Topping a diaper cake!

BiscuitEater21

So I have been thinking long and hard about how to complete my diaper cakes. They are GREAT as is already but just not quite how I want them. I'm not satisfied yet because they aren't perfect lol jk. 

Anyway I had some great ideas for toppers from ladies on here, thank you very much (: about using a stuffed animal or toy as a topper. Well I think that is a great idea and then I was browsing the web and saw the cutest "piggy" bank that was really an owl. Anyway, then I thought that would be a very cute diaper cake topper and great to add on to the gift!

But I was also thinking about the best way to keep the tiers of the cake together like some kind of stick to put in the center. So I am going to buy all sorts of different kind of stick-type toys and things like that!

My ideas so far are this toy that is like a kite except connected to a stick instead of a string (it's really cute), one of those riding horse sticks, a wand (which will hopefully fit inside the bottom of a piggy bank!) and some bubble wands (the really tall ones-they're still fun to me lol ).

Anyway let me know what you think (: I will include pictures when I get everything I've ordered!! 

sabriel1

I've mostly heard of them built around a plastic water bottle... the bottom layer wraped in two sets of diapers and the third layer is just wrapped around the skinny portion of the bottle which helps give the natural cake shape and helps it to stick together.

You said teh cake is complete so i don't understand why it is not sticking together... did you build it around anything? Or did you simply make three seperate layers and stack them? Perhaps I am not understanding what is going on with the cake... and why you need wands and kites, etc.

FWIW, I love the idea of a piggy bank topper, very cute.

BiscuitEater21

I made separate tiers and simply stacked them on top of each other I didn't think of anything to build the cake around beforehand. And the diaper cake I was made for my baby shower was not held together by anything it was just stacked and sat on the games and gift table... 

That makes them very hard to travel with because the layers sliding around in the trunk messes everything up!

Thank you for the bottle idea but I kind of like my wand and kite idea (: to me it sort of makes the gift more personal and not too cheap. Not that these cakes have been anywhere near cheap to me so far lol I am going a tad overboard but I'm going to be an AUNT!!! I'll have a niece in December!! 

rockinmommy

Most diaper cakes are built around something for support, and some people use wooden dowels to hold the cake together. I don't think I would use a wand or kite, I would use items on the cake that were useful sooner rather than later. My last one I used a bottle of baby lotion to hold it together and topped it with some other items.

rhubarb123

I've only made a couple but I have always used 1-2 receiving blankets rolled for the center.  I then start the bottom layer of diapers (usually size 2's).  The next layer are size 1's and the top layer are size newborn.  I stack each layer on top of the other and put a wide ribbon around each layer to hold them togther.  No glue, no tape, etc.  I don't hang things off the sides of the "cake" either although I do put something on the top (stuffed animal, music box, other larger toy).  I make the whole thing on a very large "platter" that I purchase at the dollar store or GFS.  I wrap the whole thing with tulle (inexpensive netting from Joann Fabrics) and pull it all together at the top and tie a ribbon around it (same ribbon that is around each layer).  Only once did I make the cake my GIFT and when I did that I used the music box for the topper and put a BRU gift card in it.  The cake ends up being about 24 inches high and the bottom layer is about 14-16 inches in diameter.  BTW...I lay the diapers on their sides with the open ends facing the center of the "cake".

sabriel1

There is always potential for wrapping the whole diaper cake in clear cellophane for travel

persephonerose

If I was to get a diaper cake I would want it to have useful items. A wand, bubbles, piggie bank, and a kite are not really useful at all for a new born or even within the first few years of life.  Trying to prepare for a baby all that would be stuff that I tossed or donated.  If it was me making diaper cakes, I would go back to the drawing board on what to decorate it with.

1026pumpkin

As far as the center supports go, anything slim and solid seems to work well (bottle brush, bottle of lotion or body wash, etc.).  I have also used rolled-up receiving blankets, but only if I don't need to transport the cake.

The way I assemble is to roll each diaper and secure with a small rubber band, then group 5 diapers together with a rubber band, then start making rings of diapers around that, securing each ring with a large rubber band.  I go around the outside of the final ring with ribbon.  I set the cake either on a charger plate/platter or cut a circle or square out of cardboard and wrap it in a receiving blanket.  If the cake is going to be a gift and not used as a centerpiece or decoration for a shower, I wrap the whole cake in tulle and tie with a ribbon.

I will say, though, no matter how securely you make them, they're still pretty fragile and I would be very reluctant to put a breakable piggy bank on the top.  It also seems very heavy like it could start sinking into the diapers.  If you're going to go this route, I think you need to build some infrastructure into your cake: have each tier sitting on a piece of cardboard cutout to the size of the tier so you don't see it, and place wooden dowels to support it- you're going to have to cut out holes in the upper tier's cardboard for the dowels to run up, so each cardboard bottom is resting on dowels (and not just diapers) to hold it up.  Then use something wide diameter as the center (bubble wand, diaper brush, etc.) and make sure that there is room for it to go all the way into the piggy bank and fit securely.  I wouldn't place the piggybank on top until you get to your destination, though.

If I were in your shoes, I'd stick to something lightweight and soft as the topper- animal blankies, stuffed animal, soft toy, etc.

BiscuitEater21

HuskieFanUW:

I got a diaper cake that the middle was a bottle of wine to enjoy after the baby was born.

That is a great idea and a lot of you had other great ideas too! Thank you. But I like my original ideas too, I prefer each cake to be uniquely different to fit the age of each baby and mother it's being made for.

I'm sure they'll be marvelous once I get everything in the mail to complete them. They already have spoons in the ribbon, diaper rash cream, wooden ABC blocks spelling their name, a burp rag, bottle brush, pair of hand mittens and socks, and outfit. I tie dyed some onesies and bought different colors to make each one match the color of the ribbon on the cake. They're really coming together, just wanted something BIG on the top lol.

Most of the things on the cakes were bought in bundle and on sale so it really didn't cost me a lot to make them (: I can't wait to get the blocks and center objects/toppers next week!

I also really liked the idea of putting cardboard between the tiers of the cake because one is 4 tiers high! 

NicMil

I've always preferred the simple cakes with maybe a bow on the top.  It really makes the cake look elegant IMO.

I have seen some with a sophie on the top too that I liked.

https://pinterest.com/pin/170433167119692064/

Not this one but you get the idea.