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How I made a Minnie Mouse DIY Diaper Cake for under $50!
Wanted to finish off March with some fun posts featuring recent projects and favorite products. For my niece’s one year Birthday party/present, I decided to try making a diaper cake. Since we had just arrived home from our Disney vacation, I decided on a Minnie Mouse Theme for my DIY diaper cake. Here are the steps I took to create it, and where I purchased each “ingredient.”
Where to shop:
I was able to get all my supplies from Target and Michaels. The biggest expense was the diapers, which I accidentally bought too many of! I was not using any instructions, and just going off photos I had seen of diaper cakes on Pinterest. I bought a giant box of 100 (oops!), but by the time I was done I used less than 40! The rest of the items were less than $5, except for the Minnie Tsum Tsum which I think was $6. Most of these same exact items you can purchase online. Click links to shop! Right now, you can save 50% Off Any One Regular Price Item at Michaels! At Target, you can earn free shipping on orders placed of $35 or more!
*My supplies listed are based on my 3-layer cake which measured approx. 2 feet tall x 12 inches wide.
What you need:
40 Diapers – This is a good start for the size of the 3-layer cake I made, but you could always make it bigger! I bought Target’s brand of diapers. I was looking for plain white ones, but no brands had that! Also, be sure you are buying a size that will fit the baby if buying for an older or bigger baby.
Charger or base of somesort – I loved this charger from Michaels! I have been meaning to go back and get another to keep at home as decor!
Rubber bands – I found a big pack of them at the Dollar Store.
Minnie mouse ribbon – Also from Michaels
Paper Garland or any embellishments – I used this Pink Fringe Garland from Michaels
Pins or some way to attach embellishments and ribbon onto the diapers. – Used pins with matching pink, round ends that would blend well with my ribbon and garland. I found these cheap at the Dollar store.
Clear Shipping Tape or Stickytack – Target
Whatever you want your cake topper to be. In this case I happened to spy a super cute Birthday Minnie Tsum Tsum in the Toy section at Target. It was too perfect!
Clear gift basket bag – I thought it was pretty cool Michaels sells single gift basket bags in many different sizes. I bought the small and medium to try, and ended up using the medium.
Curling ribbon, or whatever you want to decorate the top of the clear wrapping. – I found matching pink pre-curled ribbons at the dollar store in the gift wrap section.
Instructions:
1 – Set plate down in front of you, and either use the packing tape or sticky tack so it is sticking both to the plate, and has a sticky side facing up where you will attach the first layer of diapers.
2 – Form the first layer of the cake by folding the diapers over each other, making a circle as shown in the photo below. Secure with rubber bands as you go. I started with a few diapers in the middle, and then attached more as could fit under the rubber band.
*Be sure to leave room for embellishments on the outside of each layer, and do not take up the whole top of the plate or layer underneath!
3 – Secure the first layer to the plate by the packing tape or sticky tack. Push any diapers edges down so you have a flat surface on top.
4- Add embellishments. I fist pinned on the paper garland, and then the ribbon just about that around each layer.
*When I pushed the pins in, I tried to place them where the “top” of diapers were, so not to possibly poke holes in the bottom of the diapers and chance leakage!
5 – repeat steps 2-5 to make each layer.
6 – Add packing tape or whatever you chose to use to attach each layer to the top of each layer. I placed some on top of each layer. I also stuck some on the side of the next layer to the top of the bottom layer as seen in the photos below. The tape on the sides was placed low enough I easily hid it behind the fringe ribbon.
*The layers will not stick super well if using the shipping tape, but I did not want to chance hot glue melting or ruining the diapers. When you wrap the cake with the clear gift basket bag at the end it will hold it together enough.
7- Attach your cake topper if using one using pins or whatever is necessary.
*I folded over the tag that was on the Zmu Zmu and pinned it underneath so it was hidden and secured on the top layer.
8 – Carefully put the entire cake attached to it’s base inside of the gift basket bag. Pinch the top together to close, and secure with a rubber band.
9 – Add ribbon or decor around rubber band to hide.
10 – Be amazed at yourself, and your awesome DIY Diaper Cake!
I hope this is a helpful how-to for those interested in creating their own DIY diaper cake. Have fun!
Thanks for reading!
-Jillian
PS – Here are some of my current Minnie favorites sure to delight the Minnie Mouse fan in your life!
I know what I am bringing for my next baby shower!!! Thanks
Aren’t you incredibly thoughtful😊 I realllly like this idea. So adorable, thoughtful and creative.
Thank you. You never know what you can do until you finally try it out yourself!
Soooo cute! Love it!
This is adorable! I wish I found this a few months ago for my sis baby shower lol we attempted and it turned out pretty ok! But this one looks so easy and is so pretty!
Thank you!