I look at the cakes that you all post, and start to wonder how did you start cake decorating, was the interest handed down? Did you work somewhere and decide you liked it?, what?
I can remember growing up and if I didnt ask for a red velvet cake for my birthday my mom would go order one, never thought about decorating then. Then years later, in 1992, one year after my first son was born, his birthday crept up on me. HOW? Well first off it was because I had already bought the party stuff invitations, presents everything months in advance! I only gave his birthday a thought two weeks prior to it, when I sent out the invitations. Well I got busy at work, and it wasn't a night before his party that I realized I had no cake. It was too late to get one ordered ( I wanted it to match his party stuff) so my aunt showed me how to transfer a picture onto a cake and helped me. I enjoyed that. Then the next few years I had her do it. She automatically made them for me, would not take money from us! Then somehow during the discussion, I asked her "Ok aunt Mar, how much do you charge to do cakes" I dont remember how much she said, but my mouth dropped open..It made sense she made cakes all the time, and did her sons first wedding cake! But from that point on I did them. I couldn't take the cake from her and not pay, and she wouldn't let me pay, "you're family, I don't like the idea of charging family" So needless to say I do all the cakes for our occasions, and finally the word got out and I do cakes for others. BUT I was not interested in doing my own wedding cake! Oh well, thats how I got started. NEXT!

HI there, this is good topic. I got started in 1992 when my husband went to the afternoon shift and I had my young daughter at home, she was 9 at the time and always bored. So JCPenney's had the cake decorating just starting so I signed up and she came with me. She used to be my helper when it came to decorating, but she's 21 now and always busy with her classes, which is fine, she's going to college to be a teacher. But Class 1 started with about 40 people, when we got to class 3 it was down to about 5 of us, with all the supplies you needed people just dropped out, but we hung in there and I just love decorating. It is my therapy, or my escape when I dont want to be bothered with somthing else. I have so many pans, projector, printer, airbrush machine, so much stuff. My husb just look at me like I'm crazy, but he always asking me do I need something else for my cakes. He will go out and get it even if I just mention something and not really want it. I could go on but I won't. NEXT...

I love stories! Here goes mine... I am a stay at mom and often need to do something to make me feel productive. My hubby says that I have a different hobby every month. It started as sewing, then quilting, then crocheting. I was beginning to get tired with crocheting so I went to Hobby Lobby, my local hobby store, in search of a new hobby. I noticed that wilton classes were half off, so I figured what could it hurt? I took the class and fell in love. I remembered my mom always made our birthday cakes as children. I always prefered her cakes to a store bought. Now I can give my children the memory of a made with love cake, and I can make a little money to support my habit! So that's how I got started and loving every minute of it!

Great idea.
Well, back in 1992 a friend of mine did her own weddingcake. I thought at the time "how nice". Something like this I would like to learn too.
But it was not before later on in december 1994, when my eldest son was one, I had the chance to make that wish come true.
I just came over a box of wilton tips and colours in a tiny little store. Who sold tea and stuff. I got very curious, and desided to buy it.
After I looked for some books. As expexted it doesnt exist any norwegian book. (a good one, not even today.)
I found some english books. That was great. I loved the ideas and could not wait to start.
My first cakes was a sad sight. But with nothing else to do, and my husbonds backup I tryed and tryed again.
When my second son was one, I made him the biggest cake (a parrot) ever. With selfmade sugarpaste, on top of our biggest mirror.
After that it started to be better.
But since I have had a fulltime work, it never came to any big. Last january this year was my last day at work. I told them I want to stay with my family, and put them first for a change.
Now I have all the time I want.
During all this years I have bought books all the time. Soon I have not room for any more.
And I turn my husband nuts, I think.
This last 6 months I have also bought a lot of extra things by internet. All my orders goes from London.
So now it is no way back.

Next.

I started when I was about 15 years old, I was really into basketball and wanted to make a basketball cake. It was a chocolate cake covered with colored coconut. I still have a picture of it and it looked horrible I then started making a cake for my mom at Mother's Days and eventually anytime I could.Now 17 years later I do all the cakes for family birthdays etc. I have only sold 2 cakes to people at my work. My husband loves it because he gets to eat all my practice cakes! Cake decorating is a great stress reliever for me. I start decorarting and everything else is on the back burner until I am done.I am now seriously considering trying to start a business.

