. I used a safety pin to hold the ribbon in place. Remember you want your new momma to use all the diapers so no hot glue on the ribbon.

Next is this green wired ribbon that was placed over the burlap ribbon. This created a layered look which is so cute. I used this same ribbon for the top layer bow.

Now to determine the placement for the giraffe. Use any safari animal you chose but the giraffe was chosen due to it being one of the animals in this adorable party print set. If you would like to have this complete print set, here is the name of the shop on Etsy. It’s called the Strawberry Party Print store. She sells the digital download and its super easy, just purchase, print and cut out. I do not know this shop owner accept for the purchase of these but she does have adorable items and I wanted to give her credit for such cute work.

If you notice in this picture the sweet giraffe’s legs are crossed. This is how I hid the tube by using a couple of safety pins. I also used this vine ribbon from Hobby Lobby that was just perfect for the theme.

To attach the leaves, Welcome Baby and other animal prints, I used 6 inch food skewers. Just hot glue the prints onto the skewers and poke between the diapers. Remember these diapers are to be used so they can not be attached with hot glue. If the skewers are a little long then just cut with scissors or with wire cutters.

Next the vine ribbon was placed as to look like it was “growing” on the cake. That’s it!

The time to make this was about an hour but so affordable and cute!

Here is the supply list:

Cardboard Cake Circles – Multiply sizes 1- 12 inch 1-10 inch 1-8 inch

Wrapping paper tube

Diapers – Pampers small 96 count

Hot glue gun and glue

Small hair ties or small rubber bands

3 medium size safety pins

6 inch food skewers- bought mine at Publix

Burlap ribbon and green ribbon

Vine ribbon

Stuffed giraffe

Prints from Etsy shop – https://www.etsy.com/shop/StrawberryPartyPrint?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=773672923

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can you tell me the width of your ribbons on the safari diaper cake? trying to make one for my daughter’s baby shower

Nancy, Of course! The burlap ribbon is 4 inches and the green ribbon is 1 1/2 inches. I am so glad that you are making one! I would love for you to let me know how it turns out and if you have any other questions just ask. Thank you for stopping by my page.

Where can I find that cute stuffed giraffe? I’m making this cake for my daughter’s shower.

Hello Kelly! The little giraffe was purchased at a local boutique. I found one for you on Amazon if you want to take a look at it. It is very similar. Hope that this helps! Would love for you to send me a picture of how yours comes out. Join my email list for more inspirational ideas. I never spam nor do I sell your email. You will get an email about once every couple of months. Thank you so much for loving my work. Blessings to you and yours! -Vicki- https://amzn.to/3slBwId

where can I get the safari animals and leaves from

The are off of Etsy. Here is the link for them. Prints from Etsy shop – https://www.etsy.com/shop/StrawberryPartyPrint?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=773672923

Thank you for stopping by!

Hi can you let me know how many diapers you use for each row ? Thanks !

Honestly if will depend on how tight you roll them and what size your cake round is. It also is a personal preference. Mine is different each time.

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Making a Safari Diaper Cake Centerpiece

Check out a video of me making my popular jungle safari diaper cake centerpiece. Subscribe to my YouTube channel to keep updated on new tutorials when I post them!

Here are the items I used to make this diaper cake:

- 50 to 60 size 1 or 2 diapers (30 for bottom, 16 for middle, 7 for top; adjust as necessary) - cake pans (or something to hold the diapers in place) 12", 8", 6" - 4 rubber bands - basket bag - cake board - card stock paper or empty paper towel roll - streamer ribbon - 3 different ribbons; 2 yds each, 2 of them should be 1 1/2" wide and the other 7/8" - hot glue gun & hot glue stick - paper cutouts - cake pop stick - multi-colored crinkle paper

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The Ultimate Guide to Diaper Cakes

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Baby showers can be so much fun, but sometimes it’s hard to come up with ideas for the centerpiece.

Most people just put a few balloons or flowers in the middle of the table and call it a day. But your guests will love something a little more special.

Diaper cakes are the perfect way to show off your creative side and they’re really easy to make.

In this blog post, we’ll show you how to make a diaper cake that will be the star of the baby shower .

Are you looking for a way to make a baby shower extra special? A diaper cake is an eye-catching and creative way to celebrate the upcoming arrival of a baby.

Not only are they beautiful decorations, but they also provide a practical use as well. Here’s how you can craft the perfect diaper cake for your next baby shower.

This post may contain affiliate links meaning I get commissions for purchases made in this post. Read my disclosure policy here .

