Please Help!

Decorating By DollLady Updated 17 Aug 2009 , 2:26pm by tonedna

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DollLady Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 2:05am
post #1 of 14

Hi, I have posted before and you gals were wonderful to help me. I am taking the Wilton courses, but I am afraid I do not feel that I am learning anything. Last week my instructor showed us how to proper ice a cake, but she did not show the proper consistency. One of my questions, my icing usually is medium and I have tried to make the Wilton rose, but I feel the icing is too soft. I told the instructor this but she didn't tell me what to do with my soft icing? Do I need to make different icings or can I add confectioner's sugar to make it a little stiffer? Gosh, I do not feel that I am learning too much at these courses, I might just try and learn myself. What should I do? Thanks for your help!!

13 replies
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-K8memphis Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 2:13am
post #2 of 14

I have a squirt bottle of water and a container of cornstarch handy when I decorate so I can thin and thicken my icing for piping.

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d3sc3n7 Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 2:14am
post #3 of 14

Ok....I could be way off base here, so please ignore me if need be. I've never taken a cake class in my life.

However, I do have experience in the field from self teaching. I generally make a basic buttercreme frosting to do the cake itself. If I'm doing roses or some form of decoration, I take a small batch of the frosting and whip in more powdered sugar to really stiffin it up. It works rather well, but makes the decorations rather sweet. When I finish them up, I pop them in the freezer, inside a tupperware container. Not long enough to freeze, because they will sweat onto the cake. Just let them get cold, and your golden.

Again, just what I do...probably wrong according to the experts. Oh well LOL

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all4cake Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 2:42am
post #4 of 14

If you make the icing according to the directions in your student book, it should produce a stiff consistency icing...your spatula should remain standing when stuck in it and the bowl wiggled. add a little liquid at a time to get medium...spatula will remain standing but will move or begin to lean when the bowl is wiggled...add a bit more liquid to the medium to get thin...the spatula will stand but will begin to move/lean without wiggling the bowl.

I don't recommend adding ps to the recipe in the student handbook. Instead, use less liquid than called for then slowly add the remaining called for liquid until consistency desired is achieved.

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d3sc3n7 Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 2:52am
post #5 of 14

There is a handbook?! Shows what I know!

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NatiMF30 Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 3:06am
post #6 of 14

Ok, did you pay for this class? you should have received a Course workbook either from your instructor or when you paid! Alot of it has to do with your instructor too. If she's not organized it could ruin your experience and she should be prepared to answer questions at least pertaining to the class. Maybe she didn't hear you or didn't realize you were asking a question to solve a problem? I don't know, just thinking.

I am on my second class at Hobby Lobby and my instructor has been wonderful, helpful, knowledgeable and organized! It's what inspired me to start in the first place!

The class gives me organized hands on with someone I can trouble shoot with face to face and CC have given me an incredible amount of knowledge and information to keep me on my toes and try new things! It's a great combo for me.

Hope it get's better!

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DollLady Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 3:14am
post #7 of 14

Yes, I did receive a handbook with my first course, but the instructor told us a different way of making the buttercream. So far, she is doing things differently than the book. I am really thinking that I will finish this course 1, but I am going to experiment with cakes at home. I am a porcelain dollmaker and have taken many classes to become certified, but wow, I believe I can do this with all of you!! LOL!!

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d3sc3n7 Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 3:25am
post #8 of 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by DollLady

I believe I can do this with all of you!! LOL!!




If I can almost do it with no classes, you can do it too!

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all4cake Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 3:25am
post #9 of 14

handbook/lesson plan/guide book.

I'm sorry your experience with the classes hasn't been a better one for you.

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NatiMF30 Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 3:29am
post #10 of 14

I agree, you can do it with or without classes. Whatever your learning style is you really just need to practice as much as you can to find out what works for you! Of course having the incredible knowledge and expertise of CC definitely helps! icon_biggrin.gif

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tatorchip Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 4:12am
post #11 of 14

I haven't taken a class yet but between my daughter and cc I am learning a lot, I just wish my hands would join in and help me out lol

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lillermom Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 11:02am
post #12 of 14

It also sounds like you are only in the first or second class of the course if she is showing you how to ice a cake. We didn't learn roses until the third class because she had to show us the basics first. Sounds like you are perhaps more skilled than others in the class and wanting to move at a faster pace (totally understandable!) I have always just used the recipe from the coursebook although my instructor told us we could skip the meringue powder.

Keep us posted on your progress and how it works out. There was a great post here the other day about making roses that helped me out a lot so maybe try and find that post to help with your rose questions!

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all4cake Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 2:13pm
post #13 of 14

The three icing consistencies used in the course are explained on the 1st night as he/she is showing how to make the icing. The rose is explained in 3 steps beginning with lesson 2...

On the instructor's behalf...there's a lot being packed into course 1! Sometimes, not saying you did though, students bring in icing not made according to the recipe...."my family just looooooooves this one" or "I got this recipe from my grandmother. She used it for yeeeeeeeears."

If you're taking the courses, use the plan/book. go by the plan/book. stay with the plan/book until you understand and are comfortable with the techniques...consistencies...and other stuff. that way it's easier to understand when you make a different icing (grandmother's recipe) why you aren't getting the same results.

If you aren't satisfied with the course, inform the store manager to see if a refund of your tuition (maybe minus the cost of the book) isn't possible. If you're not being helped...there's also the survey students fill out online....

how many students are in the class? that can be a factor too...

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tonedna Posted 17 Aug 2009 , 2:26pm
post #14 of 14

Here are some basic tutorials that might help.




I wonder what kind of icing she is using.. Follow the one in the book
for the class.
Edna icon_smile.gif

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