I have my second class for the Wilton Course One Monday night. The idea of decorating that rainbow is not at all appealing to me. I'm not much of a character pan person either. Most likely the cake will go with my daughter to day care the next day. So I was thinking about doing Tinkerbelle's face or Scooby or Goofy.

Seriously, would the instructor think I'm a brat if I did this?

This will depend on your instructor. Some instructors are by the book and there is no other way. Other instructors are happy as long as you use the technique.

In my class we just had to bring a picture in to transfer and to fill in with star tips. Some brought in hearts (valentine's day was the next day) and others brought in shapped pans, and one person did the rainbow cake.

For my second class I did the cake that is in my photos with a rose on top. It was gel transferred and then filled in with stars.

Sorry, this probably wasn't helpful but then again maybe my late night ramblings make sense to others

I am in my second wilton course now, and have read a lot about these classes... I think it most likely just depends on the teacher, some of the teachers sound like they might want you to just have fun and as long as you show that you can do that particular lesson I doubt they mind. Though some of them sound like they want it the way they are teaching and nothing else will work for them. So if your teacher seems like she/he wouldn't mind then I'd go for it because you'd still be doing the same thing just a different picture.

Perhaps since you do this in class, you could bring the picture you're going use for the gel transfer and just ask before you do it, unless you guys do yours out of class.

Hope I helped

I've never in my life done that gel transfer technique. When i took the class she said "It's your cake." She just wanted us to use the star tip technique. I dont think anyone made the rainbow cake.

My instructor is a by the book instructor. I had to do the rainbow cake and its not bad looking, but I'm not that big into rainbows. She wouldn't even give us the option to do a shaped pan (which I would hav rather done).

I agree with pp, it really depends on the instructor. Mine didn't care what we did as long as we used the technique. For that cake I did a Dora transfer for my daughter.

I just finished Course 2 and started Course 3 last week.
Our instructor is not that by the book type. As long as you used the techniques in that course you didn't have to do the rainbow.

I would just ask your instructor if its ok to something else. Most of the time you can't finish the cake during class anyway and you have to finish it at home.
HTH

When I taught, I had them bring in a cookie cutter of their choice to put on the cake and fill in with stars. One class really wanted to do the gel transfer, so I had them print a simple picture from the web to do.

I'm a WMI and I give my students a few options. I always cross out the character cake, because even the simple ones take longer than 25-30 mins to do and that is all the time you really get in class to work on them.

I give my students the option of the rainbow cake or a simple small other picture to use for the piping gel transfer. The less detailed the better, since again you don't have a ton of time to work on the cake.

The other option I give them since I take the character cake option away is the Cookie Cutter cake from the back of the book on Pate 42. I let them do that cake or use any kind of cookie cutter they want to make the pattern. Around holidays alot of my students will do something related, and then alot do the flowers.

Unless your WMI is just very so so, she shouldn't mind. And if she does, well we all have a little rebel in us, and since it is your cake you should be happy with it.

Thanks everyone! I appreciate all the comments (thanks to the professional teachers as well!!). I found three simple coloring pages: Goofy, Tinkerbelle and Scooby. My daughter picked the Goofy so Goofy it is. I won't be selling it in case anyone is wondering. Our instructor is brand new so hopefully she won't mind.

AS A WMI I SAY DO YOUR OWN THING. JUST REMEMBER THAT WITH EACH TECHNIQUE YOU BUILD ON YOUR SKILLS. I WOULD TRY TO INCORPORATE THE STAR TO PRACTICE YOUR CONSISTENCY IN PRESSURE CONTROL. THIS WILL ONLY HELP YOU GET BETTER IN YOUR DECORATING.

If I were you I would bring the rainbow and also your picture of choice. ask the instructor quietly before class starts.

If your instructor says the rainbow is mandatory then you have it handy, if not then you can go your own way.

my instructor is definately not by the book, we discuss non wilton method all the time in class, I am in class 3

I should add that we do cover wilton method in depth before anyone mentions any alternative techniques.

I did the clowns, and that is the ONLY cake that I have done that is "by the book". I've done other stuff that used the technique, but never the actual thing.

Do you not have your instructor's #? I would call her/him.

But really..it ain't like you can fail the course. If you attend the classes, you get a certificate.

Besides, it's about the techniques not the design. If you can utilize the same techniques used in making the rainbow design,piping gel transfer...star fill-in, where would the problem be?



It states in the course 1 book that for that lesson, the student has the option to either do a shaped pan/character(option1) or an 8" round for the rainbow design(option 2).

What about the people who have a fear of or aversion to clowns...do they have to make those clowns?

Be a brat. The instructor gets paid regardless.

My instructor was very much by the book for Course 1. I didn't want to do the rainbow cake, but I did it anyway. BUT, I refused to make that clown cake!! I made them on the side (without the heads) just so I did the technique, but then I piped teddy bears on my cake. . .it was the same basic technique. Funny thing is that she completely loosened up for the rest of the courses...I tried to smuggle Satin Ice into Course 3, but she busted me. She had nothing to say once I let her taste it though Just talk to your instructor, maybe she'll compromise with you.

Here's my teddies if you want to peak:
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1206170

Your bears are great jonicca! It's nice to see buttercream figures...they're getting more and more rare.

Our instructor wasn't really by the book, but most of us didn't figure that out until after the rainbow cake. I don't think anybody asked if they could use something other than a rainbow.

That being said, I was relatively disappointed that she didn't seem to have much knowledge of non-wilton methods even though she has a cake business. Good thing I have CC to teach me!!!