Which Would You Choose?

Decorating By rhondie Updated 13 Jun 2006 , 3:34am by JulieB

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rhondie Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:34pm
post #1 of 20

Any time I have ever made a cake for friends I only charge the actuall cost of the ingredients and cake board and box. I guess I feel that because I have never taken any cake decorating classes I'm not worthy. Well, I've been making alot of cakes latley and My time should be worth something? I'm going for it..... I'm gonna take a cake decorating class. My two options are the Wilton class(all 3) at the craft store. Or for 90$ I can take a class at the community college. It's 3 months long every Monday night. They claim you will learn every thing needed to have a career in the cake decorating industry plus a certificate of completion. Which would you choose? The money is not an issue. Thanks -rhondie

19 replies
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Kiddiekakes Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:39pm
post #2 of 20

I would do both if money is no object and it doesn't conflict on dates!!

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daltonam Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:41pm
post #3 of 20

I DON'T KNOW-BUT ALOT ON HERE ARE WILTON INSTRUCTORS I BET THEY CAN HELP YOU


OH I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT LOCAL COMM COLLEGE, THANK YOU SO MUCH--I'M LOOKING RIGHT NOW--MICHAEL'S ONLY OFFERS THEM AT NIGHT & MAYBE THE COMM COLLEGE WOULD OFFER SOME DURING THE DAY ( I WILL NEVER GET TO TAKE ANY IF NOT)




GOOD LUCK & HAVE FUN

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daltonam Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:41pm
post #4 of 20

EDITED--POSTED TWICE

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cordy Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:43pm
post #5 of 20

Well for me the money wouldn't be an issue either, but the time would, but obviously if you're considering, you must have the time so... I think that the Wilton class is beneficial, but I don't really like a lot of the cake styles I see coming out of the classes; I hate doing star type tips, I am not a big fan of roses all over the place etc, you would really only be learning the Wilton method, which is great and all but very uniform and sometimes I think "in the box" type thinking... So if you have the time the money and the incentive, go for the college course!

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alicia_froedge Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:47pm
post #6 of 20

WELL.......... I took a class here at a community college and was not impressed. I wished I would have just stuck to the wilton classes.

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NEWTODECORATING Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:48pm
post #7 of 20

I also would go for the college one. My reason is this...After you have had any classes the instructions in books seems so much clearer. The Wilton books are easy to come by soooo. Take the college class and when your done read the wilton ones. Maybe you will come away with two ways of doing some things.

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rhondie Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:51pm
post #8 of 20

yippie! I really thought the community college one sounds neat,But evey one seemes to do the Wilton. So I'm gonna start off with the com. college first if I'm not satisfied I'll try Wilton. Thanks everybody!!

P.s daltonam, the community college course is at night.Sorry!-rhondie

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alicia_froedge Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:51pm
post #9 of 20

The college class I took was only three days for 2 hours. And the instructor worked at a local grocery store in the bakery. She was in the middle of taking a wilton class. She told me things that were not safe.....to bake a cake at 250 degrees for 1-2 hours.

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cordy Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:52pm
post #10 of 20

Aliciafroedge...what was it about the colllege course you didn't like? I'm really curious because I have uyet to take any courses, and I think that the only one that will fit my schedule is a Wilton course, but I would love to take a CC course...

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rhondie Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:54pm
post #11 of 20

Bake a cake at 250 for 1-2 hours? What was she smoking? Do tell more.... very intresting.-rhondie

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alicia_froedge Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:54pm
post #12 of 20

I honestly forget the name of the class. Let me see if I can find it anywhere.

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annlou Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:55pm
post #13 of 20

I took a continuing education course in cake decorating at the local community college. I was not impressed. Check into the college course more before you decide. LouAnn

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rhondie Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:58pm
post #14 of 20

Ok guys you're making the college course sound more rinky-dink. Give me more input..I'm having a ball reading these!!!-rhondie

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tsgsell02 Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:59pm
post #15 of 20

I am an instructor at the Michaels Store in Dover DE. besides teaching the regular Wilton classes, I also encourage my students to think outside of the box, using their imagination as much as possible when they make their cakes for class. I bring cake samples to class, also pictures of the very unusual cakes that i myself make to give them ideas. Hope this helps. You may want to contact the instructor to see if they will work out something different for you. I do that occasionally also.

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alicia_froedge Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:59pm
post #16 of 20

The instructor didn't even know the Viva method!!

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alicia_froedge Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 4:00pm
post #17 of 20

I have learned far more from Cake Central than I did at that class.

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rhondie Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 4:04pm
post #18 of 20

Word to that!!! Cake central has been my best friend since I,ve joined I have learned numerous invaluable tricks and techniques.I love this site sooooooo much I would have no problem paying for it! (love that it is free)-rhondie

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TexasSugar Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 7:01pm
post #19 of 20

If money or time is not an object, I would agree with those that say do both.

Wilton classes are great basics. Maybe there are things in them that you won't use on every cake, but it does help to know the basics, after all isn't that what you build on. And yes it is the Wilton Method, but is that really such a bad thing? There are many many different ways of doing things out there. So just because you have learned the Wilton Way doesn't mean you have to always use it. Wilton will not be standing over your shoulder for every cake in the future correcting you.

And even though I am a WMI I would definetely take more classes if there were any offered in my area. I think if you have to keep learning or you just stand still. Just like if there was a cake store in my area I would certainlly take classes on things that Wilton does not offer. But There isn't anything close enough and I just can't afford the cost of those classes, but hotel stays to do them.

I think either way you go, you could have positive or unfortunetly negative experinces. Alot of it does depend on the instructor that you have.

If you do take both, there may be some repeats in what you are learning, but at the same time you will have two different instructors, so you can take away the knowledge of both and two different styles of cake decorating.

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JulieB Posted 13 Jun 2006 , 3:34am
post #20 of 20

You know, I would take the class at the Community College. Here's why. Those Wilton classes are available, and cheap, and doable, any time. Invest 4 nights one month, not as much commitment. Whereas you might not always have the time or money to do the Comm College courses. Man, what I wouldn't give to be able to take a class at a Community College. It sounds to me like they will teach you a lot more.

You can always take the Wilton classes later, if you chose.

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