Hello All!

I'm in a bit of a situation. I was taking the Wilton classes but as of last night I don't think I will continue. I haven't had a great experience with my instructor or the craft store that hosts the classes and last night, my instructor cancelled class. That wouldn't be bad had she called me to let me know so I didn't get child care arranged and transportation and already show up. I was told that she was supposed to contact me and make arrangements for a make up class but nada. Suffice to say, I'm a tad upset about that and don't want to continue with the classes, at least with her.

My question is do you think that you can learn much of cake decorating on your own? If so, how would you go about it? I think I have the basics and I plan to take a Toba Garrett class next fall as I had some correspondance with her about them and she was so nice about my being a newbie. I have the Wilton books for course 1, 2 and 3 and their basic book and video as well as the Whimsical Bakehouse and a few Collette Peters books.

Any ideas on learning the craft? How did you learn?

If you have the basics and are going to take a course with Toba, i would say you will do fine on your own. Study your videos and keep practicing, it might take you abit longer then if you are taking classes, but it can be done.

Hi Caribou,

I am so glad you asked this question! I have been thinking of taking a Wilton class. Sorry to here about your Wilton class fiasco! I really want to learn more about cake decorating but like you it is a hassle to line up sitters not to mention I'd have to be able to block out the chaos of the day and just soak up every bit of info that they give. I have several books too and thanks to you I now know about Toba. I would love to learn more, I guess I'll just keep practicing at home. Thanks! Kim

I am currently taking the first Wilton course and have not been all that impressed. I had taught myself quite a bit before starting the classes, so the first course has so far been pretty boring. Hopefully they will get better and I will learn something. But I personally think that I could, and have, probably taught myself most of the techniques that the Wilton courses cover. Plus by joining this site I have been able to research every topic I have wanted to try on my cakes.

What it boils down to is that some people really need the hands on instruction to learn something and some people can learn from a book and practice. Do what you think you need, and if you are planning on taking a class with Toba Garrett I really doubt you will need the Wilton courses.

I actually took a Wilton class 27 (ARGHHH!!!) years ago and class II about 8 years ago and since then, I just teach myelf with books and plenty of help/ideas/instructions from this website. I have learned more "tricks" from here than I did in a Wilton class.

BTW--never took the Wilton wedding/tiered class. Definitely have learned by trial and error on that.

Caribou, I am sorry to hear about your experience with your Wilton classes. Do you have any other places in your area that offer Wilton courses? You may try another location.

I too am starting out and learning the ropes and I have found that the Wilton course that I am enrolled in to be extremely helpful. There is much that I have learned here that I may not have practicing in my kitchen, not to mention it actually gets you into a classroom atmosphere, away from home, to concentrate on the task at hand. My instructor is helpful, and truly enjoys what she is doing, and probably makes all the difference in the world.

Maybe you should give it another chance, with a different instructor. You never know.

Kim, don't let this discourage you either. I satrted taking these classes with a friend. It is our ine night away from the kids each week for a little adult time, and boy do we all need it. It helps you forget the craziness of the day, relax, and work on cake decorating.

Hope my input is helpful.

...maybe you could find a cake club that meets in your area...that way you could still get the one on one live demo from others that may be more experienced than you..

I recently took a 5-day cake decorating course and a one-day Royal Icing Piped Flowers class at I.C.E. with Toba Garrett. The 5-day course was more intense and much more professional than the Wilton course. (I took the Wilton course about 14 years ago but didn't do much with the skills -- the course just wasn't that motivating.)

I would definitely recommend taking a course with Toba if you get a chance. I found that taking a course with a professional decorator was a great motivator, inspiring me to try more difficult and creative projects than I might otherwise have attempted.

I saw your cake pictures and they are just fine. I think you are doing very well for someone who taught herself how to do the basics. I think it all down to practice! practice! practice! I would just wait for the Toba Garretts class. Lucky you.... I am sooo jealous! However, if you already paid for the wilton class, will you get your money back? If not, then just go for it. If you at least learn one thing new then maybe it's worth it.

I went to pastry school but didn't really learn much about cake decorating. I am mostly self taught. Like everyone else here i learned a lot from magazines, books and this site. However, i would love to take a course on gumpaste flowers. But i have still yet to find an instructor around here.

