What an original title for this post!
That's such a boring title but I can't think of anything creative right now.
Cake decorating class didn't start out too well. I arrived a little before 7:00 PM and walked into a class full of fifteen or so students and an instuctor who was already teaching. I arrived at 7:00 to my class that started at 6:00.
The class was from 6:00-8:00, not 7:00-9:00. I was absolutely positive the class started at 7:00. Why didn't I double check?!
Ugh. I was incredibly mad and frustrated with myself. I'm such an idiot.
I also didn't bring the right lens for my camera and didn't take any pictures.
Then I wasn't in the best of moods for the remaining class period.
I did take some notes. That's not very good handwriting, I'm afraid. You should see my cursive.
Tonight we didn't actually do any cake decorating; we went over what we would be learning in the class, what kind of equipment we needed, and given a cake decorating book.
The class was $70 and it meets once a week for two hours, for four weeks. Does that seem high to you? We also have to purchase decorating tips, piping bags, spatula, water bottle, ziploc bags, waxed paper sheets, a character pan, and more.
Oh, another thing. The teacher wants us to purchase derby clown heads to place in cupcakes.
Uhh I don't think so. Doesn't she know that clowns eat people?
Each week we have to bake a cake and make the frosting at home and bring it into class to decorate. The instructor recommended DUNCAN HINES cake mix.
I disapprove.
The icing recipe we have to use calls for Crisco. I disapprove again.
No butter?? I cried a little bit inside.
Okay, I'm being a snob, I know. I need to have a good attitude about all of this. Somebody give me a good slap.
I learned a few things tonight I thought you'd might like:
1. Cut open the other side of a clean Pringles can and place your piping bag full of icing inside and wrap the bag edges around the outside. That doesn't make sense at all. I guess it makes it easier to hold the pastry bag?? I'll try to get a picture next week.
2. If you do use cake mixes, after baking the cakes, leave them in the pans and place a piece of waxed paper on top. Wrap the cake pans up with foil, place in the freezer and freeze. The cake will still come out easily when you're ready to use it, and it will be extra, extra moist and everyone will want to know your secret.
3. Don't bother buying special cake release products that Wilton makes. Use lots of Butter Pam and it will work just fine with releasing cakes from pans.
I think that's all I learned this week, although I did show up an hour into class.
I'm now currently relaxing, eating a S'mores Pop-Tart and watching Cupcake Wars on Food Network. Have you seen the show? What do you think about it? It seems very, very stressful. If I were on the show I think I'd start crying and have a nervous breakdown. I wonder who I'd choose for my assistant? I think Ericcakes might make a good assistant. He could throw sprinkles on the cupcakes.
Have a good Tuesday!
Cake decorating classes sound like fun. Too bad you were late to use, but it sounds like you still learnt some interesting stuff. $70 doesn't sound too bad, as long as you dont have to purchase everything. I guess it's for 2 hours per week for 4 weeks...so that's 8 hours? times $70...$560? Oh gosh, I don't know I'm terrible at maths. But $560 is pretty pricy!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can use butter-flavoured Crisco Emily...I think there is such a thing:D Your class sounds like a lot of fun!!Enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteThat class sounds like a rip-off. I would either demand my money back or keep attending for blog fodder, if nothing else. I'm excited to read about it. :)
ReplyDeleteBest of luck in the decorating class. It doesn't seem pricey to me but then again everything is more expensive in NYC. And YES - I get very anxious for those people on cupcake wars. Sometimes I just can't watch it.
ReplyDeleteHi! I took all three of the Wilton classes a few months ago. I did them at Michael's and they did offer some discounts. Also, if you have a Michael's there, sign up on line for coupons. They give 40% off and that helps on the supplies.
ReplyDeleteSorry you were late, that's such a frustrating way to start out.
A couple of comments...the cake mix thing, it's about the frosting, not the cake really. Plus you make a cake each week, so the mix is pretty economical. One week I made the yellow cake and added peanut butter. YUM!
I have a recipe for a homemade cake release. If you're interested, email me.
Also, the frosting, yes it's a lot of crisco but it's also a consistency that is great for learning to decorate. A lot of the ones that use butter get soft really quickly and that would be frustrating when you're first starting out.
Oh and the scary clown face...our instructor had one we used to see what it looked like. She didn't make us by them. Seems like there was something else you could make to use that technique. I will look at my notes.
Have fun!
