Aaarrrggghhh!! I am soooooooo frustrated at this point!

I desperately want to get some kind of cake decorating training as I know diddly squat and have to make stuff up just to get the desired designs I want. I really need to get some professional training and yet...I just don't have any funds that I can allot to that.

Does anyone know of any pastry classes or schools or cake decorating courses that offer scholarships, grants or something of the sort? I am at my wits end but I feel I have potential if I could just get some direction. I have searched the internet but cannot find something of which I can afford.
I love this business and want to eventually have my own bakery but how do I get there without any resources?

Any advice??

Deborah

I'm not sure about schools that offer grants. Usually, they will finance fairly easily. I'll keep my eyes out.

BTW-- I've seen your cakes and really think that you could TEACH the classes. Your cakes are AWESOME!!!!

I agrre with steffy your cake look great. But like all of us we all want to learn even more. Do you have a college near you. Some offer classes incake decorating. I haven't done any but I know they are offered. I don't know what they cost. But learning from the greats will cost alot I am sure. I have only the wilton under my belt. And am craving more. But like you money is a problem and for me is the time to take the classes. Good Luck

About the Wilton classes, IMHO- I took course I in 1991ish and course II this past August and I really didn't learn anything from course II that I couldn't have read out of their workbook. I told myself that if I was to do course III that I would just buy the workbook and read it. I did and it is all self explanatory...no offense to any Wilton instructors out there but I learn more at CC

With your talent and knowledge, though, I think you are well beyond Wilton classes. BUT Hobby Lobby (atleast here where I live) offers classes 50% off on pretty much every class that is offered. The only extra costs are the supplies which I'm sure you already have.

Cakesunleashed what exactly cant you do?????? Look at your cakes. What could anyone possibly teach you?

You should be giving classes, I bet there are heaps of Mums where you live that would love to learn how to decorate a basic cake for the kids/families.. Id pay to come watch you! Although the flights from New Zealand would be a little excessive!

Seriously though sometimes we need to think outside the square. I am self taught (mainly through CC!) but when i started out I would have loved someone to have shown me the ropes.

Not sure if this will help or if you already looked here. I "googled" cake decorating schools scholarships and found some that might help.

Good luck


http://chef2chef.net/culinary-institute/scholarship-grant/resources.htm

http://www.cookingschools.com/financial-aid/

Wouldn't you know it? There are no Hobby Lobby stores in California or Nevada. Don't that beat all??

I tried to do the course 3 on my own while waiting for enough people to take the course. I couldn't do it. I am a person who has to see it done to do it. And I took course 2 over for 2 reasons. First my royal icing was a royal pain for me. I just had one problem after another the first time around. And while waiting for the course 3 I took course 2 again to insure there were enough people for a course 3 class. They were helpful to me. Like I said I have to see it done to get it totally. But have learned alot from this site as well. But to me learning more ways to do things is also helpeful. What works for one person doesn't for another. I learned this from different jobs I have had. Everyone is different and has there own way of doing things. Some are alot better than others. So the more experience I have the better the knowledge I recieve. I hope that mad sense(sp?)

That makes total sense, kaychristensen! I, too, am a hands on kind of gal. I need to actually see it and do it...to learn it.

Perhaps you should look into some instructional videos. I'm sure there are some out there. Then you can see it done, stay at home and save a lot of money!
Or, maybe you can find someone in your area that is proficient in BC and you can swap your knowledge of fondant.

Cakesunleashed, your cakes are unbelievable. I wish I could take lessons from you! I took the three Wilton courses and out of the three the second one was the worst for me. It is all about making the flowers. I am a hands on person also and even after seeing my instructor do it I had problems. I guess flowers are really not for me. I have learned the majority of stuff on my own by reading books and magazines but most of all reading and looking at the cakes on CC. I have everyone looking for magazines etc at garage sales,flea markets and you wouldn't believe the stuff people has brought me. My husband is executive chef but wouldn't you know it he doesn't specialize in pastry, bummer! I don't think you are giving yourself enough credit. My thoughts would be to read, read and practice. In the older wilton yearbooks it shows how to make everything and it has helped me alot. Keep posting your pics! We enjoy them!