Back in 2003 I was looking for a hobby that would keep me busy. I was always bored after work and at the time I didn't have any kids and my fiance' always had hobbies. I love to eat cakes especially buttercream iced cakes. I would always buy cake decorating books just to look at the pictures.

One day I went to a newly found cake supply store to buy a book and a I found out that they offered classes. Classses ranged from cake decorating to candy making, to fondant, to petit four decortaing, etc. etc. So I jumped on it and took courses 1 thru 3 for cake decorating.

I started practicing cakes at home and would take them to work for my co-workers. They loved my cakes. I would also make cakes for family and friends. To make a long story short, word spreaded that I make delicious and pretty cakes so from then on I started selling them.

It hardly bears telling, since I only started last October after taking a class at the Senior Center close by. It is something I've always thought I'd like to do and occasionally I'd make a decorated cake, but since I didn't stay with it, never developed the art.

I, too, have done crafts all my life, crocheting, silk flower arranging, decoupage, (I still have supplies here for all of those things, too!) but this one I think I can stick with...as somebody else said, after I've bought all these pans, tools, etc, there's no going back!

Sure wish it was a stress reliever for me, but it isn't, I get sooo stressed out...! Part of it is that I have arthritis in hands, legs, everywhere, and it gets painful...maybe that is where the stress comes from, but I do love making something pretty! I also love getting complements on how a cake looks, but more so when they say how good it tastes.

BTW...I'm 68, so it's never too late to learn something new! I posted a few photos today, if you get a chance to, check them out. Janice

I have been decorating cakes since my first daughter was born in 1981, and couldn't afford to buy one from the bakery, but I never had a class until February when I decided to learn how to do more than just stars.I have completed Wilton Course I, and II and have started III. I have always worked and when my office closed after 15 years and I found myself at home I decided it was time to take classes, since I had alot of time on my hands. Now, not only do my cakes taste good, they look good too! My family thinks I am a throwback from the dark ages, I make all my cakes from scratch and I bake in order to relax. My 11 year old's friends love coming to our house because there is always a cake here to eat! LOL I am enjoying learning all the techniques even more than I thought I would....and finding CakeCentral is like heaven to me, people who share the same passion as I do, it's so wonderful.

I have always wanted to take the cake decorating classes... I'd always see the poster advertising them in Michael's, but never wanted to spend the extra money since at the time I was just learning scrapbooking, taking classes for that and buying a bunch of supplies all the time!

Then we moved down here and I was bored out of my mind with no friends or family around, and I decided I wanted to hurry and take the classes before I had my baby (third), because then I would be too busy, and also, I wanted to make nice cakes in time for my boys' birthday parties.

I took the classes to be able to make great cakes for my 3 kids, and also to be able to make some extra money since I am a stay at home mom.

Melissa

I was forced into it!
I always decorated cookies (since I was a kid with my mom--I'm now 44). In 2003, I started selling my cookies and then one day someone said "You should really make cakes too." I fought it for a while and then one day I did one. It was a success and then I got more orders. But it got to the point where I hated doing them. So now I only do one them once in a while. I just got finished decorating a birthday cake for my best friend. It's such a labor for me. Cookies, on the other hand, come naturally to me. I rarely make a mistake and I love doing them. Although the birthday cake came out nice, I see a lot of flaws in it. Also, by the time I got halfway through it I startd to rush because I was tired of it already. Like I said, I'm really not a cake decorator at heart.

I started out of necessity. I had owned an events planning and catering company for several years. My company offered an all-inclusive package. One-Stop-Shopping so to speak. I actually used 3-4 decorators at one time, but the bride never knew who the cake from other than my company. I had a portfolio with all their designs in it and she picked from that. Of course, if she wanted something different she could go out on her own. But this was part of my all-inclusive package.... Hire the caterer, cake, band/DJ, flowers, decorate the church/reception hall... all in one contract... stress-free wedding package. I was a true wedding planner (in every sense of the word- not just a coordinator)... I took your stress of dealing with vendors for you and gave you a beautiful day.