• Key Takeaways
• Diaper cakes are a decorative way of presenting diapers as a gift and usually consist of multiple tiers of rolled or folded diapers, arranged in a circular shape and decorated with ribbons and other accessories.
• To make the diaper cake, you will need supplies such as diapers (disposable or cloth), ribbons & strings, rubber bands, cardboard circle for base layer etc.
• The process involves rolling up each diaper from top to bottom before stacking them around the cardboard circle in either circular shape or any creative design. Decorations can be added using ribbons & strings along with small toys/decorations. Hot glue is not recommended on the diaper cake itself so that it doesn’t ruin the diapers!

What is a Diaper Cake?

Diaper cake supplies needed, how to make a diaper cake, use different size diapers, include a label for the diapers, get creative with the cake topper, diaper cake ideas, cake topper ideas, alternative diaper cake ideas, how many diapers do you need for a diaper cake, what are the best diapers to use for a diaper cake, what size diapers should i use for the diaper cake, can i use cloth diapers to make the cake, what is a diaper cake made of, what do i do with extra diapers, final thoughts.

A diaper cake is a decorative way of presenting diapers as a gift. It usually consists of multiple tiers of rolled or folded diapers, which are arranged in a circular shape and decorated with ribbons and other accessories. The goal is to make the diaper cake look adorable while still being useful!

Diaper cakes don’t have to only be cake shaped though! You can get creative and make things like diaper bikes, wraths, hearts and even teddy bears!

Ready to get started making a diaper cake? Here’s what you’ll need:

• Diapers (any size will do!) – these can be disposable diapers or cloth diapers!
• Ribbons and strings
• Rubber bands
• Cardboard circle for the base layer
• Optional diaper cake toppers: stuffed animals, flowers, wash clothes, baby booties, baby lotion, baby bottle, or any other items you’d like to use as a topper.

The first step in creating a diaper cake is to roll up each diaper. Roll from top to bottom and secure with either a rubber band or some string.

Once all the diapers are rolled, it’s time to start assembling the tiers. Start with a cardboard circle as your base and begin stacking the rolled diapers around it, either in a circular shape or in whatever creative design you’d like!

Once all the tiers are stacked, use glue to secure them together. We recommend making diaper cakes two or three tiers tall.

Once the cake is assembled, you can move on to adding decorations. Use ribbons, strings, and baby washcloths to give the cake some color and texture. Add any small toys or decorations you’d like as well!

We recommend avoiding using hot glue, or at least glue on the diaper cake, just so the diapers don’t get ruined.

Tips and Tricks

Here are some tips and tricks to making a diaper cake

One of the best ways to make the diaper cake as useful as possible is to include different size diapers. Babies can grow out of small size diapers very quickly (and some, like my own kids, never even fit into newborn diapers!) so you want to have a few different sizes just in case.

If the diapers don’t have the brand printed on them, consider giving a label inside the cake. During one of my baby showers I received a diaper cake without a name on the diapers and they ended up being our all time favorite diapers to use for my daughter! It took a while to track down exactly what diaper it was because the hostess who made our cake completely forgot where she got them from.

You can get really creative with the diaper cake topper! Some of the most popular ones include Welcome baby signs that match the baby shower theme , baby bottles, and stuffed animals.

Need some inspiration? Here are some of our all time favorite diaper cakes sent in by readers!

Related Post: How to Throw a Woodland Animals Themed Baby Shower

Related Post: How to Throw a Jungle Themed Baby Shower

Since diaper cakes are usually gifted at baby showers , you can make your cake extra special with a fun topper. Some ideas include:

• A onesie with the baby’s name
• Tiny teddy bears or small stuffed animals (bonus points if it matches the baby shower theme!)
• Baby bottles or rattles
• Pacifiers and bibs
• Baby wash and lotion
• A bow or decorative ribbon

And of course, you can always get creative and come up with your own ideas!

Want to make a different diaper cake centerpiece? Here are some adorable ideas of alternatives to the traditional diaper cake.

The number of diapers you need for a diaper cake will depend on the size and shape of the cake you’re making. Generally, it takes about 60-80 newborn sized diapers to make an average sized 3 tier cake.

However, if you’re using or making more tiers, you may need more or if you’re using larger sized diapers you may need less.

There really is no best diaper to use for a diaper cake. It can all be up to your preference on which ones to choose! However, if mom to be has a baby registry and has asked for diapers, we recommend using the brand that she asks for.

I always recommend doing a variety of sizes for diaper cakes. This way, parents to be will have plenty of diapers to choose from as baby grows.

If you only do want to do one size diaper, I recommend going with a size 1 or a size 2. Not all babies will fit into newborn diapers, and might even grow out of that size before all the diapers can be used.

Yes! Cloth diapers can be used in place of disposable diapers.

Diaper cakes are mostly made up of rolled up diapers, but they can also include other things that can be used for the baby and/or the parents to be.

