So, the DD in my area has a sign that they are looking for a cake decorator. I am looking for a part-time job in the evening and might inquire. Before I do this, does anyone know a thing about decorating for D. Donuts or Baskin Robbins? I see they have a "create your own cake" on-line, and then you can pick it up at the store.

I am assuming that decorating an ice cream cake is different. I can see me trying to get the icing smooth and the cake melting to the floor by the time I get the icing smooth. Perhaps they have special ways of doing this.

Also, is there a template for these kinds of cake (when decorating?) They have certain designs on their web site and I don't know if you have to copy them with a freehand or if there is some other way to do it.

Doesn't hurt for me to ask. I think I would enjoy it, and hopefully it is something I can do in the evening or on weekends.

I'm sure even though you know about cake decorating that they would give you a training period. I know when I did cakes at Piggly Wiggly they would train everybody even if you already knew how to decorate. They wanted it done their way. HTH

Never hurts to ask!
I really dont know much about these two companys, but I wish you the best of luck!

They will train you...and try to forget your habits, they will want you to do it their way.

I hope you just need pocket change..pay is pretttty low! And don't show them any photos or anything..I once applied for a job with a super market and they told me I was overqualified. (they were afraid I would get bored)

I worked at DD when I was teenager...I was a "finisher" I had a blast. But I think it depends on the owner, they are a franchize!

Thanks ladies.

I called and they have a high school girl helping them now but they need a second decorator b/c they are busy. Well, a high school girl??? I am sure I can handle this job then. I can't imagine a high school girl has more experience than me (not to put her down, just that I am older and have been doing this for a few years). They have an internal applicant whom they are training now, but the manager took my name and will contact me if they need someone else. I told him I have my pics on-line and he asked for my web site so I gave it to him. He was impressed when I told him I took all 4 Wilton classes as well. LOL!

Seems I am a bit late, but hopefully something will pan out. Whatever is meant to be will be!

Thanks for the input everyone!

I used to decorate for TCBY. THey had a book that sat out front of "usual" cakes and they had a ton of plastic stuff you could put on the cake, and also an airbrush. (I LOVED the airbrush). The owner pretty much gave me free reign, however I was making cakes for about 15 stores and also managing my own low-volume store. I got like 7.00 an hour and that was 14 years ago or so. I can see why they stick to certain design, but I didn't let it get me down. I did a TON of basketweave, and because the cakes were frozen, we used Bettercreme. It was great to use on a large scale, and I ended up spending quite a few hours a day sitting in the walk-in freezer doing basketweave so the cake didn't melt!

We assembled the cakes using two layers of pre-made, frozen cake and speading the frozen yogurt between the layers. Then we let them freeze and they were ready for decorating. I wish it were that easy now!

The manager/owner of the store will recognize if going off the beaten path is worth it. I'd stick to the norm if you get hired, but if you can squeeze in a really fab cake or two, they will definitely see its worth. I'd love to have that job back, but most TCBY's closed down when the no carbs allowed craze hit.

Good luck!

Cakemom, I LOVE TCBY. Seems the only stores in my area are on the PA turnpike. My favorite flavor is their white chocolate mousse. YUM! Sounds like a fun job you had.

In all honesty, I would want the DD job to be easy. I don't have to get creative or anything (but would if they let me). I just would like something flexible so that I can continue to be home during the day with my son.

I SOOOOOO miss white chocolate mousse! It was (and probably still is) their best selling flavor. I loved it with pecans on it.

Seems like their stores should be making a come back now, since they are low-fat, some are sugar free, and other yogurt stores like Pinkberry have come on the market. Sugar is allowed again, ya know?


By the way...I liked their cakes way better than the Carvel ones. I like having actual cake, not little bits of "cakey stuff" like some of the frozen cakes have.

Course if Carvel called, I'd do basketweave for them too!

i used to decorate cakes at Dairy Queen and they make icecream cakes and let them freeze completely before decorating (someone else made the "cakes") then i would use a design almost like a colouring book page and using an overhead type projector trace the design on the cake (quickly) with gel, fill in the design and add the borders. hth-you could have fun with it-i would tell customers if they had a theme to bring in a paper plate or the napkin to make the cake match but nothing too much (it is icecream afterall)

We have a TCBY still!! I love it.

My best friend worked at DQ when we were still in HS decorating all their cakes with NO experience, I don't think you have anything to worry about!

Hi! I think I'm the high school girl your talking about. Haha but the way I was taught was they trained me for 4 weekend days (that's the busiest time) and I was shown the basics. We are allowed to use our own style, creativity, and put our own spin on the cakes. I've been decorating for about 4 months now and am still learning, it's all about your own talents and how we work as a team. I do the best 3-d animals at our store so that's one of my roles. I love this job! The creativity lets it ever get old!

I used to decorate cakes for a couple different baskin robbins. I had already been doing cakes for about 10yrs when I stared there. I had to relearn some ways because it is different because you are working with ice cream but it took no time at all to pick up the new habits. Most of the designs you do are pretty simple because it has to be quick. If it starts to get soft, you just pop it back in the freezer and let it hardern back up while you pull another one out and work on it. My owners let me bring in a lot of my own ideas and get pretty creative which was fun for me. As a matter of fact when some of the corporate people came to visit they liked a couple things I had started and they are now doing it nationally. The pay is low, but luckily for me at the time, I was able to do the job for the love of decorating and not worry about the pay.

KeltoKel~~Good luck on whatever happens.
LilKim2525~~Welcome to the forum!

To everybody who has made ice cream cakes:

It must be much easier to make them with soft-serve ice cream or yogurt. Have you any tips/hints/secrets for doing these ice cream cakes at home? Every time I've tried working with partially melted ice cream, it freezes back up with a strange texture (yuck!).

Are there any tricks to put the frozen cakes and partially melted ice cream together so they taste right? How thick should the frozen cake layers be? 1"? 1-1/2"? How long do you leave them at room temperature before cutting and serving? What is the overall assembly--1" of frozen cake, 1" of soft-serve, 1" of frozen cake, Bettercreme?

Will Frostin' Pride or Pastry Pride work as well as Bettercreme?

Help would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks.

Just wanted to say hello everyone and it's really great to find so many people here that have worked at these types of stores. This is my first Cake Decorating job and to be very honest it has stole me away from the other areas of culinary. I used to cook and prep for other restaurants and being hired at Basking Robbins has really shown me why I like the culinary field so much I just had to find the right area in it. If you need some type of creativity dump for your brain this is a great place to get started and to have lots of fun. xD