I’m sharing my experience from the Wilton Cake Decorating class offered at Michael’s craft stores and you can see photos of my cakes.
I have always wanted to learn how to decorate cakes. On one of my almost daily trips to Michaels recently I noticed they were offering Wilton Cake Decorating Classes so I immediately signed up. There are 4 courses being offered so I’m going to share some of the cakes I made so you can see how my skills improved with each one.
Course 1 Wilton cake decorating class
In week one the teacher gave us an overview of how to use the various tools. She also showed us how to make buttercream frosting from scratch and how to fill and frost a cake.
Unfortunately, I ran out of time to finish decorating and roll the icing so that it was beautiful and smooth. I’m very happy with how my first attempt turned out though.
During the next class, we tried different piping methods on cupcakes.
As you can see, we tried different piping tips, mixing colors, and creating images and words.
My final cake for this course was an Angelina Ballerina cake at the request of Miss M. I even got a Certificate of Merit to prove that I finished.
Course 2 Wilton cake decorating class
Over the first few weeks of Course 2, we learned how to make butterflies, birds, and flowers using royal icing. At our final class, we brought a cake. After learning how to make a basket weave pattern around our cake, we decorated our ‘baskets’ with the royal icing pieces we had previously made.
Course 3 Wilton cake decorating class
Instead of piping flowers, or making royal icing flowers, the beginning of this class started with fondant. As you can see, the first cake is decorated in only fondant. We learned to roll, cut, and color it.
We took a little of everything we had learned from piping to coloring and cutting fondant to make our final cake for course 3.
My favorite part of this cake was learning how to blend colors in a piping bag to make the clowns. I absolutely love how these turned out.
Michael’s cake decorating class information
Course 1: 4 weeks. $22.50 (half price) + supplies. 2 hours each week. There is a kit you can purchase with the basic supplies needed for course 1 – from memory it is about $27. Then there are extra things that are suggested such as a turntable, roller (I purchased a clay roller for $3.99), extra disposable icing bags and clown picks. I had quite a few 40% off coupons so used those over days to purchase all of the supplies I needed plus a case to keep everything in.
11 comments
Bre, your cake was adorable. I think we learn fondant in the next course – or maybe the one after that. I can’t wait.
Well I COULD do a styrofoam cake, but then I wouldn’t get to eat it and aside from decorating, eating is the best part :). I wonder if that is why I joined so I could justify baking so much cake and then HAVING to eat it too :).
That’s a great idea Sue. I think I will do that over the weekend.
Doesn’t cake decorating seem so easy peasy when we imagine it in our lil’ heads?!?!
But it ends up being a pain in the rear!!!!
I don’t know if you remember my attempt at a fondant cake when I was full on preggers with Cash.
It was a lovely disaster…lol!
But like you, I’ve always wanted to take a cake decorating class. One day I will!
Enough of my blubbering…your rainbow cake is ADORABLE!!
I started these classes with a friend who wanted to take them. I really was not interested but thought it would be something to do and they were 1/2 price that month. I really enjoyed them and ended up taking through level 3. It has become a somewhat hobby now!
Great job on your first one, can’t wait to see more!
I took the classes just over a year ago. They were so much fun. I made lots of friends and learned a lot. Our teacher suggested a Styrofoam cake so you could reuse it and not have to bake one every week. My husband thought that was a terrible idea and I did end up baking, but a lot of the girls didn’t and it seemed to work for them.
What about making cakes in advance when you do have time and then freezing them – they are much easier to cut and decorate when cold. Sue
I have thought about taking that class for years! Now there is a store about 5 minutes away from our house so maybe this is the year to do it. Although I still have sewing, photography and knitting classes as priorities ahead of this one. Let me know your final thoughts when you are all finished.
You should totally do it Melanie, if anyone would be a whizz at this, it’s you, the baking queen :). I’d love to do sewing and photography classes too, but there don’t seem to be any in my area – that I’ve found yet. I’d love to do embroidery as well. So many things, so little time. Miss you.
Not bad for a first attempt! Keep trying as you will only get better as you practice the techniques and Wilton classes are one of the best available.
Next time I go to Michaels, I’ll check it out. But I guess the schedules are at times when I work (that’s often the case..). Anyhow, thanks for the tip.
Heather