We’ve even heard of cute ideas where someone will make a diaper cake with diapers on the outside, then put a bottle of wine in the middle for mom to enjoy after she has the baby!

If you have extra diapers after building diaper cakes, you can always give them to the mom to be after the baby shower. You could even save the box the diapers came in so the parents can bring home the cake easier (plus know what brand diapers you used!)

Diaper cakes make adorable and practical gifts for expecting parents. With a little creativity and some basic supplies, you can put together your own diaper cake in no time! Be sure to be creative with decorations and toppers- the possibilities are endless!

Good luck and have fun making your diaper cake!

Ali Van Straten is a journalist and a mom of two. Ali writes about baby showers and helps mom to be and family plan the perfect baby shower with game ideas, party inspiration, food ideas, and more. She is a mom of two and loves event planning!

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Easy Safari Car Diaper Cake Baby Shower Gift Idea

Modified: Apr 25, 2022 by Katie Hale · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Do you have a baby shower coming up? It’s that time of year again when we start looking for cute baby shower gift ideas. Why not make your gift something that the parents-to-be will never forget and cherish for years to come.  This super easy safari car diaper cake is a fun baby shower gift idea that any new parent would love.  Made with simple supplies, affordable, and gender-neutral, it's a great idea anyone can make!

Safari Car Diaper Cake Baby Shower Gift

Whether it is a boy or girl you are making this for, it is sure to be a huge hit. It's ideal for the adventurous family and perfect for a budget-friendly gift.  Since most of the supplies are probably already in your craft closet, you'll just have to buy a few diapers and you have a perfect idea for that baby shower on your schedule. 

It's also a great way to use up any leftover diapers you may have from when your babies were little!  Brilliant, right?  If you like this idea, then you'll love the idea of this little DIY crane diaper cake , a simple tricycle diaper cake , or even this adorable little diaper cake train idea.  So cute and super easy to make. 

Can You Use Cloth Diapers for a Diaper Cake? 

You certainly can use a different type of diaper for the project. However, to make sure the gift is something the new mom can use, it's a good idea to check with the baby shower hostess or the parents-to-be gift registry to see what type of diapers they will use.

Cloth diapers found in most department stores are often used as burp cloths, so this could work just fine for any new parent.  Just make sure you are getting what they prefer so it isn't something they can't use. 

What Other Ways Can I Decorate This Diaper Cake? 

If you want to add a bit more fun to this already adorable wildlife-vehicle, try one of these ideas that change the look of your car.

• Add a giraffe, hippo, or rhino as the driver of your safari truck as another part of your creative gift.
• Use a natural color to wrap the vehicle then draw zebra stripes, tiger stripes, or a cheetah print.
• Instead of flowers, use palm leaves or grasses in the tires.
• Add travel stickers on the "car" to make it look like it has been around the world. 
• Attach a customized license plate with the baby's be a name or last name on it. 
• Place plastic teether keys into the car as if it could actually drive. 

What You Need To Make a Diaper Cake

You'll need just a few items outside the diapers to make this cute little safari car idea.  Remember, the size of the box will determine how many diapers you need for the completed car.  You can always cut it down to a smaller size if preferred. 

• Medium to a large cardboard box
• Pink wrapping paper
• 1" pink polka dot ribbon
• Yellow glitter foam paper
• Artificial flowers
• Silver washi tape
• Gray washi tape
• Utility knife
• Hot glue gun
• Hot glue sticks
• Rubber bands
• Double-sided tape

How to Make a Safari Car Diaper Cake

• Cut the flaps off one side of the box and set them aside.

• Remove the front side of the safari jeep with the box cutters.

• Cover the box with pink paper folding down and securing inside and out so the box is wrapped inside and out.
• Using the same colored paper, cover the end piece of cardboard with paper, leaving about half the length extra on the ends.

• With the box opening facing upwards, set the paper-covered end across the top of the opening, tucking the extra paper into the box.

• Glue the extra paper to the inside sides of the box.
• Line diapers up on their side to fill the area in the front of the box.

• Add 3-4 small strips of polka dot, striped, or fun colored ribbon across the diapers to look like the grill on the jeep.

• Trim the excess ribbon.
• Glue the ribbon down on the inside of the box carefully, making sure not to glue the diapers in the process.

Cut four circles out of yellow glitter cardstock, two small and two larger circles, to use for the vehicle's headlights.

Glue the circle headlights to the ribbons so the hot glue doesn't damage the diapers or make them unusable. 

• Set two diapers with the fold upright where the passenger and driver's seats would be.

• Line up three diapers (you may need more depending on the size of the box) with the folds facing away from you, halfway overlapping each other.

• Roll the diapers and secure them in the shape of a wheel with a rubber band.

• Cover the rubber band with a decorative, thin ribbon and attach with a small dot of glue.

