Who, what and where...

and if you have pictures post them.

Here is a chance to tell your story as to how you got into cake decorating. It doesn't matter if your first cake was for business or pleasure, if it was a work of art or a big disaster.

Tell us, Who inspired you to do it, why did you do it, who it was for, how it was recieved and what was the follow up on the cake.

If you have photos, even better, can you post them here so we can all share the ooohs and ooh ohhs! lol

I will start the ball rolling:

1978

My daughter's first birtday

it was a Holly Hobby cake, I had picked out the them of the party to be the 3 babies in the boat...something something winkin and nod...but couldn't find a cake that I could do or wanted to attempt to do...I took the napkin to several neighborhood bakeries and all they wanted was to sell me a cake with awful pink roses and silver leaves.

I had a Wilton Year book that I was eyeing..and found the HOLLY HOBBY cake. I ordered the pan, the tips and the colors along with the home study course. I got pretty good at making the stars.. ( or so I thought..lol) made the cake, Made Holly a brunette ( to personalize her to my daughter ) and gave the party. I used a cake mix.

I forgot WHO it was that didn't have faith in me that they also ordered the bakery cake...( I think it was her Godparents.!)

a few months later I got a call from a family member about the doing a cake. ( dont remember if I did...)

Used the money I starte to earn to purchase all the Wilton Home study courses and have been decorating cakes on and off since then.

Unfortunately, I don't have the photo of the cake! When my daughter turned 21 I recreated the cake, and for her gift...I gave her the pan, the year book and a kit so she could recreate the cake.

(maybe the tittle was misleading, edited by me because I cannot believe that 50 people have viewed this post and NO ONE has answered. )

I'll play this way it can get bumped and others can see it and play too.

My 1st cake was about 10 mths ago. The christening cross in my pic (1st one duh is me).

Made for my god daughter wanted to do something personal. As for inspiration it was CC that has got me hooked! I absolutely love this place. Met so many wonderful people who have been so helpful & nice.

PS Love this thread what a good idea!!!!

Mine was just last month . . . I started planning my Mom's 50th birthday party last spring. I knew I wanted to make her cake and found Cake Central while I was cruising the internet for ideas. I've been hooked ever since!!! I've made cakes before for family and friends, but nothing like I've been inspired to do by the people on CC.
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These are the finished cakes for my moms party last month . . . they aren't what I had actually planned on, but I ended up with major time constraints and had to cut some corners. (Who knew cutting up over 40 pumpkins with the number 50 on the front would take so freaking long!!!!!)[/img]

cool thread....
I got into decorating when my son and DIL2B asked if I could make their wedding cake when they got engaged this summer......they thought bday cakes decorated with smarties wasn't a far push from making a wedding cake!!!
I never expected it to be such fun and such a passion... when I happened upon CC just hunting around for wedding cake pics, I couldn't believe my lucky find. I wish I had a digital pic of my early smartie cakes...pitiful but made with love.

I love RisqueBusiness's story of the Holly Hobbie cake and passing it down to her daughter!!!

I recently got into cakes because of my daughter. She is 13 and has been saying for a couple of years that she wants to be a pastry chef when she grows up. So I thought a cool mother daughter project would be to take wilton classes together. And guess what, I am hooked just as much as her. We have so much fun together.

I had worked in the bakery/deli at Kroger for about 6 months when one day the manager comes up and says, "So & so is quitting (backup cake decorator), would you like to take her place?" I was so surprised because I didn't think the manager liked me. Plus, my mom was doing small cakes here and there and it was something that she liked. Well, I watch the cake decorator for a day, then they put a bag of buttercream in my hand and 2 8" layers in front of me and say, "Try it!" So, I did and found that it was really easy. I think the first cake was a Coconut cake, so all I had to do was ice it, then put the coconut on it, make some swirls on top and put cherries in them. Then came making the shell borders! What a mess! They kept giving me advice on how to hold the bag and all and it made me so nervous I thought I'd never get it. Finally after 2 months I got good enough to cover for the head cake decorator when she had to take vacation. I became head decorator after the other lady had to change jobs because her wrists were giving out on her about a year later. I don't have a pic of that first cake, but I did take a picture of the first time I completely filled the display case after completing all the day's orders. What a great feeling to know that I made about 6 ordered cakes and 12+ backups for the case and a few for the freezer! Working there was a great learning experience and I'm glad I was given the opportunity. I've even taught my mom a thing or two and when *if* I get to start a business, she's working for me. I'm now known in the family & friends circle as the cake-maker...but that doesn't pay the rent, so I do all my cakes on the side. I'm really glad I found this site and am taking so many notes on how to do different things. This place is AWESOME!!