Wow - when I took the first Wilton class in March, it was only $40 or $50 I think. Also, my teacher didn't go straight by the book - we didn't have to do the crazy clown stuff. :) She let us develop skills while making the cakes and cupcakes that we wanted to.
ReplyDeleteButtercream icing doesn't hold up that well when you're playing around with it in a piping bag. I think that's why they have you use shortening. It's actually a pretty good icing recipe, I think.
umm.... this class doesn't sound very promising... sorry. you don't need a good slap, you need a new teacher.
ReplyDeleteclowns?! i'm totally with you... they are creepy. still haven't gotten over the poltergeist one... dang him.
and furthermore...
YOU should be teaching baking classes...
seriously, does she work at a grocery store bakery?
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI have just finished a similar course in Melbourne, Australia. I walked away from the first class feeling the same disapointment.
I work in the food industry and have started my own catering company. Also as an avid reader both online and in print I felt our teacher needed to be ahead of the game. I found the baking of the cakes and icing to annoying and difficult to squeeze into my busy schedule.Unfortunatley my feelings stayed with me the entire 8 week course. I will now use this course as a "what not to do" experience and hopefully my time will not have been completley wasted.
I hope your experience gets better and please keep us posted.
Cheers,
Kimdimsim
Melbourne, Australia(Oprahs new favorite thing!!!)
I'm sorry you didn't' have a stellar first class :(
ReplyDeleteSnob or not, I was thinking the same thing! As if boxed cake mix wasn't bad enough, CRISCO?! Shame, shame.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh at your clown comments. I grew up wanting to be a clown but my husband absolutely despises them. He says its from a poster that hung in his grandmother's house that was clearly offensive to him.
I think your cakes are already good. No need for a class - you could teach it!
Well, if anything, it sounds like quite an interesting experience! Is the Pringles trick used when you're putting icing in the piping bag?
ReplyDeleteI recognize that scary clown. From Stephen King's "It", right? *Nightmares*
ReplyDeleteEveryone on Cupcake Wars seems weird to me. They all give evil looks to each other and have shifty eyes. Did you see the one where the girl infused her cupcake with tobacco? Gross.
Hopefully the class gets better. I've been wanting to take one of these courses but have been hesitant because of all the reasons you listed above. Especially having to use crisco. I'm pretty sure that bakery I posted about uses it in their frosting and my tongue felt like an oil slick all day. lol. One thing that will never be at my children's b-day parties is a clown because I too believe they eat people. And even if they don't, they're still creepy.
ReplyDeleteThat price does seem a little high. Our local bake shop in Austin charges $50 for that class. The Crisco makes the icing easier to learn the techniques with, but then you can use butter.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the cost of that class is too bad, but then again, I'm from NY where everything is expensive. I guess it depends on what you eventually get out of it. I hope you do move beyond cake mixes and SHORTENING soon though.
ReplyDeleteOh my, that's quite expensive for the class. I took the same class before but it was only about $25. I took them at AC Moore. I know Michael's offer them too. They use the Crisco (which is disgusting in my honest opinion) but it's great to work with when learning to decorate. They're not teaching you to bake, just to decorate, so I think that's ok. Just don't eat the frosting afterwards. Ick!
ReplyDeleteI was debating taking this same type of class, I still don't know if I want to spend that money on it. Maybe I'll just give you $20 and you can fill me in! hehe ;o)
ReplyDeletePS - YOU SHOULD TOTALLY GO TO TARGET THIS WEEKEND AND PICK UP A BOX OF PUMPKIN PIE POP TARTS! That's right I said PUMPKING PIE POP TARTS!!! They are the best yet!
Is there some way you could incorporate Pop Tarts into your cake decorating? What about a 13x9 inch cake with a wall of Pop Tarts. You could stick the clowns in the middle of the Pop Tart wall. You can tell the instructor it was your idea, don't worry.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think $70 for a month of two hour classes is quite reasonable. I've seen plenty of cooking classes that cost $70 and up for 1 class.
Oh, I have been thinking about taking these classes. It's good to hear the perspective of a dessert snob like myself. Ha ha.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you... No clowns! Absolutely not.
That Pringles can thing... just use a glass.
The Wilton cake classes near me are $27. Same timing. Hmm.
I have always wanted to do a cake decorating class. I cried a little but when I heard no butter in the frosting. Do you think is so it doesn't melt as easy? Have in next weeks class and make sure to get there on time ;)
ReplyDeleteProbably if you had made it to the first hour, she might have been going over which canned frosting to buy, so maybe it was better this way.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, that amount of money for the class is NOT ALOT AT ALL. You'd be surprised at the amount of preparation it takes to teach a (good) cooking class.