• Trim the excess ribbon with scissors.
• Attach a medium flower to the end of the tire that will show. 
• Repeat the last 5 steps until all 4 wheels are complete. 

Use double-sided tape to attach the tires to the bottom of the decorated box.

Make sure to attach only to the ribbon and not the diaper.

• Cut part of the cardboard flaps to make four long thin pieces and two pieces to connect the longer pieces.
• Use the washi tape to wrap the cardboard strips completely.

• Glue the three pieces together so they are shaped as they are shown in the photo.

• Attach the bars by gluing them to the outside of the box, even with the bottom of the box.

• Repeat with the second set in a dark shade of washi tape. 
• Decorate with additional stickers or stuffed animals before gifting. 

More Baby Shower Gift Ideas

Diaper cakes are a great idea for a baby shower, and this is just one of the ideas we have for your next baby gift needs.  Whether you want decor, a gift, or something homemade, below are some more ideas that are excellent for your next baby shower.  Make sure you bookmark, pin, or print these tutorials to use in the future. 

• Adorable Jungle Themed Diaper Cake
• 40 Adorable DIY Baby Sewing Patterns
• How to Make an Adorable Washcloth Teddy Bear
• DIY Royal Diaper Cake Castle Baby Shower Gift
• How to Make an Adorable Diaper Cake Boat
• Cute Pink DIY Diaper Basket Baby Shower Gift

Make this adorable safari car as a fun new diaper cake baby shower gift idea that any new parent would absolutely love!

Instructions

• Cut four circles out of yellow glitter cardstock, two small and two larger circles, to use for the vehicle's head lights.
• Glue the circle headlights to the ribbons so the hot glue doesn't damage the diapers or make them unusable.
• Use double-sided tape to attach the tires to the bottom of the decorated box making sure to attach only to the ribbon and not the diaper.

Add a stuffed animal in the "seat" of the car to make it look more realistic!

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Finished Project Gallery

These are so much fun to assemble and share with anyone who is having or has recently had a baby! 

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How to Make a Diaper Cake The Easy Way

How to make a diaper cake with lots of helpful tips and tricks plus tons of inspiration for how to decorate diaper cakes. .

This is your ultimate guide to making a diaper cake!

Diaper cakes are a stack of rolled or folded diapers made to look like a traditional tiered cake. They are one of my favorite gifts to take to a baby shower because they double as a decoration. A diaper cake can be the fun focal point of baby shower decorations. It’s really fun to decorate a diaper cake to match the party theme. Plus they’re a handy gift that you know every new mom will be able to use.

If you want to make a diaper cake, you’ll find all of the information you need below. With the help of this thorough set of instructions, you can do it, promise! I’ll walk you through the process of gathering materials, building the structure part of the diaper cake and then the fun part— decorating it!

Best Diapers to Use for a Diaper Cake

There are so many different diapers available that it can be overwhelming to choose some for a diaper cake. My first suggestion is to get a larger size of diaper… babies grow out of newborn and size 1 diapers so quickly and mothers often receive these sizes as gifts. I say buy size 2, 3 or 4 diapers.

My second suggestion is to look for plain white diapers or to find a patterned diaper and pick one that will match your color scheme. There are some really darling diapers nowadays with trendy patterns printed on them and these diapers can really jazz up a diaper cake. Here are a few of my favorite diaper brands to use for diaper cakes:

Choose A Base for your Diaper Cake

You’ll want a sturdy foundation to build your diaper cake on, especially if you plan to transport it to a baby shower or if you want to be able to send it home with the mother-to-be. Here are a few diaper cake base ideas you could use:

• Metal Pizza Pan from Dollar Tree – Spray paint it, leave it silver, add a circle of scrapbook paper or hot glue some trim around the edges.
• Charger – Any plastic or melamine charger would make a great base for a diaper cake. They sell these at almost any craft store and they have them at Dollar Tree as well. 
• Cake Board – Check in the cake decorating aisle of the craft store for pre-cut cardboard rounds used for building actual cakes. They are perfect for building diaper cakes too!
• Tiered Cake Stand – This option is best paired with a cake board if you want to be able to transport the diaper cake in one piece, but it definitely makes for a pretty presentation at the party.

How Many Diapers Do I Need To Make A Diaper Cake?

The number of diapers you will need to make a diaper cake depends on how big you’d like your finished cake to be and how many layers you plan to make. More diapers equals a bigger cake. However, here’s a diaper cake sizing guide that will help you estimate how many diapers to buy.

The bottom tier of the diaper cakes I make are approximately 12-14 inches in diameter. Here’s how many diapers I used:

The size of your finished diaper cake will also be slightly affected by the size of diapers you use. I used size 4 diapers for all of the diaper cakes shown in this post. If you use newborn or size 1 diapers, you may need to add one or two extra diapers to each round to make up the slight size difference.