I completely understand where you're coming from. I've had no training and really want some as I'm hopeless at piping etc. I went to some one of sessions and they were aimed at beginners so were too basic. I sent some photos off to a magazine asking if I could write some articles and the editor wrote back saying she's love to publish my work but wanted me to get some professional training first. She offered to sponsor me to have a one-to-one day with Paddi Clark at Squires Sugar School in the UK - I'm going in two weeks time and am very excited. Maybe you could try this with a US magazine?

You do not need Wilton lessons! You should be teaching the lessons. Your cakes are amazing. Why don't you start teaching out of your home if no one around teaches? Just take a look around your gallery and you will definately cheer up.

Well, this program is in New York City...but, perhaps other schools offer it too. But when I was considering taking a weeklong vacation class at the Institute of Culinary Education I came across this:

WORK-STUDY PROGRAM

There is a way to earn an Institute of Culinary Education diploma without taking out conventional loans. The Work-Study Program at The Institute of Culinary Education affords students an opportunity to earn tuition credit, working and learning as a stagiaire (the word is French for "trainee").

Participants in this unique program support the school's purchasing and stewarding departments by helping to receive and distribute all food product that comes into the school, and may have an opportunity to serve as assistants to chef-instructors in our recreational cooking, baking and wine classes.

Stagieres commit to working 1,600 hours, after which they may attend either the Culinary Arts or the Pastry & Baking Arts diploma program free-of-charge, with the exception of a $150 registration fee that covers uniforms, textbooks and materials. Participants must work a minimum of four eight-hour shifts per week. Shifts currently run from 7 AM to 3 PM, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, from 9 AM to 5 PM, and from 5 PM until closing (sometime after midnight).

There's no need to be a food expert to sign up for the Work-Study Program either. Applicants must have either a high school diploma or a GED and 1 year work experience or 2 years of college. The first step towards the work-study program is an interview, and then an on-the-job evaluation that lasts three days.A written examination is also required. Working as a stagiere is an excellent addition to anyone's culinary education.

http://www.iceculinary.com/career/work_study.shtml

You could try this site:
http://www.CakesMadeEasy.com

After looking at your photos though, I think you just need to get business classes and food service classes at a local comm. college to do what you want to do. That you can get grants for thru the college. You already know how to do cakes!!

First let me start by saying YOUR CAKES ARE GOREGOUS!!!
I could only dream of being that good someday!

Secondly, I took the Wilton Courses 1 & 2 , just finishing 2 before Thankgiving. I too am the type that has to see it done and then I can go on my own. I don't understand the workbooks with their "hold at so many degrees" instructions but once I saw it done I was able to understand the workbook when I was doing them out of class. I live in the sticks in N.E. PA and know what you're going through! We were lucky enough to have an independent business owner offer the classes closer then the normal hour's drive. Where we take classes they rent out the Wilton videos....maybe you could see if your local library has them or knows how to get them. Maybe even check with someplace you know offers the courses and see if they will rent out? Also if you have a Micheal's (similar to AC Moore and Hobby Lobby's) they offer the classes at 50% off too...out here it's only $12 per course.
There is always ebay too, but the video's usually go for quite a bit. Books are fairly commonplace on there and cheap.....heck I'd even loan you mine! LOL
Just some suggestions

BTW emmascakes----your cakes are beautiful too!

Fondant is my next adventure!

I have those e-books at CakesMadeEasy.com and I love them but just about everything on decorating in those books can be found on here at CC.

However, they do have video clips showing you how to do some flowers and borders which came in handy for me. They also have tons of useful info if you are just starting out but if you are a seasoned baker, you probably already know the information.

here where i live we have boces which is in effect a vocational training center-they do a lot of certificate type stuff- instead of college basically.


anyway they are very affordable- and convenient .

they offer catering classes- some cake decorating- sanitary safety stuff etc- do you have anything like that there ???

not the same as culinary school- but ours have very highly trained proffesionals and is usually very worthwhile.

Here is my advise- I have taken all three Wilton classes. I would go on Ebay and by the course books - they are out there - if you just want buttercream work - you just need course one and two really. Get then and just practice. I too am a left hander and it is just a matter of learning how to hold the bag. They also have left handed tips out there for certian tip numbers. Some are good - some are not. I got more out of the practice at home than I did in class because the instructor I had was right handed and could not relate to a lefthander. Heck - if you want - I have the books - PM me and I can mail them to you. I don't use them anymore. Let me know!

