Cake decorating classes?

[Karenj2]

I posted on the Fondant thread (a few pages back now), and that got me wondering - how do you learn to make good looking (and tasting) cakes?

My baby will be turning 1yo in March, and I'd like to make her cake (to save money -keepin' it real on the BB), but I don't want it to look horrible...

I've seen the Wilton classes at the craft stores - are they worth it?

 

[uk_wildcat]

I don't know how much they are now or what each class teaches, but my MIL took the Wilton courses back in the 1980's and she has been making excellent cakes ever since. She made my wedding cake and also sells some cakes on the side to friends. She uses cake mixes from Duncan Hines, but learned how to tweak them from the classes to make them taste much better. Her frosting is also some of the best I have ever had.

 

[ah1126]

Hello! My baby is also turning 1 in March!!! I remember talking with you about baby items before they were born!

I took the first Wilton class at Michaels a few years ago. They teach the basics and I enjoyed it and thought it was pretty informative. The classes at my store were once a week for 4 weeks, so if you are going to do it, you will need to start soon!! The first class teaches basics like leaves, stars, writing, and up to roses. They don't teach fondant in the first class, that is the second or third class. Good Luck!!!

 

[Schu15]

A few years ago I took classes at my community college taught by a Wilton instructor. They were very informative, I learned all kinds of tips and tricks. The courses I took met 1 night a week for 4 weeks. The first 4 week session covered cake decorating basics, the second 4 week session covered advanced piping and more advanced flowers. I did not take the third session which was tiered cakes and fondant.

 

[akcire]

I posted on the Fondant thread (a few pages back now), and that got me wondering - how do you learn to make good looking (and tasting) cakes?

My baby will be turning 1yo in March, and I'd like to make her cake (to save money -keepin' it real on the BB), but I don't want it to look horrible...

I've seen the Wilton classes at the craft stores - are they worth it?

I can't answer the question about the craft store classes.

Here is what I know. My mother is a professional pastry chef. I hate to cook/bake but learned as a kid, because I grew up in the kitchen of a 4 star hotel. I can make beautiful bakery quality cakes, and manipulate fondant quite well.

Before my husband and I got together, my father-in-law took a couple of cake decorating and construction classes at our local community college. My father-in-law makes wonderful cakes, and is much better at making rosettes and fancy fondant flowers than me. So much so that over the years I have given him all my cake decorating gear (my mothers hand me downs) and just borrow it back if I need to make a cake. He could easily sell his cakes for many hundreds of dollars.

He had no previous food preparation training--he is actually a telecommunications engineer. Based on the skills he learned at the community college, I would recommend you look into a similar program. I know he paid next to nothing to take these classes, and they were offered one or two nights a week on a non-credit basis.

 

[phred52]

I also took Wilton classes many moons ago. They were terrific, hands on classes, I learned a TON!!

 

[sharonmickey]

I took Wilton's cake decorating years ago. The classes were definitely worth it. Almost 20 years later, I still have the supplies I purchased then. Everyone at work is impressed with the cakes I make and I am not a crafty person. Usually I make all the birthday and special occasion cakes myself. I've even taught my daughter the basics of cake decorating and she does quite well.

 

[D L and K's Mom]

I also took a few classes and then sold cakes in the summer to make money while in college. The classes are a great idea and lots of fun. Also, the Wilton pans are good to use. All you have to really do is be able to make a star and a line. Check out the Family Fun website. They have lots of cute cakes that you can make without cake dec classes. Good Luck!!

http://familyfun.go.com/sitesearch/results/q=birthday%20cakes/

 

[ilovejack02]

http://mycakeschool.com/

Love this girls blog , amazing tips on decorating and she has videos .

 

[hulagirl87]

http://mycakeschool.com/

Love this girls blog , amazing tips on decorating and she has videos .

I like this! I wish you didn't have to pay for it

I'm looking for help with a first birthday cake too! DD's birthday is February 27th and I want to make cupcakes. I don't think I want to do a cake. not too sure yet. I think she would handle a cupcake better too I would love to take a Wilton class for my own knowledge anyways. I love to bake and would love to know how to use the frosting bags with the tips. I am fascinated and in awe of people that decorate cakes!

 

[EKW]

I took the Wilton course back in the 70's, then took an advanced class from that instructor. It was good enough that I got hired in a bakery as a cake decorator!