Diaper Cake Supply List

These are the supplies you need to make a diaper cake.

• 51 Regular Sized Rubber Bands (one for each diaper and one for wrapping around the top tier)
• 2 Extra Large Rubber Bands, also called File Bands (for wrapping around the bottom two tiers)
• 1 Cake Base
• 1 Large Bottle of Lotion or a Paper Towel/Wrapping Paper Cardboard Tube
• Wide Ribbon (or other alternative—see below)
• Embellishments (see list of ideas below)
• Hot Glue Gun + Glue Sticks

Diaper Cake Assembly Instructions

• Roll one diaper up and secure it with a small rubber band. Repeat for all of the diapers.
• Place a heavy bottle of baby lotion or shampoo in the center of your cake base. You can also use an empty paper towel or wrapping paper tube.
• Begin making a layer of rolled up diapers all the way around the bottle. Secure all of the individual diapers together with one large rubber band all the way around the outside. I suggest making the base layer three diapers deep, but use as many as it takes to fill up the entire cake base evenly.
• Make the second layer on top of the first and decrease the size by at least one round of diapers. Repeat for the third layer and any additional layers you want to add if necessary.

Once your diapers form the shape of a tiered cake, you’re ready to decorate!

Diaper Cake Decorating Ideas

Every diaper cake needs three decorations:

• Ribbon. The most common item to use is ribbon, but you can get creative with tulle, rolled up receiving blankets or even wrapping paper or scrapbook paper cut into strips. 
• A cute cake topper. Adding something to the top of the cake will make it look finished and will hide the hole where the paper towel tube or lotion bottle might show.
• Embellishments. These are the decorative accents that will give your diaper cake the “wow” factor. You can use paper flowers, silk flowers, paper shreds, curling ribbon, small toys, bows, floral picks, baby booties, small stuffed animals, or anything else that you think would be cute or that would fit with the theme of your baby shower.

Here are some diaper cake decorating ideas for boys and girls. I’ve included details about each cake below the photo.

There are so many different ways you can decorate a diaper cake, so be creative and have fun with it. 

If you’re looking for another fun and clever baby shower gift idea, check out this baby shower burp cloth bouquet . 

Diaper Cake Video Tutorial

I hope you’ve found this post helpful in learning how to make a diaper cake. Be sure to pin the image below so you can find this information later.

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Comments & Reviews

July 30, 2020

Thank you! This is so helpful!!!

September 15, 2020

Great information thank you. I’m making a Christmas themed cake can’t wait to add the wow factors!

September 17, 2020

Thank you so much! This is so helpful for my sister’s 1st baby!

October 6, 2020

Do you have any suggestions for attaching washcloth rosettes to diaper cake. Hot glue isn’t an option here. I don’t want to ruin the washcloths or the diapers. Any help would be wonderful. Thanks in advance.

October 7, 2020

Could you use straight pins? Just be sure to warn the mother-to-be so she doesn’t poke herself.

October 14, 2020

Glue dots. They are available at any craft store or at walmart.

January 6, 2021

Tie a ribbon around the washcloths and then use glue or double sided tape dots on the ribbon

May 30, 2021

Use fishing line around the bottom of the rosette. Push it through the rosette and then add another. Once you have them on the fishing line you can place them where you want plus you can use the fishing line as a anchor for other things.

January 22, 2024

Maybe use some long pins.

February 9, 2024

I would use Floral wire, or thin wite ( Michael’s in the jewelry section.

Do you hot glue directly to the diapers?

No, no hot glue is used on the diapers.

October 22, 2020

What size cake stand do you use?

October 23, 2020

You need one that’s about 12 inches.

November 28, 2020

November 30, 2020

Best one I have seen! Thank you for detailed pictures and instructions!

January 11, 2021

Hi- are you using a paper towel holder on each layer or?

January 13, 2021

Nope, I only used one paper towel holder. It was long enough to go through the center of all the layers.

February 25, 2021

What are you using the hot glue for?

March 1, 2021

The hot glue is only used to attach the ribbon together after you wrap it around each layer. No glue on the diapers or they wouldn’t be usable.

February 27, 2021

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you for all the suggestions. Worked like a charm so happy with how my diaper cake turned out

March 13, 2021

Thank you very helpful.

March 27, 2021

Where did you get the diapers that look to have blue and green arrows?

March 30, 2021

They are the Cloud Island brand diapers from Target.

April 16, 2021

Absolutely adorable! Have you ever made one with cloth diapers

April 23, 2021

I never have, but it would totally work and be really cute!

November 10, 2021

Used this guide for a friend’s diaper cake- was so easy to follow! Thank you!