Hiya Cakes Unleashed,
Ya know they do have Michael's out there in Cali and they do the
Wilton courses if you feel that's what you would like to do. (personally, I agree with the others and think that you really don't need it), I would also like to point out too that you are a natural.
O I just had a thought here, I wonder if there is any way that you could acquire the Wilton class workbooks and use those for learning what it is that you think that you are missing.
Personally I think that YOU need to write an instructional book on how you did your cakes.
Ya know I just had a thought, I don't think that Duff learned his armature technique with the copper pipes in pastry school. Just like you he came up with that when he needed it. And just like Mike McCreary, you are also self-taught.
I think that your cakes are fresh and wonderful and because you had to think, as someone else said, "outside the box" You were able to come up with the solution to your problems without worrying if it was the "right" or "wrong" way of doing things.

First off, I think you're nuts!!!!

You really don't need classes unless you just desperately want to make buttercream borders.... but it looks like you've got fondant down! I think your cakes are awesome. You've done REALLy well just teaching yourself!

I too understand the frustration of wanting to take classes and not being able to. I envy those of you in California and Texas where it seems like a LOT of cake decorating classes are available.... I guess not right where you live but I know CA has the CA Cake Club and Cal-Java....

I saw something the other day called "vocationvacations.com" - you get to go and train with a pastry chef for 2-3 days. It's not really inexpensive, but it's no $8000+ training either..... it may be a possible option.... I think there was on in Portland, OR. maybe.

We have a culinary school here and I looked into it and would LOVE to take classes - but it's $24,000 at least for two years.... and I don't think that included uniforms or your books or parking. If I had all the money in the world I'd want to go to the French Culinary Institute and learn from Jacques Torres and Ron Ben Israel!

My biggest problem has been w/ stacking cakes and it looks like you've got that down! I always seem to have some problems w/ the cake not being level or one of the dowel rods ends up being longer or I can't get it smoothed down enough - and for some odd reason I always seem to end up w/ little pieces of dowel rod shavings in the icing.....I have no idea why. I take out as many as I can but I"m sure there's a few little specks in there still.....and I hate it.

Okay I wrote a book here! Sorry! I just feel for ya and I understand - excpet that I think you're a LOT farther along than I am and you're doing just fine! Learn from the people here at CC - maybe we should start a section called "Cake Central College" - with all the tutorials and most commonly asked questions and a guide to pricing, etc. oooh - someone tell Jackie & Heath!

Good luck to you!

You take Wilton courses? Your working is amazing! There are lots of cake artists out there that don't do a lick of buttercream work-Duff, Mike, Colette. You have a talent and have found your groove! Can you find one for me too?

But that being said if you really want to learn buttercream there is so much you can do via the internet, videos, books and just playing and practicing with the icing and different types of buttercream. The wilton books do give instruction for lefties too!

i honestly think dont bother with the wilton classes b.c u would be bored out of your mind...all the skills that you've demonstrated in your cakes are far beyond anything that a wilton course will teach you...

I just looked at your cakes and they're amazing! I don't think you need any classes either!

You said you have to make stuff up just to get the desired designs you want. Well, I have learned that THAT is exactly what most do on here even when they have taken classes. They use the class instructions as a guideline and change it to fit their needs and what works best for them.

If I had your talent, I don't think I would worry about classes. I would probably just start a post asking how everyone does a certain task to see if they have a way that might be easier than how I would go about it. I would do that just for the things that you struggle with.

I have learned more from CC than any tutorials I could find online or any how to books.

Your cakes are beautiful!

Cakesunleashed I am confused. Your cakes look AWESOME! I think you feel the need to go somewhere....but honey you got it. You got what it takes and yeah you might want to know a few other stuff from time to time...but thats what we are all here for. My advice to you...take a good look at your work...and appreciate your talent. You are self taught...and there is nothing wrong with that.

~smile~

I agree with everyone else... I just looked through your gallery and your cakes are incredible . There is never anything wrong with wanting more training, though. But I don't think a 'beginner' class would do anything for you. You are definitely on an advanced level.

I just went to google and typed 'advanced cake decorating' and 'professional cake decorating video' and got a boatload of hits. If you don't live near a major city or something (to have access to a culinary school or someplace else that might offer classes), the video route might be the best thing. I've got a few good professional books.... but for me, it's much easier to watch someone do it (on video or live, of course), than to try an follow a technique out of a book.

Good luck!
Denise