I had my favorite bakers/decorators, but people move and even pass away . I got tired of constantly being in need of someone dependable and good (it's hard to find both in one person). I finally decided that if I can make the wonderful food I make and have the presentation I have... I certainly could learn to do this.... so here I am... Now I don't have to contract out anything at all... well, that's a lie! Wedding bows... I still make horrible bows (the fabric/silk/ribbon kind you hang from church pews).

This is a cool topic. I love hearing your stories. My mom took one wilton class way back when I was a child. I remember she usually stuck with the character pans after that, but we always loved our special cakes that mom made for us. I remember playing with all her Wilton tips and asking her what each was for.

My own start came with the birth of my nephew and after that I would make cakes for all family birthdays. I love doing it, but I can get a little stressed when it's for paying customers I feel like I'm getting better all the time and am soon going to try gumpaste and my first buttercream transfer.

Next

It all started way back in satndard 1 (grade 3) when I made brownies for an oral report. I found baking pretty easy, so I continued to do it.

Then when I was 14, my parents had a friend who was on disability that was getting married, so because of the limited budget they had, I was asked to make teh cake. I didn't decorate it though, my older sister did, because she was more artistically inclined than me. it was a martha stewart hydrangea cake, I think.

I tried decorating a few times, but it always turned out terrible (I couldent even do a shell edge).

So anyway, I continued baking, but nothing that was decorated really fancy.

Then this year I moved away to univerity, and my grandparents live near by, and they often need cakes. So I believe it was in january, I made a birthday cake and decorated it. Since then they've had me make a few cakes, and I've descovered that it's really not that hard anymore. Maybe I was just bad at it because I was so young.

So anyway, When I went home for spring break, I started expirimenting with fondant. I think I made a cake every other day, playing game cube on my off days .

So I've discovered that cake decorating isn't hard, and it's fun. I can't wait to get some pictures up.

edit: if you like though you could say that there's a deep psychological reason, steming from childhood to balme for my desire to decorate cakes. for my 7th birthday, all I wanted was a dinosaur cake. I had seen it in a homemaking magazeen. It had step by step instructions and I figured my mom could make it without too much trouble.

You see, in south africa, all the kids moms would make birthday cakes that would put Collette Peters to shame. But my mom? no no no no no. For my birthdays, she would routienly make a cake an ice it in the pan. If she felt fancy, she might put sprinkles on it.

So anyway, I had seen teh directions for this dinosaur cake, and it didn't look hard, and I showed it to my mom, and she said ok.

In my birthday invitations I had even advertised teh kick ass cake my mom was gonna make.

Well on the day of my birthday party, I was in horror when my mom brought out the cake and it was not the dinosaur from the picture, but rather, a cut out of a dinosar, smeared with green icing.

I can't remember if I cried or not, but I was pretty upset.

My sister and i use to cut round cakes and make rabbits and dogs all the time.then in 1994 i saw my first wilton yearbook and i was hooked.befor my mom passed away i would make her a cake every sunday for our big sunday dinners.i make mostly make charater cake sometimes i make wedding cakes for family and friends.

My Cake Decorating Adventures started 2 years ago for my nephew's 1st birthday. His Theme was scooby-doo and I knew money was tight for the family. So I decided I would take a go at it. I had no clue but I bought the wilton scooby pan and saw how easy it was. I have not an artistic bone in my body can't even draw a straight line to save my life. So Me being me found how easy it was thought WOW, let me do this again. I had talked to my good friend AMEGAMOM about it and we both decided to take the class offered in La. were we were stationed. Mainly to learn, pass time while the hubby was away, and see how far I could go with it. It soon went from fun to super-fun. I loved it so much I convinced TCTurtleshell to do it and have her hooked as well!!!! I have done SEVERAL cakes and I have to say I get stressed but have so much fun too. Ok that is it...for now. NEXT

I have to say I started a little over two years ago with Woman's Day magazine--LOL! They always seemed to have the cutest cakes and they made it look so easy. I started baking the ones I saw in the mag for holidays. Everyone raved about them (they were so bad too!). I enjoyed doing it and it made me feel good. I purchased a cake caddy full of tools and been doing it ever since.

