Baby Shower Diaper Cakes, in Pictures

Ah, the diaper cake ... an impressive gift that turns out to be within anyone's capabilities. Oh yes, that means you!
 

You can go cloth or disposable — just ask mamma first — one tier or three tier, 50 diapers or 300 (gulp!) diapers. The basics? Diapers, a display tray or cardboard round, lots and lots of rubber bands and some time!

After that, it's all about the fun stuff: beautiful ribbon, fun little gifts, and astounding the world with your boundless creativity and skill.

Read on, and watch one or two of the brilliant little how-to videos below, and you'll find yourself an expert in the time it takes to sip a cup of coffee.

Once you've built the basics, it's great fun to design your cake around a theme. Here are some popular ones that grace baby showers all across the land:

Lion cubs, elephants, giraffes, baby duckies, rocking horses and teddies; frogs, monkeys, lambs, baby cows, baseballs and baby bees; bunnies, butterflies, kittens, ladybugs and ballerinas.

Don't waste another minute scratching your head and trying to follow arcane text directions on a project this complicated. (Most of the articles don't even have photos!)

Instead, kick back and watch this great video that shows a simple 'candlestick' method for making a diaper cake that looks like a pro did it. From exactly how to roll the diapers (a great trick: use clear rubber bands!) to really setting off the final project, it's all covered here!

There's no end of ingenuity when it comes to taking a diaper cake from good to great. Here are some popular ways to add zing to your creation:

• Beloved books, like Dr. Seuss or Goodnight Moon: stack between layers!

• Waterfall of silk flowers (just like the fanciest wedding cakes).

• "Mod Mom" ribbon: poppy, geometric ribbons with pink and brown polka dots, for example.

• Small stuffed animals: tucked into layers or tied to the sides.

• Booties, bibs, receiving blankets.

• Pacifiers, teething rings, rattles, and socks (turn baby socks into sock roses: learn how below!).

• Wooden monogram letters

As for toppers, some beloved choices include:

• Baby lotion or shampoos, tied with a pretty sheer ribbon

• Baby bottles filled with sweet treats for Mom

• Small stuffed animal, like a teddy or frog

• Wooden spoon with a "Baby on Board" sign attached

For the final touch? Raise your creation on a cake stand, and surround with a ring of favors for your guests!

Don't let a a little Kiwi color throw you off; this ultra-creative New Zealander shows how to 'bake' up a kickin' three tier cake after only having seen them on the internet!

She's a natural, though, and she shows just how to create a smooth-edged, superb-looking cake in which every single item's a practical gift for Mom. Bonus? Learn how to make roses out of baby socks, "candles" out of face towels, and a super-clever use for a wooden spoon!

Many triumphant diaper cake designers want to tack on a little poem that helps explain the intricacies of their creation, or at least point out the highlights. Here are a few widely-used ones:

By Laura Kaye

1) Here's a special gift I made just for you.

I didn't have to sew or even use glue,

It's filled with lots of things you see,

But most of all with love from me!

2) Here's a cake for your special day,

Because the stork is on her way.

It's filled with lots of things for you,

On the outside, and inside, too.

Place them in your diaper bag,

So all the necessities you will have.

For the big day soon will come,

When you can show off your little one!

Tami Enos

6 Cloth Diapers, you can wash every day

6 More Diapers, you can throw away

Fold in 1 bib, in case baby should dribble

Add in 4 socks, to cover toes as they wiggle

Fold in 1 shirt (onsie), to keep in the heat

Bind with 4 pins, to keep the cake neat

Anonymous

Here is a cake made with love,

though I wouldn't call it yummy.

For the ingredients used go on the baby,

not inside your tummy.

Flour, sugar, milk, and eggs

will make a cake so sweet,

But diapers, booties, and baby socks

will make a handy treat.

Q) Who did that famous diaper cake that Carrie brought for Miranda's baby shower on Sex & The City?

A) BabyCakes, a successful small business run by mom-preneur Charlotte Fawkes out of Denver, Colorado.