January 18, 2022

So how does it all stay standing on the base? Are the layers somehow glued to the center dowel?

January 19, 2022

Nothing is glued together so that the mother-to-be can use all of the diapers. You could add double sided tape or something else if you felt it needed extra sticking power, but I’ve never felt the need.

April 29, 2022

When you put the paper towel holder in the middle you have a rubber band around each diaper holding them tight when you put them around it and then you put a bigger rubber band or ribbon around all the diapers once you put them around the paper towel holder that’s what holds them together. I hope I made sense

March 11, 2022

These are great instructions! I can’t wait to make it for my daughter’s shower.

April 20, 2022

How many yard of ribbon did you use to wrap the 3 layers?

About 7 yards

May 20, 2022

Hello my name is Lori. Love your diaper cakes! I just started making a few here and there. I was wondering do you take the individual rubber bands off after you put the row together?

May 26, 2022

Nope, I don’t!

September 1, 2022

Just wow! I’ve never thought of this beautiful idea.

November 21, 2022

Your instructions were so clear, and the photos were super helpful! Seeing sample “cakes” gave me great ideas. I could not be more pleased with my diaper cake! Thanks so much!

November 22, 2022

Thank you! Short and to the point, very appreciated.

January 14, 2023

love your diaper cake! What brand were the diapers used with the grey and blue arrows?

Cloud Island from Target, although this post is a couple years old, so they may have changed the design.

January 15, 2023

Just made one. It was so fun. Your tutorial was great. Thank you

February 10, 2023

Hello, Beautiful work! Thanks for sharing! One question though. How is the entire cake secured with the base? Does it just sit on top of the base and can be lifted up?

February 11, 2023

I didn’t secure mine to the base, they’re just sitting on top of the plate. It works pretty well that way.

February 20, 2023

How did you cascade the silk flowers? Gorgeous work and PERFECT instructions!

I attached the ones near the ribbon with hot glue, then just glued the parts that touched each other together until everything stayed where I wanted it to. I didn’t want to glue directly to the diapers.

Thank you so much!!

May 7, 2023

Loved your instructions and insight. I needed a refresher on making these (been a few years.)

Have you tried to use adult thin headbands to hold the layers together instead of rubber bands so the mom can use them as needed? I use baby hair ties for the diapers and headbands to make it more reusable.

May 26, 2023

Hi! Thanks for the helpful tutorial…however, I didn’t see where you used a hot glue gun? Can you let me know what step in the process you used hot glue?

June 1, 2023

I used hot glue to attach the ribbons around each layer to cover the rubber bands.

May 30, 2023

There are the most beautiful diaper cakes I have ever seen. Not kitschy. Really elegant! Where did you get the beautiful flower patterned ribbon in the first diaper cake photo? It looks like fabric,…

It’s from Hobby Lobby!

Hi love your tutorial. Any suggestions on making a smaller, one layer cakes? Six to be exact to be use as centerpieces. Thank you.

I think you could just make the bottom layer like these instructions and don’t worry about adding a roll tube or anything in the center. Just place it on a base of some kind with a cute decorative topper!

July 1, 2023

You have made my day with your easy way to make a diaper cake thank you so much and I will share my masterpiece with you guys when I make it thanks again

July 6, 2023

Thank you so much! I was able to make my first diaper cake with this info! I would be happy to share a pic!

August 28, 2023

This was so helpful I can’t wait to my diaper

September 18, 2023

Super cute and easy to follow instructions. Thank you for creating this!

November 14, 2023

Thank you for creating this website where you don’t need to pay for advice or assistance. I know I appreciate it! Looking forward to crafting email ideas etc. Have a good day.

February 12, 2024

These diaper cakes are beautiful! Perfect instructions and easy to follow! I used a cake board from Michael’s and hot glued the paper towel holder to the base ! It held everything together well no sliding ! I also made diaper centerpieces l used a 8 in glass vase that came to the top of the vase about 6-8 diapers then used pink ribbon to hide the rubber bands and used pink and white roses in the vases they came out adorable! Thanks for your great suggestions the diaper cakes are very elegant!

February 16, 2024

I used a long wrapping paper roll in the middle which I split 4 ways at the bottom going up. I spread the 4 tabs flat and taped them down to a glass cake plate I already had. It made the cake more secure for transport. I cut the top of cardboard roll off about an inch below the top of the diapers and stuffed 3 rolled diapers down the tube so the last diaper fills in the middle of the top layer. We used a stuffed animal on top. Thanks for the great easy to follow instructions.

March 6, 2024

This is exactly what I needed! I used 58 size one diapers and it’s adorable. Thank you for the great tutorial!

