Hello everyone, I have been so amazed at the amount of infomation I have found on cake decorating here on CC but I have to ask the question! Where else did some of you learn your art of decorating?

Can anyone reccommend a "in person" class for me? I have learned everything I know about cake decorating by trial and error, and from wilton yearbooks.

I have consider taking the Master decorating class that wilton offers at their headquaters but was wondering if anyone else had other suggestions.

I know of the mini classes that Micheals and Hobby lobby offers. But was thinking I was already passed the point of learning how to make shell borders and stuff like that. I am from the New Orleans area but live on the Northshore.

Hi there, I have baked cakes when I was age of 13/14. I always used buttercream and a star tip to decorate . When I made it my own business, I got some books and learnt a few things from them. But then I found this site and since then I learnt a lot from here! Aine2's modeling tutorials helped me a lot. And then tonednas flower tutorials are amazing. I get loads of inspiration from here and all the members are really helpful.

As a course, I went to Alan Dunn's workshops to get some practice and tips for flower making. Other than that I haven't been to any course.

But I think Wilton classes will be very helpful to you!

Good Luck!

I learned at home with a wilton book as my teacher (aka self-taught).

mmm I learned to decorate in wilton classes. I had bought a book but I am a visual learner, so I needed that teacher there to show me how they did it, then I repeated.

After that, its either self/youtube taught or this website!

I am a wilton book and CC taught girl too LOL. I woul dlove to take s formal course somewhere myself. I am sure there are much easier ways to do things than what I figure out on my own!

I have took all the Wilton Classes at Michaels and a couple other classes at local cake supplies stores, sometimes the cake supple stores have speciality classes that you can learn alot

I am TOTALLY self taught,no form of training what so ever,google and youtube was my teacher before i met my dear cakecentral.I started baking as a teenager by not been able to afford cakes when i got the cravings so i'd go home and try 2 reproduce what i'd just saw. I bought some books but they were not fantastically helpfull so i stopped buying books,i have sugarshacks buttercream dvd and that's it.The rest is imagination and of course CC.

I have been making Cakes for quite a while, I have been cooking and Baking from scratch since I was 14, self taught. I sell cakes through my family's restaurant. I have a pretty good customer base that love my cakes.

Well guess what... I just signed up for the Wilton Classes at my local Michaels.

I am probably past the level of the other people who will be in my class but I am sure there will be plenty of things I can learn to be worth the $36 I spent for the class and kit. Plus it should be fun, So why not! Heck my instructors name is Bunny its gotta be fun.. LOL

I think it will be a great way to meet other people that have the same interest as me , and I have been asked to provide an entry for this years county fair and would like to learn some more techniques.

I just hope I don't have to eat any of that Wilton fondant.

Do you think if I make some MFF and put it in the Wilton package they will be able to tell?

I took some Wilton Courses, but the hard stuff I have learned on my own. Seems like there is a tight corner where all the people that know the hard techniques hide!

I am one of those who research reads and figure things out cause I know there is an easier way.. Time and experience will help. And knowing that there is so much out there still to learn just keeps the blood pumping to keep learning..

Edna

I'm pretty much self taught through cake books. I have taken the wilton course 1 & 2 but they didn't really teach me anything that I didn't already know...it was really disappointing. But I still have a lot to learn, I'm a newbie.

I took the Wilton courses and have just been learning things on my own every since. I buy lots of books and really use CC a lot. Everyone is so helpful on here and always willing to share. I got to see Michelle Bommarito doing a couple days worth of demonstrations and really learned a lot from her. And other than that, I'm looking forward to taking lots of classes in the future. =o) Good luck!

I would love to take a class one of these days. For now, I've had great luck DVR'ing everything I can on Food Nework. I'm amazed at the ideas I get from studying techniques in slo-mo, pausing and studying the colors used, flavor combos, etc. I have even paused and have been able to see the tip number used in a technique before. I search for "cakes, cookies, frosting, icing, chocolate" as key words on Tivo.

I'm still learning and bought one basic cake decorating book to start. Then found CC and have learnt I'd say 99% of what I know from here.

I also have just started watching youtube videos and those are very, very helpful although I have very little patience when it comes to watching something on the computer. I can sit and read through pages of posts no problem so don't know why videos should be any different by my mind just doesn't co-operate when watching videos...it tends to wander lol . But I am forcing myself because there is so much to learn this way.