I am just starting, inspired during my pregnancy to learn how to decorate cakes for my new role as a Mom. While I have taken the Wilton courses, it is all practice for May when I get to make what I will consider my first cake, the birthday cake for my precious angel's first birthday

The first time I remember doing a cake was about 20 years ago. I was making a cake for my nephews birthdays. They have their birthday less then a week apart and my sister was giving them both a party on the same day.

They were into football and both had teams they loved. One was The Bears and one was The Dolphins. So I made a sheet cake and did the helmets of both teams. I remember being up until the wee hours of the morning trying to finish it and was so happy with the outcome. I'm sure I would laugh at it now though.

From that point on I wanted to take cake decorating lessons. Three different times I bought the tips and bags and stuff and then three times I found reasons why I wouldn't take the classes and gave my stuff away.

Well I finally had the time to take classes and I looked on the internet to find classes near me. I signed up and finally made it. Took all three Wilton classes (two times from different teachers) then I took classes at another place that taught cakes that were not Wilton classes. Took classes at Cake Camp and now I'm taking classes in Gum Paste.

I've loved every minute of it. I LOVE to take classes and am always looking for more classes to take.

I also belong to a Cake Club and learn stuff there all the time. Plus I've met some super nice people.

I know I have a photo of my first cake but I have no idea where it is. Maybe someday I will find it. If I do I will post it.

Joanne

The first cake I remember doing on my own was when I was about 10, my dad was gone TDY or something and it was my mother's birthday and we wanted to do something for her. I was the oldest girl and my brothers weren't allowed to learn to cook so I was the only one who knew how to do anything and I knew how to use tips a little. My mother never used a recipe for her icing but I knew what she put in it, it ended up SO runny because I put too much milk in and didn't have anymore sugar.
When I was in high school my grandma would make me do elaborate cookie houses and it really turned me off. Until a couple years ago I was only doing a couple cakes a year, all from shaped pans for birthdays and maybe a couple holidays.

My mother is a fan of the shaped pans. She saved a special one for each of us, one that we had really wanted.

I had been the same way when I was younger, cake decorating...ugh..boring..lol

But now that I"m doing it, I love it and wish I had paid better attention.

When I was a little girl, (I am now 46) I used to watch my Gramma decorate my birthday cakes. She was so wonderful at doing them. I was so facinated with her work. She would also make royal icing flowers and put them in her great big china cabinet for display. As I grew up, I didn't think much about decorating until a few years ago. My gramma has passed on but now I am the cake maker in the family. Every one tells me I have her talent in me. When I did my first decorated cake, I felt like she is was me. Since then I have inherited her dining room set along with the china cabinet that I thought was huge (It stands about 5 foot tall, LOL). So now I am the one who puts the decorations in the china cabinet along with a few dummy cakes I have done. I owe my cake interests to her.

Sandy

I started baking when I was eight. I made my first cake @ 13. I did take classes about 5 years ago. Didn't really help much. I guess I'm too busy to practice. I love it.
i found the Holly Hobbie pan 2 Goodwill for $.50; what a bargain. I think I will make for Christmas as a surprise for my mom. She made me Holly Hobbie dolls when I was young.

It was for my second sons 3rd birthday. He wanted a dinosaur cake and I knew a bakery would want a small fortune for it. I have always loved to bake so I thougth I'd tackle it. Made a carved cake and decorated it with the star tip - ONE AT A TIME!! He loved the cake and it prompted me to finally take the Wilton courses because I was sure there were easier ways to do things. I have been hooked since and once my instructor told me about CC it was all over!

I'm having problems posting pic here so I'm uploading to my photos.

Can embarassment be an inspiration? I made a birthday cake for a friend and although it tasted great I was embarrassed by my poor attempt at decorating. She said it looked fine but I know it didn't. Actually, when I was in high school a friend's mom made cakes with the 7-minute type frosting but I remember sitting and watching her make gumpaste flowers. I was totally enthralled by that. Years later I always wanted to take classes but couldn't find the time. I was finally able to quit my job about six months ago. About two weeks after I quit I saw that Wilton course 1 was starting the following night so I quickly signed up and went on to take courses 2 and 3 and then a gumpaste class. I love doing this and plan on making it a true career in the very near future.

