I love being in the kitchen and I absolutely love eating the results. I’m a baker first and foremost and have never been all that artistic so the idea of cake decorating has always intimidated me a little bit. I’ve seen some amazing cakes and I always figured that I would need more of an artistic flair in order to be even remotely successful. And I’ve come to realize I was wrong, so so wrong.
Last month I had the amazing opportunity to visit Wilton Industries in Woodridge, Illinois and get a firsthand look at the Wilton Method of Cake Decorating. I’ve learned that having the right tools, the right icing consistency and an organized workspace are keys to successful cake decorating. And lets not forget, practice, practice, practice.
With two amazing instructors Ann and Heidi, our group of 7 was able to learn all the elements of Decorating Basics in two jammed packed and exciting days.
We observed demonstrations of proper technique and tips and then were given time to practice one or a few decorating techniques at our workstations. Our instructors walked through our areas, offering help and advice as we practiced. This aspect was invaluable! It is one thing to watch or read steps in a book, it is entirely another when you have an experienced decorator at your side.
There is a certain excitement felt when you realize that creating beautiful cakes,while certainly an art form, isn’t nearly as difficult as think and that YOU can do it too! Anyone can take a Wilton Course and know by the end they will be armed with the knowledge necessary to perfect this skill and to create an amazing cake. Finishing my final cake was a great feeling, although keep in mind we only had about 15 minutes total to create it given our rigorous schedule. Now I’m actually looking forward to tackling my son’s 4th birthday cake in August instead of feeling completely overwhelmed and intimidated!
The Wilton Method of Cake Decorating Classes are now new and improved. Even if you took a one before you will learn new things in these updated classes. With additional hands on learning, the classes are now more interactive and have been updated to cover more of the current styles of decorating.
Wilton currently offers three different courses to choose from. Decorating Basics is the required first course but after that you can take the next two courses in any order.
Decorating Basics is the foundation for all Wilton Method Courses. In this class you will learn the following:
- How to bake a great cake
- Icing ingredients and consistency
- Leveling, filling and icing the cake
- Filling the decorating bag, bag position, pressure control
- Curving lines, tight zigzag, stars,drop flower, rosette, shell, pompom flowers, leaves, shaggy mum, ribbon rose, printing & writing
- Filling & icing cupcakes along with guidelines for cake design
I did have the opportunity to try out a few different flowers from Flowers & Cake Design and Gum Paste and Fondant classes and had a blast with all of them.
In Flowers and Cake Design you will cover the following topics:
- Basic Principles of Cake Design
- Gum Paste and Fondant 101
- Button Flower, Pansy
- Making Royal Icing and a Parchment Bag
- Flower Nail, Making Stems
- Rose Base, Rose Center, the Wilton Rose,Apple Blossom, Primrose, Rosebud, Daffodil,Violet, using the Lily Nail, Lily
- Guidelines for Flower Arrangements and Floral Cake Design
- Reverse Shell and Basketweave
And in Gum Paste and Fondant you will cover the following topics:
- Gum Paste and Fondant 101
- Bow Loops and Bow Assembling
- Mum Base, Rose Base, Carnation Base
- Tinting Gum Paste and Fondant and Basic Principles of Floral Cake Design
- Calia Lily, Rosebud and Rose,Carnation, Daisy, Mum, Calyxes and Leaves
- Covering a Cake Board with Fondant & Elements of Fondant Cake Design
- Creating Geometric Designs Using Cut-Outs, Overlays, and Inlays
- Eyelet, Ruffle, and Ball Borders
Buy it: Products used for cake decorating can be purchased at the Wilton online store. Classes may be taken at your local craft store including retailers such as Michael’s, Jo-Ann Fabrics and A.C. Moore. Classes at Michael’s are currently 50% off for the month of July!
If you would like the opportunity to learn more tips on how to bake a great cake as learned at Wilton, visit Oh My! Sugar High, my new baking blog with partner Cat from 3 Kids and Us!
How would you like to win the opportunity to take a class for you and a friend for FREE? Wilton wants to give one of my readers the opportunity to learn the joys of cake decorating! How exciting is that? I’m practically busting at the seams to share this with you!
{ Giveaway }
Wilton would like to give one of my very special readers a $50 gift card to cover the cost of the Wilton Method Course Tuition, a student kit for the course chosen and a package containing many class supplies needed for the course for themselves and a friend at a local venue! (Each prize package contains two $50 gift cards, two student kits and two packages of supplies) This is over a $300 value!
MAIN ENTRY: Tell me what you would be most excited to learn in a Wilton class and the super lucky person you would take with you!
Want more entries? (There is no doubt in my mind that you do!) After answering my question do any of the following and leave a comment telling me what you did. Each is worth one entry unless otherwise noted. Your comment is your entry so please leave the appropriate number of comments for each extra entry.
-Subscribe to A Piece of Cake blog by Wilton
-Follow Wilton on twitter
-Like Wilton on Facebook and leave them a comment on their wall telling them what you think of this contest (2 entries)
-Like Baby Loving Mama on Facebook
-Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect
-Subscribe to my feed in a reader or by email
-Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (Leave me the link. You can do this daily!)
Win a Wilton Cake Decorating Prize Pkg worth $300+ for you & a friend! @babylovingmama @WiltonCakes http://bit.ly/bJzoGf #giveaway PLS RT!
