I have always been a baker..never a decorator. So now I am in the first course of Wilton Cake decorating class at my local Michael's. I thought I was pretty good until I came here. Now I feel so inadequate. I was just wondering how long you guys have been decorating cakes and how much formal training you've had. Also, how did you practice? Would you bake a cake, decorate it and then give it to someone just for fun? Or what? I want to practice more but I never know what to do with all that cake!
Thanks for the help in advance!!
Oh and I have attached a picture of my first cake. Critiques are welcome!

Don't get discouraged. I was not that good when I just started a year ago. Not that I am perfect now but if you look at my pics you can see how I have gradually improved. I started out making them for every little birthday, event etc... that my family and friends had at no charge for practice. I even used to send them in to my husbands secretaries. The decorating gets better the more you practice so just keep it up. I also learned a lot more from CC than I ever did from the first two Wilton Classes. So just keep reading the forums and practice different techinques.

I'm in the first class right now, too, and I feel the same way! I, too, LOVE to bake but have never really thought much about decorating until recently. Your cake looks good!

...I figure that while our cakes may not be much around here, to our families they're probably pretty awesome. My husband was impressed, anyway.

Your cake looks good! It's a great idea to decorate cakes for friends and family, you can even offer to do their kids cakes for free as practice! It will sure darn look better than a grocery store cake!(and tastier too) Good Luck!

I have pictorials on my website that you might find helpful as well.

I took the Wilton classes 1-3 three years ago and class 4 two years ago. My DH is a sales rep so he takes my practice cakes to the hospitals and doctor's offices he calls on. That way I can practice but I don't have to eat all those cakes myself

Even the master decorators you see on here and TV had to start somewhere. You are off to a GREAT start! I took the wilton course 1 also, and I think yours looks much better than mine. Wilton classes get you started off in the right direction, but CC will take you to better levels then Wilton ever thought about. You'll learn so much on here. If you are great at the baking part then you already have a leg up on many CCers. Keep up the good work and you'll be amazed one day at how far you've come. Check out this thread for inspiration:

http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=595795&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

Your first cake looks great! THe icing looks very smooth and your rainbow is nice and consistent.

I've been making cakes for 25 years and *I* was intimidated by the talent here on CC when I first came aboard!!

So we want to see every cake you do!! You've come to the right place for help, tips and advice as you grow in your new talent!

Great first cake. Keep at it. It is so much fun.
I feed my cakes to family and coworkers. CC and books are also a great place to keep learning more techniques. Do you have a cake club in your area?

Wow, thank you all for the compliments and helpful tips!! I am so excited to keep learning and I can't wait to learn more from CC!

Wilton courses are a great place to start to learn some of the basics. You will get enough knowledge and confidence to want to go on with your skills. I started with the Wilton classes about two years ago, I even teach them now. Like Jammjenks said even the master decorators had to start somewhere. I tell all of my students the same thing it takes a lot of practice. If you are willing to put in the time you will be able to do anything you want to!

You will find this site very addicting and very helpful. I starting decorating about 30 some years ago, I'm self taught and I'm am still learning.

Your cake is great, smooth, even consistant lines and your star dots are very nicely done.

Keep up the good work... and log in often to CC

You will be so happy you've found this site. I'm a newbie to it all too and am addicted to this site! I am taking Wilton course 1 now and haven't learned anything yet that I hadn't already found on here. Plus there are GREAT decorators on here that are always willing to answer your questions. I think your rainbow cake is great, and we all have to start somewhere right? That's what I keep telling myself when I'm browsing through the jaw dropping cakes in the gallery.

I use cake pans as cookie cutters, then decorate the 8 and 9 inch cookies as I would the top of a cake.

Folks at my husband's office like getting them better than a cake, as they can take them home and share there instead of always having cake in the break room as temptation.