I decided to sign up for a class in 1997. I don't even know how I heard about it. I was going to college and was a cheerleader. I don't know how I fit it in! I have just made them for friends and family since then. I have got to where I am on this website way too much and sometimes take away from my work (medical transcription). I now have 3 boys ages 5 1/2 months, 2 1 /2 years, and 5 years, so I am busy making cakes for all their friends, my friends, and whatever else comes up! I love this so much, I often fantasize about opening a bakery. But oh, the time it would take away from these guys. So, I keep doing medical transcription from home and making cakes for them into the wee hours of the night. A little more than I hobby now, but I love this!

Hmm.. Well, I've wanted to learn to do cake decorating for years. I have always made cakes for holidays and birthdays for everyone. My mother used to make me a special cake on my birthdays and she always got an angel to put in it - like a Christmas ornament or a crafted one. She didn't do anything else fancy with them. As I have been making them over the years I always wished I could do more and do the fancy shells and other borders, make roses, and write on cakes more easily. Now I can do that and so much more! I just finished the second Wilton course. A couple years ago I bought a small Wilton kit with a syringe icing squeezer and a handful of tips. I used that a few times with canned icing and thought it worked pretty well, but knew I could do so much more, too!

What inspired me to finally take the classes this winter was 1) my wedding is coming up and I wanted to make my own cake to save money and 2) I was bored and depressed and thought a new hobby would help get me out of depression. It did! On the other hand, I spent so much money on cake supplies that I have spent more than i would have for a professionally done wedding cake.. But at least I have the skills now to do it and to even do them for others! And I think I saved money on the therapy I might have needed if I didn't find this hobby that helped me out of the overwhelming depression.

I think it's really fun. I have always enjoyed baking. I also have a wicked sweet tooth.. Thanks, Dad! I just want to enjoy doing it for fun and not have as much stress about it. I'm not sure if I will LIKE doing if professionally or if it should really just stay a hobby. I could really use the income, though, so we'll see!

Blessings,
~AngelWendy

Well, I started when I was a junior in high school, my major was food service. We were taught on paper plates. Then cake decorating became my nitch in food service. By the time I graduated from high school in 1977, I had made 2 wedding cakes, avery large 3 tiered basket weave cake with brown eyed susans, and countless birthday, anniversary, and holiday cakes. I became over whelmed with family and friend cake orders when my 3 boys were young, and I didn't know how to say NO, so I quit decorating for awhile, and am now enjoying it again, but not as a business, and I will be making my son's wedding cake in August, it will have cornelli lace, fondant pearls, and lace points. I have this idea in my head, and I hope it looks nice

I do make aliving in food service though. I am the manager of my county jail kitchen, but not much call for any decorated cakes there

Wilma, Next

Good topic!!

As tcrema said... she talked me into taking the wilton classes. She had taken the classes 2 years before me. SHE IS A GREAT DECORATOR!! She begged me to take the classes. Her hubby got stationed to England & she left her older sis alone!! She came back last Sept for a visit & finally talked me into signing up for classes!! I had to sign up while she was here visiting or I probably would have chickened out!! I started classes in Oct with my 14 (then) year old daughter. The instructor was so excited to see a young person take classes. Turned out there were 4 girls under 18 in the class! I had a really hard time learning at first I couldn't catch on. Then by the 3rd class of the 1st course I caught on!! BAAM!!! I haven't stopped yet!!! I'm brave enough to try new things now! I am confident about my cakes & that makes a big difference when you get orders. When people see how confident you are then they trust you to do their cakes.

I finished the courses in Dec. Had my first wedding cake/groom's cake order Jan 13 of this year!!!! The wedding is April 23rd... coming up SOON!!! I AM SO GLAD THAT I FINALLY GAVE INTO MY SISTERS BEGGING!!!!