PS
ReplyDeleteOMG, that clown stuff was funny!
Okay I am not reading through all 20 comments to see if anybody already said what I am going to say.
ReplyDelete1. It's a cake decorating class, not a cake baking class. Probably why she says to just use Duncan Hines - why waste time baking a lovely cake when you really just want to practice icing it. Although, I've also read you should just buy styrofoam circles to practice. So maybe she's getting kick backs from Duncan Hines.
2. The Pringles can trick makes it easier to put the icing into the icing bag. It's a bitch. I usually end up spilling half the icing on the counter if I hold the bag, then eat what fell out, and have patchily iced cakes.
3. There was something else I was going to say about the class, but I can't remember. So I will just point out the irony of you complaining about cake mix cakes, but you're eating Pop Tarts. Haha! I keep saying I'm going to make Alton Brown's pop tarts, but am too lazy.
Hi Emily! You're on my twitter and I happened to notice you are taking the Wilton cake decorating class! I took all 3 courses (4 classes/course) here in Toronto and trust me, its a lot of work but worth it in the end. You'll learn some pretty nifty things. $70 sounds okay, I pay $50CAD here at Michaels. The supplies cost a lot at Michaels but if you know where to get similar supplies, go for it! Have fun!
ReplyDeleteI think the class will work out fine. It's about decorating the cake and not baking it. YOU could teach a class about baking!!! The tip about the cake and the wax paper and going in the freezer is one I learned when I made a banana cake and it is true. The cake will be sooo moist. I make my banana cake just like that and it gets raves every time I serve it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your tips - I am excited to try the cake freezing one!
ReplyDeletePENNY-WISE makes an appearance!! haha!! scares the heck outta my kids! hee-hee!
ReplyDeletemake her a penny-wise cupcake--that'll fix her!!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS BLOG!!
hugs!
AH haha! I actually grew up with cupcakes with those clown heads. The Deerfield Bakery (Deerfield, IL) has them on cupcakes; we used to collect them. I promise they are actually cute when the frosting is colored but probably not worth the cash if you're not five.
ReplyDeleteThere are actually two reasons for using Crisco:
ReplyDelete1) Because Crisco is a fairly firm solid at room temperature the resulting icing stands up much better both during the icing/piping process and during a "display" period where your beautifully decorated cake is sitting out (at room temperature) to be admired by your guests.
2) Crisco is pure white, when combined with a clear vanilla flavoring in an icing you can achieve perfectly white icing (this cannot be done with butter), if you are doing something like a traditional wedding cake you want perfectly white icing. If you are doing a colorful cake, you want a perfectly white base to mix your colors into so you achieve the truest color possible.
Butter (IMO) offers much better flavor, but for the show piece type cakes you are much more concerned with look than flavor - if you have any doubts about that just try a taste of fondant :P
I've always wanted to do a cake decorating class. And the Pringles thing - I just use a large cup. But then again, if you use a Pringles can, then you get to eat the Pringles first!
ReplyDeleteI took 3 of the Wilton courses and then learned on my own- to be perfectly honest it's a lot of techniques you can learn through videos or tutorials online. The booklets that come with the kits are probably the most useful things you'll get out of the class. If you need hands on/live demonstration I suppose they are somewhat worth it.... Look around for coupons and discounts for Michaels if you intend to keep taking the courses, you can take them for very cheap that way. Your course instructor sounds strange...the instructors are not professional cake decorators fyi (well maybe some, but many aren't), just people who have shown proficiency and then qualify to be instructors. So if her ways are a little odd then thats probably why. Another great way to learn is to find someone who has taken the class to show you all the techniques - I did that with a friend of mine. Good luck and have fun though! Also, the purpose of crisco is to get the pure white icing look and because it doesn't spoil. You can easily use any other stable icing recipe (i.e. italian meringue buttercream) in the future to decorate.
ReplyDeleteum, em, you should be teaching the class instead of taking it!!! and i agree about the clown heads..AS IF!!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a scary teacher with scary ideas. I am afraid Emily, very afraid. And clowns definitely eat people.
ReplyDeleteSorry you arrived to class an hour late! $70 seems like a lot. I have taken the 4 previous versions of the Wilton cake courses before they changed their curriculum to the new book for your class and I only paid I think $17.50 for each class at my local Hobby Lobby Store. I didn't like the fact about using box mixes or crisco in the icing either but the crisco does give the icing a different texture than butter will so it helps when using the decorating tips. I'm looking forward to updates on your blog about what you learn each week in class! Take lots of pictures!