I'm a newbie here, too. I just started my first Wilton I class on Monday and I learned alot from it. Maybe because I have an instructor who is a 17 years cake decorator business owner and knew firsthand about business so well. She's willing to share her experiences with us.

Maybe you could try other Wilton class at a different place? I think your local cake decorating club would be an ideal. I'm going to sign up for a membership with North Carolina IC division.

Good luck and don't give up!

I also have not taken any classes and simply am learning through a lot of practice, and a ton of helpful advice on here. I would like to learn how to do a stacked or tierd cake and when I am ready I'll be coming here for the help and tips.

Lets see...Wilton did nothing for me, at least the instructor...Well, actually, it just taught me how to cover the cake with fondant! That's all I ever wanted to learn really...However, I was able to take a class with Toba...
Her first class is a high grade Wilton, as she teaches how the drop flowers are REALLY supposed to be piped (or at least that what she says )...she is very very thorough and nice...She'll share some experiences with you too...However, me and piping just don't get along from what you can see in my work. I did love the fact though, that she did include the making of marzipan and creation of marzipan fruits and also chocolate plastique. The pictures are from that one class! I think she teaches fondant in her second class...It's well worth the $525. Ohhh...but don't be convinced to buy her book just to have her autograph it for you...It's not really worth it...You can also go to Barnes n Noble and buy the paperback edition for cheaper if you must...

As for learning on your own, it depends how motivated and demanding you are. I would say you can definitely learn on your own; i'm proof of that fact...I'm loaded with books, and ask me which one i've used the most?? Niet!

Well when I was about 16 I had a lady show me how to make a rose and some lily nail flowers...

In my small college I used to help the kitchen person put borders and simple decorations on large birthday cakes....

Then several years later.....I decided I wanted to get into cake decorating and I bought a kit and started in! Just studied the Wilton yearbooks to start with, and if I saw something I liked I just tried to make it happen.

Now with more internet info available its easier to find everything you need online. I did take Wilton III to see if I could glean some fondant tips but the only thing it did for me is make me more confident covering a cake in fondant.

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to take a professional decorating class but I don't have the money or the time away from my little ones to travel and take one. So pretty much my cakes are trial and error...find a picture and try to copy it...read the Wilton description of how to make a flower... stuff like that.

The Wilton classes seem to really depend on the instructors. I was realy surprised to find out that there is very few requirements to become an instructor. Basically you take the courses( and this step can sometimes be waived)and send in some photos of your cakes demonstrating the techniques taught in the classes.

The instructor that I have can barely make a rose! On the first day of class the instructor decorates a cake in front of you. Here icing was very uneven, her cake was lopsided, she had baked it in her toaster oven! Her roses were really bad. I can make a rose better following the instruction in the book. I am sure there are some great instructors out there, but it seems to be pretty hit and miss.

Also there is only one other lady in the class and she had never baked a cake before! So the entire class was spent coaching her and I was kind of left to do my own thing.

Every time I tried to ask a question that wasn't answered in the book, the teacher didn'y really respond, she would just refer back to the book.

I plan on finishing the courses, mainly because it's the only time I get out of the house and away from my 1 and 2 year old kids. But I don't plan to get a whole lot out of the classes.

If I had the money and the opportunity to take a professional class I would love to! However, I think that many of the techniques can be self taught. And this site has been my best resource. I learned a little decorating when I was in high school working at baskin robbins, but I didn't really start decorating seriously until about October 2005, and I am now addicted to this site! Every cake I make I refer to the forum and gallery for ideas! If you don't find your answer searching old forums, post the question and the people here answer within minutes, it is really an awesome resource!

Your cakes are great. You would do just fine on your own. And I can tell you that being self taught is really kinda fun. I am totally self taught. I know I say this all the time but my instructors are all the great people here on CC. They are your best source of information that you could ever want. I just started cake decorating in mid December. My cakes aren't the best but it's been a lot of fun learning.
Hope everything goes well for you.

Lazy_Susan

Wow--great response, though I'm dissappointed with how consistent we are about the classes. I did take Wilton 1 but I'm not sure I'm much better for it. My cakes are improving--too scared to post my Whimsical Bakehouse attempt lol-- but I got the shells from the book and maybe it's the method. This is the same instructor that wouldn't let me see what was coming up in Course 2 so I just bought the book. I waited a month and a half to take course 2 with her rather than going elsewhere because it was close to home and less hassle but I am not sure I got my money's worth. She can certainly DO all of the borders and decorating she was instructing, but teaching it is an all together different thing and I don't know that this latest thing adds to her abilities much. I'm just dissappointed. I expected more.

