Diaper cakes have become all the rage at Hollywood baby showers, nationwide. They are a creative and useful gift that every new Mother will certainly appreciate and definitely a useful item to have right after the baby is born. (There is very little chance that a diaper cake will end up in the top of the closet somewhere, unused.)

In case you are not familiar with diaper cakes they are, for the most part, constructed of three tiers of rolled up diapers, which when put together closely resemble a wedding cake. (Pretty ingenious, huh?)

Diaper cakes make excellent tabletop centerpieces, to use at the baby shower. If, by chance, more than one cake is made you can easily group them together, as they will make an eye catching display and will definitely become the topic of conversation at the party.

They are then embellished with any number of things, suitable for Mom and baby. Basic baby care supplies, infant toys and clothing items and stuffed animals are just a sample of the things that can be used.

To be extra creative, consider concealing a small item in the very center of each tier. Doing so will create an extra element of surprise as Mom actually uses up the diapers.

You can purchase diaper cakes, which are ready made or choose to create one of your own. The choice is yours. Honestly, if you have the time it is well worth your effort to construct the cake yourself. Not only will you save money, you will end up with a finished product you are completely satisfied with.

You can make a diaper cake specifically for a boy or a girl. If you are not sure of the sex of the baby you can create a more generic cake, as well. Although more of the original diaper cakes were made with cloth diapers, more and more of them are being created with disposables.

For a more extravagant diaper cake, think larger scale. (If cost is an issue, you can always pool your funds with one of two other individuals, who will be attending the shower.) By using more diapers to construct the bottom layer of the cake, you can easily make a cake that is 6 or 7 layers.

Another creative idea might be rolling something into each diaper, while you are assembling the cake. Something small and flat would obviously work the best. This could be anything from dollar bills to coupons to tips for new Moms to small jars of baby food. You are only limited by your imagination!

As you can see, diaper cakes are the perfect gift. And... if you are the creative type they are as much fun to make as they are to give.

(When all is said and done, you will have created a useful gift that will no doubt be the focal point of the event. If you've been extra creative don't be surprised if you are recruited to make diaper cakes, for friends and family.