Ask a random person about fun baby shower gifts or what you can give at a baby shower, and you'll often hear: diapers. That's right—parents can definitely use diapers, and they've probably already been overwhelmed with adorable rompers, toys, and personalized, unique burp cloths. But running to the drugstore, buying a pack of diapers, and handing it to the new parents might feel a bit less stylish.

So, take a different approach: make a diaper cake! How do you make a diaper cake? And what exactly is a diaper cake? LILLYDOO helps you get started with a step-by-step guide. Making a diaper cake is fun and not at all difficult. To make it truly special, you can decorate it with small toys and/or care products, or create a themed diaper cake. Practical and beautiful—what’s not to love?

How do I make a diaper cake?

Buy a diaper cake? No way—you can make it completely yourself. To create a stylish diaper cake, you'll need the following:

• 61 small, transparent elastic bands

• 6 larger, transparent elastic bands

• 2 empty kitchen rolls (or empty toilet paper rolls)

• 3 meters of twine made from natural fiber, for example jute

• 1 full sheet of cardboard with a minimum diameter of 32 centimeters

• 1 sheet of craft paper in your favorite color (or the recipient's favorite color, of course)

• 61 diapers, for example our LILLYDOO diapers with stylish design (more on how to create your diaper cake with an original theme further on in this article)

• Scissors

• Tape

• Ruler

• Compass or a large and a small plate

• Gifts for in and on the cake

• Optional: decorations such as dried flowers, wooden ornaments, cards, or flags

Making a homemade Luiertaart: it's that easy

1. First, a quick test of perseverance: roll up all 61 diapers and secure each one with a small elastic band. Tip: Do you have foldable gifts such as washcloths, clothes, or muslin cloths? You can easily incorporate these into the diaper cake. Fold the gift into a roll, just like the diapers, and replace one of the rolled diapers with it.

2. On a sheet of cardboard, draw a circle with a diameter of at least 32 centimeters using a ruler and a compass (cardboard boxes like the ones your LILLYDOO diapers come in are ideal for this). Then cut out the circle.

3. To make the diaper cake stable, take an empty toilet paper roll and cut four notches, each two centimeters long, on one side. This creates four flaps that you fold outward and use to attach the roll to the center of the cardboard circle. Since your diaper cake shouldn’t be too modest, glue a second roll on top of the first so you can build up the height. Tip: Instead of empty toilet paper rolls, you can also use empty toilet rolls.

4. Now it’s time for the diapers. Place six rolled diapers around the kitchen roll for the first layer and secure them with a large elastic band. Around that, add twelve more diapers and secure them with the string. The mathematicians among us have probably already realized that the third row of the first layer consists of 18 diapers.

5. Now your diaper cake is getting taller. Place a second layer of diapers on the first, starting with a circle of six diapers, then twelve.

6. The third cake layer is also the last, with six more diapers in a circle around the kitchen roll.

7. At the very top, place diaper number 61. Roll it up very tightly and insert it from above into the kitchen roll.

8. Now cut the gift ribbon or string to size. You’ll need pieces measuring 115, 75, and 50 centimeters.

9. Tie a ribbon or a piece of string of the appropriate length around each cake layer. Optionally, decorate with bows made from the remaining ribbon or string.

10. As the proverbial cherry on top of the (almost equally proverbial) cake, there’s a paper hat. Draw a circle on the colored paper using a small board or a compass. Cut it out and make a slit to the center of the circle. Slide the ends over each other until the point fits nicely over the top of the cake, then tape them together with a small piece of tape. Place the hat on top, and your diaper cake is ready! Tip: Instead of the hat, you can also use a small gift as the cake topper. Think cuddly toys, shoes, or rattles.

Joyful designs for your diaper cake

As we mentioned earlier, when building a diaper cake, you can let your creativity run wild. The cheerful designs from LILLYDOO are the perfect starting point. For example, how about a light, airy diaper cake made with diapers in our “Little Blowballs” design? Decorate it with dried flowers and green or blue ribbon for an extra natural look. It’s almost as if you just blew the fluff from a dandelion into the world a few seconds ago.

Or choose a nautical diaper cake with our designs “Ahoy, Little Sailor” or “Blue Whales Swim Deep.” Whether you want to make a diaper cake for a boy or a diaper cake for a girl, a water theme always fascinates. It’s especially fun to add a summer hat, sunglasses, or water toys as an extra gift.

Green always works well, and for that, the “Watch Me Grow” design from our diaper line is perfect. The green leaves on the diapers pair beautifully with jute, dried flowers, and ribbon in natural tones.

Decorate the Luiertaart

Would you like to decorate your diaper cake? Great idea! For example, place a pack of baby wipes on the diaper cake, or put a bottle of baby care product on top. New parents can always use these. Other practical gifts are also always welcome and make a lovely addition to the diaper cake. Think pacifiers, sustainable clothing, or other baby care items.

Have fun crafting—and, of course, giving away this beautiful nursery gift!