April 13, 2024

Thank you so much Jennifer for your guide to making a diaper cake! I’m not crafty at all and had no confidence in my ability but your guide made it look so easy. I also gained confidence and additional ideas from your many fans who commented on your gorgeous cake. Once I accepted that I could not copy your creation exactly, I had to get a bit creative and it turned out so good. Our baby shower theme is garden. It’s now April 2024 so the only plain white diapers I could find was a brand at Walmart called Dyper. I used a box of 56 size 4 diapers plus I used 5 plain white onesies in 3 layers on a 16″ pizza pan I got at Walmart. I used a bottle of baby shampoo in the center. The baby is a girl so I wrapped each diaper with a small hair tie so most of the cake is usable. I tied a thread around each layer to hold it until I could place and secure ribbon around each layer with a few plain straight pins so no messy glue gun that I don’t know how to use anyway. This doesn’t allow for attaching a photo so I’ll send it to you via email and you post it if you like. I mostly just want you to see it and know that it was only possible because you generously shared your talent as an artist and added a generous helping of encouragement. Thank you so so much!

April 15, 2024

Sandy, thank you so much for this sweet comment! I am so glad you found this helpful. Helping others find confidence to create is why I do what I do so hearing from you means so much. I’d love to see photos.

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Jungle Theme Baby Shower Cake

By: Author Kelli Miller

Posted on Published: August 19, 2020  - Last updated: April 15, 2024

Sharing is caring!

Make this jungle theme baby shower cake to be king of the jungle–the jungle baby shower that is. In all seriousness, though, it’s easy, fun and brings all the safari animals to the party!

This fun cake idea makes the perfect Jungle Theme Baby Shower Ideas !

And whether or not this is the first time you’re hosting a baby shower or the five-hundredth, check out these my favorite tips for  how to host a baby shower  that will make all the monkeys at your baby shower howl!

Disclosure: I work with Cricut as a Brand Ambassador. This post also contains affiliate links.

But back to this easy DIY baby shower centerpiece. You can make these in about 15-20 mintues, did you realize that?! Can you believe how quickly you can change the landscape of your baby shower and bring the theme in so well–and bring some diapers to the new mom to help her with all the wee-wee?!

Yeah, definitely consider making one for this baby shower–I’m all in, can you tell?!

Let’s get to making.

Table of Contents

Jungle Baby Shower Cake Inspiration

Slow the train down, though…because I get it…maybe you’re not crafty. I am with you. Sometimes I don’t like to make stuff. It’s ok.

Too much stuff to do or no energy to create–I. Get. It.

And so, to help you out–if you’re in that place right now, here’s a few awesome jungle themed diaper cakes that you can just have delivered to the party.

• Stuffie-Topped Safari Diaper Cake
• Jungle Mini- Diaper Cakes
• Jeep-Shaped Jungle Diaper Cake
• Soft Elephant Diaper Cake
• Ruffled Lion Diaper Cake
• Gender Neutral Simple Diaper Cake

Necessary Materials to Make a Baby Shower Cake with a Jungle Theme:

Ok. So, if you’re like “nah, I’ll make one” I’m also with you–making a diaper cake doesn’t have to be hard. Just 20-ish minutes from start to finish, right?! So, to make a standard diaper cake, you just need a handful of things:

• Diapers  (obviously)
• 12-inch Cake Plate
• Rubber Bands
• You may also want a couple of receiving blankets, but they’re not necessary–you see plenty of diaper cakes without them.

To personalize my jungle diaper cake, I also grabbed a few little things to add that “final touch”.

• A baby giraffe stuffie
• Some baby lotion or shampoo
• A cute onesie

Fun Jungle Baby Shower Decorations:

So, I went overboard, of course, and made a whole coordinated set of decorations and more that goes with this adorable jungle diaper cake. And you can find each of the coordinated items below:

• Jungle Baby Shower Games
• Jungle Themed Shower Decoration Pieces  (the mini-banner, big banner, cupcake toppers, bow centerpiece and table scatter)
• Printable Jungle Baby Shower Invitations

Tips and Tricks to Make a Jungle Diaper Cake:

Because I’ve made a few diaper cakes in my time, I have a few tips for making them right the first time.

• If you have leftover diapers, don’t panic! Just make a fourth tier for the diaper cake or toss them in a gift bag for the mom-to-be.
• Lumpy sides on your diaper cake? No worries. Add a few rubber bands to tighten it all up. Or, wrap some ribbon snugly around the center of your diaper cake in order to hide the lumps.
• Add a bit of loose tulle under your diaper cake to hide the cake plate.

Jut How Many Diapers Do You Need to Make a Diaper Cake?

