The New Wilton Method of Cake Decorating Classes {Review & Giveaway}

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.