Decorating is such a blessing to me! I have also gotten my bestfriend Boo-Boo (she's a member on CC too) taking classes!! She did her first groom's cake last weekend & hasn't even finished her classes yet!! Decorating is contagious!!!!!!!!

A word of advice... ANYONE CAN DO CAKES!!!!! Practice makes you better & better. By all the cake books you can! If you see a cake in the books that you like THEN MAKE IT!! KEEP PRACTICING!!!!! You'll get better & better!!

Blessings to you all,
~TC~

I am one of those girls who's been dreaming and putting her wedding together since I was 5 years old. Looking at dresses and cakes are a great time for me. I've been looking for a hobby since I don't do anything that I love, I mean I work full time and I'm in college and that's all good and all but I wanted to do something that made me happy so I signed up for the Wilton courses and loved it! I have completed course 1 and 2 and I'm going to hold off and taking course 3 over the summer since I'd like to have all of my free time dedicated to that class. I've done 2 paid cakes for a friend and a co-worker so I'm starting out slow - I figure I'll really advertise by word of mouth when I finish my 3rd class. I'm loving every minute of it though - except for the clean up! Sometimes my boyfriend is a sweetie and will do it for me, but most the time he'll clean all the dishes and leave my cake stuff for me to clean And yes I will be doing my own wedding cake someday!

I have to say, I am very pleased at the responses to this topic. I have always love hearing stories, on everything from childbirth to sewing to how you met your spouse, to this.....WOW. You all are so interesting!!!! I am glad to "know" each of you!

I'm a little late on posting but ....I just started this year around February when my son was turning 3 and I couldn 't find a bakery in my area that did anything different than a cake with the plastic pieces stuck on top. I started experimenting and found I can do this and it was relaxing to boot!! I have not taking any classes so I'm learning thru everyone here!!

I've always been into doing crafts and whenever I was at the craft stores I would browse the cake decorating isles and thought how neat to be able to decorate cakes and especially loved looking at all the different pans and "gadgets".

I work full time and have a 3 year old but try to make cakes whenever I can! My co-workers are my "guinie pigs" and so far I've gotten fantastic feedback which keeps be making more!

When I was younger I always went to Cook's Corner (which is the largest kitchen store in the nation i guess)... it's in my dinky hometown here and I loved looking at the cake stuff. My mom never tried doing anything fancy with cakes or cookies but I thought it would be fun to try and it really didn't look that hard. Well, now that I'm getting married in about 3 months here, we've decided to make our own cake. My fiance got really excited about it and wants to help. We did a little test cake and it turned out good along with my rose which I was so proud of... everyone at work is so proud of us for trying to make our own... even if it doesn't turn out, we tried and that's all that matters but I'm sure it will. My parents are the only ones that aren't too excited about us trying to do this. I figure though, I can actually start putting the cake together a few days ahead and hopefully have it completely ready to go by Thursday night... (the wedding is Saturday)... with the way that MMF holds up, the cake stays so fresh inside, I just love it. We'll see how the test cake turns out here once I get the plates and pillars.

Great stories everyone!!

I started decorating in 2000! My husband was on a Med Cruise so I went to live with my sister in San Diego. Our mother years ago worked in the kitchen in a hospital and used to make cakes once a month for everyone who had a birthday that month. It was one big sheet cake with everyone's names on it. Well, I always thought that was pretty neat of my mom to do that. She made birthday cakes for family and friends and I used to love watching her decorate. I was just amazed! Well, mom has since passed and my sister and I decided to take some classes. We knew mother would be proud! Out of the 13 people in our first class, my sister and I were born naturals. We knew at that point that we were on to something. Our second class was so much fun we knew that we wanted to do cake decorating for more than just our family's birthdays. Now half of my walk-in pantry and garage are full of supplies and pans. My sister and I would like to start a business someday but for now we just do it for our families and close friends. I really get a kick and a rush out of decorating cakes and cookies! This is something I have a passion for. I am, (IMO), pretty good at it. I can always use improvement though and so that's why I am glad to be a part of this wonderful community here at Cake Central! BTW, my sister is "mommykicksbutt" here on Cake Central!


