Cardboard/Paper Layer Cake

I love the challenge of creating something that I have not made before. When I saw the Cardboard and Paper Instructable, I knew that I wanted to make something really special. Could I make a layer cake? After much thought and a little research, I decided to give it a go! I pretty much made it up as I worked on it and I really found it so fun to put it together! I am quite pleased with the results of my cardboard and paper cake! Follow along with my Instructable to see how to make it!

a sturdy cardboard box that has been cut along the fold lines

construction paper in assorted colors

large bowl

medium bowl

box cutter

pencil

hole punch

glue

measuring tape or ruler

scissors

compass with 2 pencils or protractor

1-inch cutters in assorted shapes

scotch tape

Place the large bowl upside-down on a large piece of cardboard. Using a pencil, trace around the bowl. Use the box cutter to carefully cut out the circle. Repeat steps, making a second circle the same size.

Place the medium-sized bowl face down on a piece of cardboard. Trace with a pencil. Repeat, making 2 circles. Cut each out with the box cutter.

Use the measuring tape to decide how wide the top layer will be. Adjust the compass with the 2 pencils to create a circle that size. Tighten the screw to hold the pencils in place. Draw 2 circles, then cut them out with the box cutter.

Place one of the largest cake circles on a piece of cardboard. Draw a circle about 1-inch wider than the circle. Cut the circle with the box cutter.

Pull the outer layer of cardboard off of both sides of cardboard lengths. Inside is a perforated piece and it bends. That will be the sides of the cake layers.

All of the long cardboard side pieces were 7-inches high. I decided all of the sides of the cake layers would be half of that size, 3 1/2-inches high. Use the tape measure and mark 3 1/2-inches along the center of the cardboard strips. Use scissors to cut along the marks. If the piece is not long enough to cover the sides of each layer, tape 2 together. Cut to fit the sides of the cake layers.

Wrap a perforated piece of cardboard around the bottom edge of one of the large circles. Use several pieces of scotch tape to hold it in place. Squirt glue along the joining edges to secure it. Repeat steps attaching the other circle of the same size to the other end of the cake layer.

Repeat the same method with the 2 medium circles and 2 small circles using 3 1/2-inch tall strips of perforated cardboard. This forms the middle and top cake layers.

Decide what color you would like the cake to be. I chose cream color. Wrap paper around the large cake layer making sure the paper is touching the bottom edge. Using a pencil, draw a mark around the top outer edge of the cake. This will be the cutting line. Use the scissors to cut along the marks. Repeat with the middle layer cake and the top layer cake, covering the sides of each.

Glue the paper strips onto the sides of all 3 cake layers to cover.

Measure, mark and cut circles of matching paper to cover the tops of the 3 cake layers. Glue each to the edges of the cake layers.

Decide what color to make the cake’s plate. I chose pale green. Measure, mark and cut out the paper circle. Glue the paper to the circle. Cut a 1/4-inch strip of paper to cover the outer edge of the plate.

Decide what color the “icing” should be. I chose yellow. Measure, draw and cut circles of that paper to cover the top of each cake layer.

Make the icing drips by drawing and cutting strips of colored paper to match the icing tops on the cake layers. Glue them into place.

Carefully center and glue the cake layers together, then glue the plate piece to the bottom layer.

I decided that I would use tea sandwich heart shapes and for the leaves. Trace and draw hearts on green paper. Carefully cut out each heart.

Cut each heart down the middle and round out the top. Draw lines with a pencil at an angle on each leaf. Cut along the lines to form the ribs of the leaves. Each leaf can arch.

I decided to use several shapes of tea sandwich cutters to form the flower petals. It is up to you how many flowers and leaves you would like on the cake. Trace around each shape to make the petals. You will need 5 for each flower. Cut them all out.

Cut one black hole punch for each flower. The punched out piece will be the center of a flower. Glue the petals together, then glue a little black circle to the center of each flower. When dry, crumble each flower petal for a more realistic look!

Glue and arrange the flowers on the cake.

Add and glue on as many leaves as you would like.

The cake is now complete! It would make a great decoration at a wedding or a birthday party. Mine will just be a conversation piece in my house. You can make and add more decorations to your cake depending on the theme of the party! I hope you enjoyed seeing how I made my cardboard and paper layer cake! It was a really fun project to work on!