Brighten up a shower with a decorative cake.
One of the highlights of a baby shower is the cake. The cake is one of the first things your guests and mommy-to-be will notice, so decorate it in a way that commands attention. Use a round cake for ease, and then spruce it up with decorations that match the theme or color scheme of the baby shower. Does this Spark an idea?
Diaper Cake
Create a diaper cake--a bundle of real diapers in a non-edible round cake--to use as a centerpiece, main attraction, gift or all three. Your diaper cake can include multiple tiers or contain a single layer. If you opt for multiple layers, one idea is to use a different size of diapers on each layer. Fold the diapers and group them into a circle. Hold them in place with a decorative ribbon.
Add little onesies, brushes, bath products, lotion, stuffed animals, rattles or any other baby items you want. If you are organizing the shower, choose colors or items that complement the theme of the shower or nursery.
Baby Cake
Use the round cake to create a baby's head, or a whole baby. Use a light or flesh-tone color to cover a round cake, then add facial details or a little curly piece of hair with colored icing. Draw little hands and feet on top of the cake, towards the bottom if you desire. For a larger baby shower, consider adding a second round cake under the first to serve as the baby's body.
If you wish to create a three-dimensional effect, consider cutting a second cake or using cupcakes or other goodies to serve as hands and feet. Decorate the extremities to match the tone of the "face."
Toppers
Place small items on top of the cake for decoration. Choose from typical baby items, items that fall within your theme or use icing to build the three-dimensional decorations. Baby blocks, booties, novelty bottles, pacifiers, rubber ducks, toy trucks, tiaras or any other items that can fit on the cake would work. Place a piece of plastic wrap between foreign objects and the cake to ensure it's edible.
Icing Decorations
For a simple cake, consider using icing to draw items onto the cake. Simple baby items or words, such as "Congratulations" would work. If the shower has a specific theme, such as jungle animals, draw baby jungle animals onto the cake with frosting. Use a criss-cross or plaid pattern to make the cake look like a baby quilt across the bottom 80 percent of the cake, then draw a baby's head peaking out from the top of the "blanket." For a dream theme, consider a moon, the stars and clouds or anything else that fits in with the rest of the decorations. If the mom-to-be loves rainbows, or plans to decorate the nursery with rainbows, draw a rainbow on the cake.
Baby Item Shapes
Create an umbrella, rattle or lollipop out of the cake by decorating the round part as the top of the item, and then extending the cake with pure icing or cut up another cake to fit under the round cake. Another option is to place a small plastic "baby" on top of the cake, cover it with a blanket of icing and decorate the rest of the cake to resemble a bassinet.
Tags: round cake, baby items, baby shower, items that, baby head