My first real cake was for my daughter's 7th birthday. I was cruising the net and foung CC. I gawked at all the amazing cakes took notes coppied and tried recipes and then after a month made her cake. She loved it. That was October 4th. I've done a bit of experimenting since then, a couple of thanks giving pumpkins. I have my first real order comming up on wednesday.

I was first inspired about fifteen years ago. Found a magazine with bunny rabbit in a bow tie, cut out of two 9" cirles. I was a senior in high school (oops just dated myself) Any way my mom is not a baker. Her idea of cookies are the premade rolled dough you slice and bake. I went out with my own hard earned money and bought the 9" pans (no we didn't own any round cake pans) and a couple cake mixes, canned frosting and some tubes of colored icing. I put it together and it was cute but nothing like the picture. I made that cake almost every year for Easter and never really felt like I'd done it justice. I always wanted to actually "learn" to decorate but didn't know where to start and kind of wanted some one to venture out with me. So last spring my SIL asked me to take the Wilton classes with her so she could get some pointers to pass on to her mother for her wedding cake. She never finished Course 1 but I did, as well as 2 & 3 and have been happily baking and decorating ever since.

I don't have a picture of the original rabbit cake but I did make him this last Easter and for the first time I had all the right supplies and equipment. He's in my photos, a simple bunny that I absoulutely Loved making and probably always will.

the cake that got me started was a 77th birthday cake for my grandmother. i had watched a lot of food network challenges and seen some wedding cakes so i picked my grandmothers fav. colors added an "N" and just had fun with it! ever since ive been trying to find more exuces ( sp?) to make more cakes! her birthday was 4 months ago and she loved the cake! im still suprised it turned out so well I had olny tried fondent once before.

Sam

age 15

i tryed to get the pic to attach but its to large. the cake is the green and pink cake in my photos.

I don't have a picture of mine either. Mine was when I was 12 and I wanted to do my own cake for my 13th birthday. It was a white cake - from scratch - and a horrible buttercream which I never quite got right.

Took me another 12 years to realize that the passion felt back then was supposed to be my calling in life.

Rachel

My first inspired cake was for a friend who was turning 21 years old. The group of us were waiting for this birthday so we could cross state lines and go gambling together. But things weren't working out schedule wise for us to go so we had a home party and I brought the cake. At the time I'd only been decorating for 2 months so its not fabulous. Everyone liked very much. I tried out a new choc. frosting recipe and it was very light and airy.

i honestly can't remember what my first 'decorated' cake was..my son's 12 & i know that i didn't do his 1st birthday cake, so it was sometime after that, but i judt can't remember what it was of---i really remember doing him a camo cake when he was about 8 or 9--i just got back into decorating this year with a birthday cake for my niece as a practice cake for the cake i was going to do for a bridal shower 2 of the first upload in my photos

I'm sure I have pictures somewhere if I dug them out, but not available.

My earliest memory of birthday cakes was of the doll cakes my gramma made every year for each of the girls. We got to chose the colors for the year, and whether it had a hat or not, but it was always the same in every other way. It wasn't a birthday without one!

I made my first doll cake in home ec. in high school, and sent a picture to gramma. For my graduation present, I got my own doll body - a Pyrex bowl - and a basic set of tips. I was thrilled! Now I could make my own daughters doll cakes. HA! Had a boy the first time around, and he didn't want one. Oh well, we made every cake for the first three years with that bowl! Balloons, blues clues paw (with cupcakes), a hill for Matchbox cars. Finally, I got my girl, and her first birthday cake was a doll, and a mini doll smash cake. She gets a doll of some sort every year, and won't let me change it.

I bought the wondermold pan this year, which is what I use now for the height. When she is old enough, she will get her own pans and tips. The wondermold, however, will be a baby shower gift. I hope it's a girl grandbaby ~ in about 20 years!

It was my 11th birthday. My mother and I were at the Px and she told me I could pick out anything in the store for my present. After a looooong time, I came across the biggest cake pan I had ever seen! It was 12 whole inches!!! Sooooooooo, I got it, the Wilton beginner set and this little pamphlet book with cake pictures in it. We bought cake mixes and canned frosting. That day, I baked and decorated my first cake.

As for inspiration, my older sister who lived in another state heard that I started decorating cakes...she began sending me these wonderful british cake decorating magazines...inside, were the most amazing cakes I'd ever seen! God bless!