Cake Decorating

I haven't posted anything in a while, as I haven't really cooked anything new. Instead of a recipe, I wanted to share with you my experiences with cake decorating. Over the last year, I took 3 Wilton Cake decorating courses at Michaels.

In the first course, you learn butter cream basics, how to make flowers, decorate cupcakes, write on cakes etc. This course was definitely the most time intensive as you have to bake things for each class- cookies, cupcakes and cakes. Thanks to Juliet who did 99% of the work on this one. Unfortunately for me, she wasn't in town for the next ones. The instructor spent a lot of time reading us the book, and the pace for the class was quite slow, until the last half hour where we were so rushed to get everything done. It was still fun to do the class with great friends.

Andrea and I continued with the cake decorating, even thought the others couldn't join. In the second course you learn some fondant techniques and royal icing flowers and techniques. I missed the last class, so I don't know how to do the basket weave technique, but at some point I will do a make up class.  The class was smaller and the instructor jumped right into it, rather than focus so much on the book.

In the third course, which has been my favourite, you learn how to make things with fondant and how to cover and decorate a cake with fondant. How fun!!












Here is the cake I did in course 3

I brought it over to Tamara's for her birthday and house warming party! Having taken the first course, I think she appreciated the work that went into it! The downside of fondant cakes are that they look pretty but (although edible) I don't recommending eating much of the fondant.

I now need to move to a bigger apartment, as I no longer have room for all my cake decorating equipment. I actually got tired of bringing 3 + bags to the class every time and got a big huge bag to put my stuff in. It still doesn't fit everything. Perhaps I need one of those huge storage bins.

We decided not to take course 4 for now, as it is just more complex fondant flowers. We were a bit tired of all the flowers. Instead, I decided to take what I'd learned and practice.

I made this cake for D for his b-day:

I looked at various different pictures and tutorials online and combined bits I liked from different ones such as this one. For the car cake topper, I followed this tutorial.

Here are some more photos of the car topper, I was pretty happy with it, and I think D really liked the cake.

That's all for now.

Next up, I will probably make some cupcakes!