ReplyDeleteIt was a good week to be late - it sounds as though there wasn't much that you missed.
ReplyDeleteTrying to catch up on ya again.
ReplyDeleteI WANT to learn cake decorating, but the classes do scare me.
I've been doing the piping bag in a glass (not a Pringles can) for a long time, works great.
Despite your issues, I can't wait to see what else you learn.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone!
ReplyDeleteLes Reve, oh no! It wasn't that much!
Val, maybe so, maybe so...
Lisa, glad you're excited!
Eliana, glad I'm not the only one!
Julie, thank you for all of the tips! So helpful! I might email you for the cake release. I guess it depends if I can get the cakes out of the pans.
Liz, ah I see. Guess I'll have to go with the Crisco then!
Marla, hopefully the class goes okay. I think the instructor has her own business. She seems nice.
Kimdim, aw, I'm so sorry it wasn't a good experience for you. That's terrible! I know what you mean about being busy.
Tamilyn, thanks!
Danielle, haha that's hilarous. I wish!
Lucie, um, I'm not sure. I'm confused about the can. I'll get back to you on that.
Lorie, I didn't see that Cupcake Wars. That's gross! Yes, that's IT. Ahhhhhhh!
Christina, agreed. I'm more concerened with the flavor of the cake than the decoration.
Andrea, I see. Better go purchase some Crisco!
Rachel, me too!
Rudie, wish we had taken it at Michaels!
Lies, DONE.
Anna, ah okay. I'm just so cheap!
I think the Pop-Tart creation is a fabulous idea.
Megan, everyone keeps saying use a glass!
Nutmeg Nanny, will do. And yes, I guess so, according to everyone else.
Sue, ah okay!
Amy, :D I really like Pop-Tarts!
JO, hi there! Hopefully I'll learn some stuff.
Debbie, no I couldn't! I want your banana cake.
Aunt Carol, thank you! :)) I hate Pennywise. HATE.
Pebbles, noooooooooooooooo!
Rhiani, thank you for the tips! Keep them coming. I don't know anything about decorating.
Deborah, you should!
Frankie, great tips. Thank you so much! I kinda have been thinking the same thing. I feel like I could teach this stuff to myself.
Aurora, nahhh.
Jenn, hi! How are you??
I run for cake, thanks! And I will.
Katrina, I think you should as much as you bake.
Oh fun! I look 3 of the Wilton cake decorating courses. They were a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteha! i agree about cupcake wars. would love to try it but it's way way too stressful. i am also scared of the middle judge.
ReplyDeletei have always wanted to take a wilton decorating class but haven't based on the clown alone...it is seriously the one thing stopping me. NO ONE wants clowns on their cakes and if a child DID want a clown cake I would know I would need to stay far far away from that child, because we all know the 2nd most scary thing in the world are evil children.
i want to take a class from Ann Heap at Pink Cake Box. I'm pretty sure there are no clowns ;)
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteI'm currently taking the same Wilton 4 week class at AC Moore in NY. AC Moore has stores all over and back in August,they had 50% all classes if purchased in advance( I think I paid $30.). I think the sale is coming back for the next series of classes (fondant, flowers etc.). I'm enjoying the classes but space is a bit tight in the classroom. I agree, I don't like crisco for frosting either, give me butter! Enjoy
The class does seem a bit spendy--but I am sure it'll be worth it!
ReplyDeleteI've decided that in general cake decorating classes are over rated. I wouldn't worry about the cake mix thing- it is a decorating class and not a baking class. In this case the outside is more important than the inside. Our class didn't require us to buy anything- they supplied everything (but the cakes) at least!
ReplyDeleteHopefully next class is much better!! Be positive :)
Cookies and cups, haha you're funny.
ReplyDeleteJay, wow! $30 is a great price. I need to look in to when they're having that sale.
Jenn, I think you are right!
Wow, I took the same Wilton course through my local Michael's store and it was $17 for all four classes combined (not including the decorating supplies). Plus you can use their 40% off coupons to buy supplies.
ReplyDeleteI agree the course itself was a little underwhelming. But it was great to meet other people who were interested in cake/cupcake decorating and share fun ideas and tips with each other. Plus I made a few friends along the way!
I just took a nice decorating class, they always turn out to be much less than what you expect!
ReplyDelete