3. Diaper Cake Bassinet
A bassinet-shaped cake reads instantly as a baby gift, and it photographs beautifully on a gift table. It is also one of the few designs that can double as a display piece during the shower.
What you need: About 50 diapers, a 9-inch round cake pan or a sturdy cardboard base cut into an oval, a receiving blanket, ribbon, and a small pillow or rolled washcloth for the “mattress.”
How to make it: Roll diapers and stand them upright in a tight ring to form the body of the bassinet. Wrap a wide ribbon around the middle to define the shape. For the hood, roll a smaller cluster of diapers into a half-circle and attach it to one end, or drape a receiving blanket over a curved piece of cardboard and tuck it into the back. Line the top with a folded blanket to look like bedding.
Time and difficulty: 50–70 minutes. Moderate — the hood is the fiddly part.
This design suits a neutral nursery theme especially well. Use a muslin swaddle instead of a printed blanket for a softer, more modern look, and keep the color palette to two or three tones so it does not turn busy.