I guarantee you will be much more highly trained than the kids who work at your local grocery store bakery!!!

It takes an initial investment in tips, bags (btw...buy disposables, lol!), nail heads, pattern sheets, etc. but you can make that up over time. One idea, see if anyone in your area rents cake pans. I used to buy pans, but then when I moved to MO I found a lady who rented the pans for $5 for three days.

Since I was mostly doing my kids' birthday cakes, it was so much more sensible to rent instead of buying!

 

[aimlyles]

Back in 2002 I took the Wilton Courses at Michaels(all 3 courses) before my son turned 1 and they were great. I'm pretty sure AC Moore offers them as well.

There is a great website cakecentral (dot) com that has a gallery that people upload some of their cakes (tons of great photos, I get a lot of ideas from them) they also have a forum covering everything from cakes, cookies, cupcakes, candy making, recipes. Check it out there is TONS of information and some step by step tutorials as well.

 

[Karenj2]

Thanks for the websites, and the Wilton class reviews! I'm going to see if I can get into a class sometime soon at a nearby store. (I have AC Moore, Michaels and JoAnne's all near-ish so I'll see who's offering the classes sooner.)

ah1126 - That's funny - our babies were born the same day! (3/21, right?) I wonder who's older? My dd was born at 6:22am. It turned out I was a week late.

 

[dancin'girl]

I took the Wilton classes at Michael's in 2008 and I learned so much. I tried one year to make my DD a JoJo cake (from JoJo's Circus) and couldn't get the white frosting to spread smoothly. It was a chocolate cake and poor JoJo ended up with brown freckles A year later (after I took the classes - I took level 1,2,& 3) I made my son a great Mickey cake for his first birthday (buttercream stars). The next year I made him a carved Thomas the Tank Engine cake (with buttercream frosting) and this year I graduated to a carved Lightening McQueen cake covered in red fondant. The Wilton classes teach you all the skills you need, and with practice you will be making beautiful cakes!!

 

[ilovejack02]

I like this! I wish you didn't have to pay for it

I'm looking for help with a first birthday cake too! DD's birthday is February 27th and I want to make cupcakes. I don't think I want to do a cake. not too sure yet. I think she would handle a cupcake better too I would love to take a Wilton class for my own knowledge anyways. I love to bake and would love to know how to use the frosting bags with the tips. I am fascinated and in awe of people that decorate cakes!

I haven't paid for it yet, as I am not quite ready to jump on the cake bandwagon, but from her blog I have gotten amazing ideas and gives me confidence in paying for the video . : )

I plan on doing the hearts on Jan 22 blog for my valentines cupcakes.

 

[JamesMom]

I took the classes long time ago and still use the skills when making cakes. I make about 1/2 of my cakes and buy the rest out of laziness

Just be warned-- you will NOT save money. The cake pans, flavorings, tools, etc will eat up any 'savings' you might have. I have a quite the collection of decoaring bags, tips, and pans in my kitchen. Wait for Michaels to have 50% off coupons to build up your stockpile -- it's addictive.

 

[ah1126]

Thanks for the websites, and the Wilton class reviews! I'm going to see if I can get into a class sometime soon at a nearby store. (I have AC Moore, Michaels and JoAnne's all near-ish so I'll see who's offering the classes sooner.)

ah1126 - That's funny - our babies were born the same day! (3/21, right?) I wonder who's older? My dd was born at 6:22am. It turned out I was a week late.

It is crazy that they were born on the same day! Yours is older, Sara didn't come till 5:36pm. I was two days late!

What are you planning for her birthday party? I hope that we can do something outside, since we don't have much room at our townhouse.

 

[ah1126]

If I remember right, they gave me a discount when buying my supplies for the class. I also tried to use the 40% off coupons to get what I needed.

 

[Redheaded Sunshine]

I took all 3 Wilton classes and they are great, but you have to practice at it to get good, just like anything

Also, it can get a little pricey making the cakes yourself b/c there's usually the purchase of a new pan involved.

But they were really fun. And as the PP said, fondant is the level 3 class.

 

[Dismom55]

I took classes from a local cake decorating supplier, my mother took them thru Wilton.

You can self teach, either way it is a worthwhile activitie, I not only made wonderful cakes for my kids as they were growing up, I also made my brothers wedding cake. Not only did I do all that and make all the holiday cakes for the family, but I made money on the side making wedding cakes and birthday cakes for other.