Although it sounds like a lot of diapers, basically, to make a simple 3-tier diaper cake, you really don’t need to many. Here’s what I used:

• 1 Small Package Newborn Size Diapers – about 20
• 1 Large Package Size 1 Diapers – about 75

More Jungle Baby Shower Ideas

• Everything You Need to Know About Throwing a Surprise Shower
• All the Best Jungle Baby Shower Ideas
• How to Throw the Best Baby Sprinkle

Jungle Baby Shower Food Ideas:

• Rotel Dip With Ground Beef – For a wild time with appetizers, you always have to have a good cheese dip on the table.
• Hawaiian Blue Mocktail – Don’t monkey around with drinks, make this awesome mocktail that all the guests will whoop for!
• Meat and Cheese Plate Ideas – Charcuterie is the newest trend that’s been around forever and ever. And these ideas are the best you’ll find.

Jungle Themed Baby Shower Diaper Cake

Just a few minutes and you have the most fun little centerpiece for your jungle themed baby shower--a fun jungle baby shower diaper cake!

• 1 Small Package Newborn Size Diapers (about 20)
• 1 Medium Package Size 1 Diapers (about 75)
• Graduated Cake Pans (size 6, 8 and 9 1/2)
• 12-inch Cake Board/Plate
• 12-24 Large Rubber Bands
• 1 Receiving Blanket
• 1 Baby Blanket
• 1 Giraffe Stuffed Animal for a Diaper Cake Topper
• 1 Cardboard Tube (paper towel roll), optional
• 2 Baby Socks, optional
• 3 Baby Onesies, optional
• Hot Glue Gun & Glue
• Tape, optional

Instructions

• Remove the diapers from their packaging.
• Stack the newborn sized diapers 3-4 at a time, fanning them out horizontally and forming a spiral, fit inside the smallest cake pan.
• Fill the cake pan with the diapers completely, then wrap a rubber band around them, securing them in the shape of the pan.
• Remove the cake pan and set aside the roll of diapers.
• Repeat creating a roll of diapers using the size 1 diapers in both the second largest and largest cake pans.
• Place the largest diaper roll on top of the cake board/plate. Optional: tape this in place--however, be aware that this could damage the diapers.
• Wrap the baby blanket around the largest diaper roll, folding the blanket to only be as wide as the diapers are tall.
• Wrap a rubber band around the baby blanket, securing it in place around the diaper roll.
• Fan the tutu out on top of the largest diaper roll, spreading it out neatly.
• Place the second largest diaper roll on top of the tutu.
• Wrap the receiving blanket around the second largest diaper roll, folding the blanket to only be as wide as the diapers are tall.
• Place the smallest diaper roll on top of the second largest.
• Wrap the receiving blanket around the smallest diaper roll, folding the blanket to only be as wide as the diapers are tall.
• Wrap a rubber band around the receiving blanket, securing it in place around the diaper roll.
• To hide the rubber bands, wrap a ribbon around the diaper rolls, hot gluing or taping them in place. To avoid damaging a diaper, hot glue only ribbon-to-ribbon.
• Add giraffe stuffed animal topper.
• Hot glue paper roses onto the ribbons, stacking them carefully so as not to get the hot glue on the blankets or diapers.
• Decorate as desired. I added a onesie hanging off the top tier, some baby gear and a couple of sock/onesie cupcakes. To make the sock/onesie cupcakes, just fold the onesies in half, then roll them up, with an inside-out sock in the middle. Then, when the onesie is rolled tightly, fold the sock up around the onesie to secure it in place.

Did you make this?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

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Safari Friends Diaper Cake

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Looking for the perfect safari theme baby shower gift or decoration? Look no further! Our Safari Friends diaper cake is sure to be the talk of the shower, AND the mom-to-be will love that it's made of diapers!

Ingredients

Approximately 40 Pampers Swaddlers Diapers (Size 1)

  Cardstock cutouts

Photo props (signs, garlands etc.) are NOT included.

Our 3-tier Blossom Cake stands at approximately 14 inches tall and 9.5 inches in diameter.

Cakes arrive fully assembled. Any toppers or tall decorations are packaged to the side of the cake for safety.

Diaper cakes & bouquets are freshly made at time of order so please allow 3-5 business days for us to process your order prior to shipping. Need your gift ASAP? Send us an email and we'll be happy to work with you on accommodating your rush order.

We love making it as easy as possible to get your gift to your recipient. If you want us to ship the cake right to the new parent's door, simply provide us with a thoughtful gift message and the appropriate shipping address at checkout. We'll make sure it arrives safe, sound and beautifully presented upon arrival. Don't forget to sign the card so they know whom to thank!

Receipts are not included in the box.

For all the details on shipping, returns, custom orders and gift deliveries, head over to our FAQ page! We have all the answers waiting for you!

Keep up to date with us on Instagram!

@babyblossomcompany.

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