• diapers - disposable or cloth, either will work
• rubber bands
• wide ribbon
• string or narrow ribbon
• cardboard cake plate
• 1-4 wooden dowels (or similar items such as rulers)
• something to decorate the cake with - ribbons and silk flowers or receiving blankets and baby items such as pacifiers, rattles, travel size bottles of baby skincare products, etc.
• if wrapping blankets around the cake, you may need diaper pins to secure them
• scissors and/or an Exacto knife
• tulle to wrap the finished cake (optional)

Start by rolling each diaper and securing it with a rubber band.  Don't open up the diapers... Keep them folded and try to protect the inside of the diaper as best as possible.  Also, don't bind them too tightly with the rubber band.  You don't want to damage the diapers since what a makes a diaper cake a practical gift is the fact that the new parents will be able to use these diapers.

On top of a cardboard cake plate, which can be purchased at Michael's or any store selling cake decorating supplies, start with a single, rolled diaper in the middle, then surround it with other rolled diapers to form a ring around the diaper in the middle. Secure the ring with a string or ribbon.

Before adding more rings around the circumference of this bottom layer, you're going to want to secure it to the bottom of the cake plate. Some diaper cake makers chose to use tape or other adhesives to secure the layer to the plate, but when the cake is dismantled, attempts to remove the tape may tear the diapers and render them useless. So I came up with a way to tie the bottom layer to the cake plate without using adhesives.  To do this, make sure the layer of diaper is centered on the plate. Then, using a pencil, mark four places on the plate around the edge of the diaper layer. These marks should be an equal distance from each other, but exact measurements aren't necessary, so don't worry about hunting down a ruler. Now move the layer of diapers aside and, using an exacto knife or a pair of scissors, cut slits into the plate where the marks are. Be sure to make the cuts the same width as the ribbon you've set aside for this purpose. Then thread the two pieces of ribbon through the slits. Place the layer of diapers back on the cake plate and secure it by tying the ends of the ribbon at the top. Once tied, tuck the ends of the ribbon into the diaper layer so the next layer can lie flat on top.  Remember, the ribbon or string used to tie the bottom layer to the cake plate doesn't need to look pretty as the other rings you'll add will cover it up.

Next, add the additional rings of diapers to your bottom layer until it's the desired circumference.  Don't forget to secure each ring by tying a narrow ribbon or string around the circumference.  If this is a three-layer diaper cake, your first layer will need to consist of a minimum of three rings, not including the diaper in the middle. The second layer will consist of two rings, and the top layer will have one ring. By now you're getting the idea, right? This means, if it's a four layer cake, the bottom layer will have a minimum of four rings and each ring above that will be less one ring.

Once you've arranged all the layers until they sit where desired, you'll want to increase stability and prevent the layers from moving around or slipping off. This can be done by inserting wooden dowels through the top to the very bottom.   Similar items can be used, just makes sure they're clean and smooth so they don't snag on the diapers.  For smaller cakes, one or two dowels may be enough. Larger diaper cakes, or cakes that will be shipped, may need three or four.

Now your diaper cake is "baked." Just how much "frosting" you put on this cake depends on how much money you want to spend. For a simpler, less expensive cake, wrap each layer with a wide, decorative ribbon. Tie each ribbon in the same place on each layer. Then secure a silk flower, or a small bunch of flowers, at the spot where each ribbon was tied. Add another small bunch of the same flowers on the top layer and voila!

If you want to spend a little more money, you tuck baby items such as pacifiers, rattles, socks, wash cloths, etc. into the diapers here and there. Diapers can be removed here and there and replaced with other items. You can also cover the perimeter of each layer with receiving blankets, burp cloths, wash cloths, etc. Tuck and smooth as much as necessary to achieve the desire look. Blankets can be secured in the back using diaper pins.

For toppers, you can remove the center diaper of the top layer and replace it with a baby bottle filled with candy or colored shred. Other things could be used such as bath toys, stuff animals etc.

You're only limited by your creativity! If you know what theme will be used to decorate the baby's nursery, you can use that same theme for the cake. If you or the new parents are concerned about the environment, use cloth diapers or eco-friendly disposable diapers. You can create an environmentally-friendly diaper cake using Seventh Generation disposable diapers, which are better for our landfills than most other brands.

When your diaper cake is complete you can wrap it in tulle or cellophane and secure the top with ribbon.

Carrie Anne Shepherd is a former even planning specialist, a mother of three, and a regular contributor for Gifts-to-Impress.com