-Add my button to your blog
-Subscribe to the Oh My! Sugar High baking blog
-Blog about this contest and link back here and to Wilton (3 entries)
This contest will end on 7/29/10 at 11:59 pm CST. U.S. residents only. The winner will be drawn via random.org and will have 72 hours to respond to winning notification email before I draw another winner or do a live giveaway. No substitutions or transfer of prizes allowed. The winner and their guest are responsible for their own transportation to and from the location where the Wilton Method Course is held. Wilton Method Courses are scheduled by local retailers and Wilton does not have any control over when the classes are held. Please check with your local retailer to learn more about Wilton Method Course availability in your area.
Disclosure: I was invited to Wilton headquarters to learn the Wilton Method of Decorating through the Wilton Mom ReTreat for bloggers and my expenses were paid. However no monetary compensation was received. This has no bearing on my completely honest review above. The opinions and experiences I’ve shared with these products are my own and yours may differ.
I follow Wilton on Facebook now.. great find!
I now “Like” Baby Lovin Mama on Facebook.
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I would love to learn to make great looking cakes for my kids’ birthdays. Wilton cake decorating classes have been on my want to do list for years.
I would take my mom. She could use a new hobby!;)
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I would like to get the hang of the decorating bag
I would bring my daughter Amy, and hopefully she will get excited again about cake decorating 
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I’d love to learn flowers, and I’d bring my boyfriend who loves to cook and bake!
We would like something like Cupcake Decorating Class or a flower creating class. I would be taking my 12 year old daughter, She wants to become a Chef. This would be a great experience and bonding time. What a scrapbook this would make.
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I want to learn how to make a cute birthday cake for kids! And I’d take my cousin.
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tweet.. http://twitter.com/RITAGIRL/status/19760712900
I would love to learn how to make the icing the correct way, and then to work on some basic flowers. I think I’d take my sister with me! What a great time we would have!
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Thank you for the chance to win.
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I would be most excited to learn how to decorate cakes so I can make my own instead of buying them, and I would love to take my best friend to the class
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Tweet!
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Daily tweet. (7/28) http://twitter.com/thelifeofrylie/status/19783181426
7-28 tweet http://twitter.com/simplydab/status/19784027075
I would LOVE to learn how to properly decorate a cake this way I can make pretty cakes for my daughter. If I win I would love to take a good friend of mine Sherri.
I’d love to learn flowers! I used to know how to (sort of) make them but I’ve forgotten! I’d love to take my mom.
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I like Wilton on facebook and posted on their wall you sent me.
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I have your button
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This looks so fun, I’ve always wanted to do this. I’d take my best friend with me, we haven’t gotten together in awhile. This would be so much fun!
Subscribed to A Piece of Cake blog by Wilton
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I would take my mom and I would definitely need the basic class!
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Subscribed to A Piece of Cake blog by Wilton
I Follow Wilton on twitter
I Like Wilton on Facebook and left them a comment http://www.facebook.com/wilton.cake.decorating?v=wall&story_fbid=417742045918&ref=mf
I Like Wilton on Facebook and left them a comment http://www.facebook.com/wilton.cake.decorating?v=wall&story_fbid=417742045918&ref=mf #2
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tweet.. https://twitter.com/RITAGIRL/status/19838517566
I would be most excited to take the Gum Paste and Fondant classes! I would take my hubby or Mom with me. =)
I subscribed to A Piece of Cake blog by Wilton
I follow Wilton on Twitter.
I like Wilton on Facebook and I commented. Dana C.
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Tweet!
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I have your button on my blog.
I would love to learn how to make my own deliciosu frostin and properly forst a cake without making a mess. I’d take my best friend with me.
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Follow on twitter and tweeted
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I took their first 2 classes years ago, so I would LOVE to learn how to do fondant.
I Subscribe to A Piece of Cake blog by Wilton
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I like Wilton and wrote on their wall http://www.facebook.com/wilton.cake.decorating?v=wall&story_fbid=417872650918&ref=mf #1
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Last Day GREAT CONTEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS
07-29 last tweet, thank you!
i would like to take my mother and i would love to learn to bake some pretty cakes
Final daily tweet. (7/29) https://twitter.com/thelifeofrylie/status/19869338773
I WOULD LOVE TO WIN THIS FOR MY DAUGHTER
I would love how to make sugar flowers. I would take my 8 year old son! He loves the cakeboss and we watch it all the time. He loves to bake!
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I would love to learn to decorate cakes by making flowers and other fun decorating techniques. I would take my sister!
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I’d go with my mom to learn how to cake decorate.
I think it’ll be great to learn to use a decorating bag, I’d love to take my mom!
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I subscribe too!
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I’d like to learn how to put fondant on cake without cracking it, lol. I’d take my sister Beth.
I would love to win this because I love being creative and making people happy and I can also offer Cupcakes and Cakes to my Candy buffet business and I really wanna learn how to decorate cake soooooo bad! I would take my hubby with me, because we are a team and he is my Best Friend and he likes to cook as well and We would be Fierce together as Bakers!! lol
I liked BabyMama on FB, I subscribed to BabyMama Blog, I also follwing babymama on twitter! I retweeted this contest on twitter http://twitter.com/cintdamua, I also liked Wilton on FB and left a comment!!! I wanna win this sooo bad
Oh!! I also subscribe to the FEED
Oh my gosh! I would LOVE this! I Want to learn how to do fondant and I would bring my friend, Shanell
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I subscribed to a piece of cake blog by wilton
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I would love to learn how to bake a great cake. I would take my friend with me.
I’m excited about learning how to make roses and I’d take my sister.
I have always wanted to be able to make classic frosting roses!
I’m following your blog in Google Friend Connect.
I’m subscribed to your RSS feed in my Google Reader.
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I like Baby Loving Mama. I will like to learn to decorate with Fundan I took allready the Decoratin Basics classes of Wilton.