Creative Dish Towel Wedding Cake: A Step-By-Step Guide

A dish towel wedding cake is a thoughtful and practical gift for a bridal shower. It is easy to make and can be used as a beautiful decoration or centerpiece at the event. The basic materials required include a set of towels (2 bath, 2 hand, and 2 wash), ribbon, silk rose petals, silk flowers, safety pins, scissors, and wire cutters. The process involves folding and rolling the towels, securing them with pins, stacking the layers, adding ribbons and decorative details, and stabilizing the cake with a wooden dowel if needed. With creativity and customization, this DIY project will surely impress the bride-to-be.

Choosing the right towels

Number and Size of Towels:

The number of towels you need will depend on the size and layers of your cake. A typical dish towel wedding cake consists of three layers, with two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths. However, you can adjust the number of towels based on the desired height and fullness of your cake. It's important to ensure that the towels are proportional in size, creating a gradual decrease in size from the bottom to the top layer.

Colour and Design:

The colour and design of the towels will set the theme and aesthetic of your cake. You can choose towels in a single colour or opt for a combination that aligns with the wedding colour palette. Consider if you want a cohesive look with towels of the same colour or a varied look with different shades and patterns. Remember that the colour and design of the towels will also influence the overall impact of your decorative elements.

Quality and Fabric:

Using high-quality, thick towels is recommended for a sturdier and more luxurious-looking cake. Thin or low-quality towels may not roll or fold neatly, affecting the overall structure and appearance. Look for towels made from absorbent and durable fabrics such as cotton or linen. The fabric's texture can also add interest to your cake, with options like waffle-weave or textured towels providing a unique touch.

Embellishments:

When choosing your towels, consider the embellishments you plan to use. If you want to include decorative elements like ribbons, flowers, or other accents, select towels that complement these additions. For example, if you plan to use lace or burlap ribbon, ensure the towel colour and design don't clash with these embellishments. Similarly, if you intend to add flowers or other decorations, choose colours that create a harmonious or contrasting effect, depending on your desired style.

Personalisation:

You can also make your dish towel wedding cake more personalised by choosing towels with embroidered initials or monograms of the bride and groom. This adds a unique and thoughtful touch to your creation. Alternatively, you can include the wedding date or a special message embroidered on the towels for a lasting memento.

Remember, the key to choosing the right towels is to consider their visual impact, structural contribution, and how they enhance the overall theme and design of your dish towel wedding cake.

Folding and rolling the towels

To make a dish towel wedding cake, you'll need to fold and roll the towels to create the layers of the cake. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Start by gathering your towels. You will need two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths for a three-layer cake. Thick, high-quality towels are best for this project.

First, you will fold each towel lengthwise. For the bath towels, fold them in half lengthwise twice, so that the width of the towel is roughly six inches wide. For the hand towels and washcloths, the exact number of folds will depend on their size; you want to achieve a similar width to the bath towels.

Once folded, it's time to start rolling. Place one bath towel on a flat surface with the end closest to you, and start rolling it tightly and neatly until you reach the end. Secure the rolled towel with two large safety pins, one at the top and one at the bottom. Repeat this process with the second bath towel, and then place one rolled bath towel at each end, end-to-end, and start rolling them together as if they were one long towel. Secure this double roll with safety pins as before, and you have created the base layer of your cake.

Now, repeat the same process of folding, rolling, and pinning with the hand towels to create the middle layer of your cake. Finally, do the same with the washcloths to create the top layer. You should now have three layers of towels, each securely pinned and ready to be assembled into your cake.

This folding and rolling technique creates a tight and neat base for your cake, giving it a beautiful and elegant look. You can adjust the number of folds to achieve the desired width for each layer, ensuring that your cake has a sturdy and balanced structure.

In the next steps, you will stack these layers, add ribbons and decorations, and transform your rolled towels into a stunning dish towel wedding cake!

Securing the towels with pins or rubber bands

Securing the towels tightly is an important step in making a dish towel wedding cake. There are a few ways to do this, using either pins or rubber bands.

If you choose to use pins, you will need large safety pins, ideally 2" long. You can use straight pins or fancy pins that look like pearls. For each layer of the cake, fold and roll the towels, and then secure the ends of the towels to themselves with two large safety pins, one at the top and one at the bottom of each layer. You can also add extra security by placing pins on the sides of the second and third layers around the bottom.

Alternatively, you can use large, wide rubber bands to secure the towels. Place the rubber bands horizontally around the towels to hold them together. Then, cover the rubber bands with wide wired ribbon. You can also use wire ribbon or mesh ribbon to hold all the towels together by creating a cross on your table with two very long pieces of ribbon and bringing them up vertically to make a large decorative bow at the top of the cake.

Adding ribbons and other decorations

To add ribbons to your dish towel wedding cake, cut the ribbon into 60", 40", and 30" lengths. Tie the longest piece of ribbon around the bath towels, which will be the bottom layer of your cake, in a bow. Trim the ends of the ribbon on an angle with sharp scissors. Repeat this process for the other two layers, using the remaining ribbon pieces. When you're finished, stack the cake layers with the largest layer at the bottom and centre the bows at the front.

You can also add a wooden dowel through the stacked layers to help stabilise the cake, especially if you plan on adding a lot of decorations. Simply push the decorative details into the top centre of the cake. For example, cut the stem of a large flower to about six inches and gently push it into the cake. You can also sprinkle silk rose petals around the cake, placing a few on the layers, too.

There are endless ways to decorate your dish towel wedding cake. You can add kitchen utensils, small gifts, or other creative items that the bride will enjoy. You can also customise the cake to fit the wedding colours or the bride's preferences.

Stacking the layers and assembling the cake

Now that you have your three layers of towels, it's time to stack them and assemble your cake.

Start by placing your cake board down first, then stack the layers on top of each other, with the largest layer at the bottom and the smallest at the top. Centre the bows at the front of the cake. You can also add an optional wooden dowel through the centre of the cake to hold the layers together, especially if you have a lot of decorations or embellishments. This will help to stabilise the cake, making it easier to transport.

Once your layers are stacked, you can start adding your decorative details. Cut the stem of a large flower or a group of flowers to about six inches long and gently push it into the top centre of the cake. Sprinkle silk rose petals around the cake, placing a few on the layers, too. You can also add other embellishments like small flowers, pearls, or ribbon.

If you want to transport your cake, you can secure the layers with a wooden dowel or even large rubber bands, which can be covered with ribbon. This will ensure your cake stays intact during transport and can be easily assembled at your destination.

Frequently asked questions