Amy

Well let's see....I started about 5 years ago.When I had my son I wanted to have a special cake for his first birthday other than a grocery store cake,I took one look at what they had in the case and thought..."I can do better than that" so I bought all the basic stuff from Michael's and enrolled in the courses.Since then I have been going full steam ahead..had another baby in 2003 and started a small home based business doing mainly character cakes for kids!! I bought most of my pans from Ebay and other online places. I really love it and the cake decorating sites such as Cakecentral for ideas and inspiration!

I really hate to admit it, but I feel old reading some of these posts. I started in 1976 when I had my son and we were in the Air Force and had no where locally to by a cake. I took the Wilton at-home correspondence courses. I decorated until 1986 when my mom passed away and we moved in to take care of my dad. I didn't have any room or time to decorate then. My dad has since passed away and about 2 years ago I took the Wilton courses at Michaels with my 23-year old daughter, who has taken to it like water, and now we are tag-team decorating. We get an order and work together to design and decorate. We each have some areas where we excel and we put that to our advantage. Although I've only done 3 wedding cakes, I do numerous birthday and other special occasion cakes. I have to admit, when my daughter and I work together, we have a blast and usually come up with a much better product.

For me it started in 1996. I was attending a community college and they offered cake decorating classes, so I thought it would be cool to take it as an elective because I had always loved baking. Well I had so much fun and got hooked. My first cake out of class was one I made for my nephew's first b-day. So for about two years I made cakes for all family celebrations. Then I moved away went through some live challenges and got away from it. But now because of my loving and supportive boyfriend (who has offered to be my tester). I am getting back into doing something that I love to do.

Well WAYYYYY back in 5th grade I learned how to make a cake. My Poor family we had lemon cake once a week all summer.

when I was in 7th grade I decorated one (lemon again) with fresh daisies big mistake bug crawled all over the cake!LOL

When I was first married my VERY unartistic sister made a lovely decorated cake and sugar eggs. Well being a bit competitive I had to try and I made my first decorated cake( the dead bunny story) so bad I bought the wilton self study course and I have been learning ever since.

I STARTED IN 1987 AND LEARNED HOW TO DECORATE ICE CREAM CAKES. I WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND WORKED AT AN ICE CREAM PARLOR. IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY AND I LEARNED TO ICE A 1\\2 SHEET ICE CREAM CAKE. IT WAS HOTTER THAN YOU KNOW WHAT AND THE ICING WAS SLIDING OFF THE CAKE AND THE CAKE WAS MELTING - A BIG MESS! I GOT THROUGH THAT AND DECIDED IT REALLY WASN'T THAT BAD. AFTER WORKING IN TWO MORE ICE CREAM STANDS FOR 16 YEARS, I HAD TWO KIDS AND WAS IN CHARGE OF SCHEDULING ABOUT 12 - 14 KIDS THAT WORKED AT THE POLAR BEAR, I WAS AT THE END OF MY ROPE AND WALKED AWAY FROM IT ALL. NOW I AM A STAY AT HOME MOM ( 9 YEAR OLD ALMOST, LESS THAN A MONTH SHE WILL BE AND A 5 YEAR OLD BOY WHO WILL START SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER) I MAKE CAKES FOR ALL THE FAMILY OCCASIONS, THE TEACHER APPRECIATION DAYS, THE PARTIES AT THE FIREHOUSE, AND ANYTHING ELSE AT SCHOOL THAT MY KIDS VOLUNTEER ME TO DO. I HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM READING ALL OF THESE SUGGESTIONS AND I THANK EVERYONE. THIS SUMMER MY HUSBAND HAS TO REMODEL THE KITCHEN AND EXPAND IT DUE TO ALL OF MY CAKE PANS. I JUST BAKE FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE I WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS FULL TIME, I THINK. I GET SO STRESSED OUT BEFORE THE CAKE IS DUE AND WHEN IT IS DONE I AM STILL NOT HAPPY BUT WHAT ELSE IS NEW. WE WILL HAVE TO SEE. I DON'T THINK THAT MY HUSBAND AND KIDS COULD TAKE IT!!