What the heck is a diaper cake?

I know- it sounds gross. I got a lot of weird looks when I first told people I was attempting to make a "diaper cake" for a friend's baby shower. It didn't occur to me that you might envision an unappetizing cake with a lot of chocolate diarrhea-like icing, instead of a centerpiece/gift made of diapers.

I am getting to that stage in life where all my friends are getting married, and now starting to having babies. I am sure this is the first of many baby showers to come, so I thought I would try to master a "diaper cake".

It was actually a lot easier to make than I had expected. To make the cake, diapers are arranged in a spiral pattern around a round object (like baby lotion bottle) and stacked in tiers to look like a multi-tiered cake. It helps to have an extra set of hands to hold the diapers steady when you tie them in place. I then wrapped each layer in a receiving blanket to look like icing and finished it off with a nice ribbon. Other finishing touches included toys, clothing, and roses made of baby facecloths.  There are plenty of online tutorials that provide tips (if you actually care!)

It is a fun, creative way to present a practical gift!