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Two-tier money cake with lace ribbon, yellow roses, purple flowers, and a Happy Birthday topper—for milestone celebrations.

How to Make a Money Cake

A money cake is a creative and elegant gift made from decorative cake tiers of rolled banknotes and personalised decorations. Follow my step-by-step guide to create a unique cash gift for a birthday or special occasion.
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Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Assembly Time 45 minutes

Equipment

  • Measuring Tape / Ruler
  • Craft Glue
  • Scissors
  • Sticky Tape
  • Wooden Spoon or suitable object to wrap the note around
  • 1 Base Cake Board: 23cm diameter by 1mm high
  • 5 Cake Boards (Bottom Tier): 20cm diameter by 1cm high
  • 5 Cake Boards (Top Tier): 15cm diameter by 1cm high
  • 1 Cardboard Strip: Bottom: 66.5cm (circumference + 2cm) by 5cm
  • 1 Cardboard Strip: Top: 51cm (circumference + 2cm) by 5cm
  • 1 Box of Silver Paper Clips (all the same)
  • Vintage Lace and/or Ribbon

Instructions
 

  • Equipment and Materials Needed
    Materials laid out for assembling a two-tiered money cake, including cake boards, cardboard strips, glue, tape, paper clips, ribbon, R50 South African banknotes, and crafting tools.
  • Prepare the Cake Boards: Glue the cake boards together to form a sturdy two-tiered cake structure.
  • Create Cardboard Strips: Cut strips of cardboard according to your measurements to create a surface for attaching the money. Wrap the cardboard around the cake boards and secure it with sticky tape.
    Two-tier money cake base made with cake boards and cardboard on a wooden surface.
  • Roll the Money: Roll your money around a wooden spoon and secure each roll with a paper clip. Ensure the height of the notes exceeds the height of the tiers for a neat appearance.
  • Attach Money Rolls: Clip the money rolls to the cardboard strips. Repeat this process until you have filled both the top and bottom tiers with cash. For a reference, you will need approximately 37 notes for the top tier and 49 notes for the bottom tier, being a total of 86 notes (consider getting 90 notes for good measure).
    Partially decorated money cake with rolled banknotes and wooden spoon on the side.
  • Add Finishing Touches: Once both tiers are filled with money rolls, tie vintage lace and/or ribbon around the top and bottom tiers to enhance the aesthetic.
    Two-tier decorative money cake made with rolled pink currency notes arranged vertically around each tier, secured with paper clips and a white lace ribbon, and displayed on a wooden surface.
  • Decorate the Top Tier: Order an arrangement from your local florist that fits perfectly on the top tier. Add a Happy Birthday cake topper and candles to complete the look.