And then of course there's trial and error.

toolbeltdiva28....since you're in the New Orleans area, you need to look up Sharon Zambino who's also in N.O.
She's 'Sugarshack' here on CC. She does classes, and she has some really excellent instructional DVDs that are step-by-step and very clear.
And welcome to CC!!

Toneda, if you're still reading this thread.....you really need to respond to Heath's invitation to sign up for the cake competition!!!!! You're so good!

I too learned via Wilton classes at Michaels and practice, practice, practice.....I don't know what I'd do with out CC.

My dream is to go to at least one professional style class in the next year. It seems like all the classes I can ever find are too far away. I've never seen any classes being taught in the OR or WA area - the closest is CalJava in CA which is probably where I'll have to go when the time is right.

Just like the other ladies I too took classes at Michaels and fell in love with cakes.

Since I'm an old timer, there weren't many cake decorating schools or classes available when Dinosaurs roamed the earth!!

I was fortunate enoungh to be taught, hands on, at the age of 12 or 13 by the man who ran the bakery in our town. I used to stand on the walk and watch him decorating wedding cakes through the window. One day he came out, asked me if I was interested in decorating cakes, and invited me in to watch. He and his wife gave me so many helpful hints and tips not only about decorating but about the business in general; pricing, dealing with customers, etc. Imagine how honored I felt, years later, when contacted to make special cakes for his father's 90th birthday and his daughter's wedding.

Around the same time my Grandma had some neighbors who had operated a bakery in the city for years. Knowing my interest, she arranged to have me spend an afternoon with them, and they taught me a lot about making roses, piping, etc. This day was a double treat because since he moved to the country he raised German Shepherd dogs, and the day I went, after spending the afternoon in the kitchen, I was also invited to the kennel to play with a litter of puppies.

The rest of what I learned was from trial and error, books, and working beside some of the best Master Decorators in the business for 40+ years.

I learned to decorate at work. I went to work at a bakery and started out bagging and slicing bread, and after about a month of *hint hint hint* they finally let me learn to decorate. I wanted to learn badly. I need a creative element in my job to be happy.

Ive been doing it for about 1.5 years now and if I estimate the average number of cakes I do a day at work, Ive done well over 3,000 cakes since I started.

I cant imagine you guys that are self taught...that is amazing. With all the practice I have had, I still learn so much new stuff all the time. If I only did a cake every now and then, Id be horrible at it. lol.

I never did the wilton classes, but I did think about teaching one day.

I still consider myself somewhat of a beginner though because of my lack of experience. I have only done 5 wedding cakes for customers and 2 fondant cakes. Everything else has been birthday cakes or dessert cakes. I read like crazy though. Anything I can get my hands on about decorating.

Anyways, its fun to hear how you all learned to decorate. I love this job.

Edna I just looked at your website. BEAUTIFUL!!! I live close to you, in Altamonte Springs actually.

FoodGuy - that is such a cool story. Thanks for sharing.

My MIL used to decorate wedding cakes and she made my daughter's first birthday cake (a Teletubbies design). I took one look at it and thought "I could do that!" Since then I have been making cakes on and off for 9 years.

I took the Wilton courses last year to improve my buttercream techniques but I think I've had the most helpful advice and inspiration from other CC members.

I also love SugarShacks dvds and the You Tube videos from Edna and Serious_cakes.

I always loved baking and I knew I wanted to learn how to decorate . I started buying wilton books and teaching myself. I took the first wilton class and knew that wasn't for me. Well 14 years later and more books and wa la! self taught. That's the only way I could learn.

I am a 3rd Generation cake decorator in my family. I learned by watching my mother and grandmother decorate cakes.

4 years ago I took the Wilton Courses because I wanted to know more about fondant. This was something I did not learn from my mom and grandma.
Now I teach for Michaels and love it.

I am always trying to learn new techniques so I buy books and watch you tube. I have taken a few other classes as well.

Gosh, after looking at most of the cakes in you guy's forum, I just figured alot of you went to pastry school. Indydebbie, tonedna, JanH, you all just ROCK!!! I can't believe you are mostly self taught, with no "formal" pastry school! I will keep practicing, but just don't believe I will ever achieve the status of some of you people on here!! Also, thank you all so much for being so generous with the knowledge you have! I love this place!!

Hey Ms. Tool,
I just started the wilton classes myself, but am pretty green about it all. But I bet not only may you learn a few things, you could probably also pass on some good tips to everyone also that would be very helpful. Just joined on here also and I'm already hooked. the people on here are just awesome and there's so much info it could make your head swim.