I'm going to keep practicing, buy every book I can get my hands on and take one of Toba's classes and the Wilton class in IL whenever that happens for me. LOL! They aren't exactly cheap and I can't seem to rationalize the expense just yet but Dh is supportive of it anyway so who knows.

I will say that I have learned more from this site and these forums than I learned in the first class and the first session of Course 2. I just wish I learned more from Wilton as I considered them the undisputed greats of teaching this craft. I have to consider that the instructors DO take pride in their work that I have met here. I hope she doesn't mind, but I "met" the CakeMaven on another site and she was so kind at giving me instruction and answering all of my questions and her cakes are AMAZING! She did that pointsetta tutorial originally for me and brought it to this site after that and it's so good. Clear pride in work and that goes a long way.

Thanks again all for chiming in. I appreciate it. TONS!

I have been decorating cakes for as long as I can remember. My mum (I'm Australian) says I made my first cakes when I was about 8. When my daughter was born in 1997 I decided that I wanted to make her birthdays as magical as possible and so I began taking a lot more time and effort with my cakes and began making character cakes just for her.

I discovered Debbie Brown and began using fondant on my cakes. I had no idea what I was doing so I took a class at the cake supply shop where I bought my ingredients from.

My teacher was undoubtably talented, but learning how to make flowers was not of any great interest for me and I soon tired of the classes. However the wonderful owner of the store and her staff taught me how to cover a cake properly and how to make the various flowers I wanted to make over time.

I can make roses if I have to, from modelling paste and also tulips and frangipanis, but my first love has always been cute character cakes.

My lessons were a big fat waste of time and I have learnt far more from practice and experimentation. I don't often make any money from my cakes but I have made my step children's wedding cakes and every single birthday cake for my daughter since she was born, not to mention many other poeple's cakes.

My reward is from the joy of giving, to present someone with something they couldn't even imagine was a cake and then to have them find it delicious to boot!

Keep decorating, have fun and read as many books as you can get your hands on. If you have the passion for your craft then you will succeed at it with or without lessons.

I learned my skills from watching my Mother and doing lots of experimenting. I've never really used books for anything except ideas. I taught myself to use the airbrush and made up the techniques as I went along. I think that the most important thing is to just practice a lot and try new things. If you are interested in piping and lots of fancy borders, the quickest way to acheive them is to build up your forearm muscle. Squeezing a tennis ball can help when you aren't decorating. I've noticed that men pick up the basics of decorating faster and easier because they are already strong and can handle the tube better.

I've learned so much on this site! I think it is an awesome resource. Keep studying, asking questions, and PRACTICING!

We had the same Wilton instructor for classes 1-3 and she left a lot to be desired. She was a great lady and fun, but lacked teaching skills and that was very disappointing. She could do all the flowers etc. really well, but she didn't know how to teach us to do it. What we did learn was that cake decorating was a fun and creative way we could express ourselves and the classes gave us the courage to jump in give it a go.
I too am learning more from this site and others that I've seen recommended here than from the classes I've taken. I would like to buy some books on the subject of cake/cookie decorating to learn more though, I just don't know which books are worth the expense?

You could also sign up for a cake decorating class in the community college. I know one if you live in North Carolina, Central Piedmond Comm College offers a "Professional Cake Decorating" - you can take this class for either credit or just for enjoyment. It'll cost me less than $100 for the whole semester (3 months) - not bad. Some community colleges doesn't have that kind of courses, but you could try and find one in your area or closeby.

I learned from an independent instructor with over 30 years experience in the business! She is invited to Washington D.C. every year to make cakes for special events one time including Strom Thurmonds birthday! She was great!!!!!!! In fact I beat her in a non-cake category in 2004's cake show in San Diego! She said "well, I know who's going to win this one" She said she loves it when her students beat her!

I am also self taught just by curiosity! I have over 30 books ranging from the basics to floral and royal techniques....American to Australian techniques!!!


I was told from the beginning that the Wilton way IS NOT the best way. Their products may be great but their techniques are skewed toward their products and nothing else!!!!

In my opinion, if you have creativity and an eye for detail then you should pursue whatever avenue you can to go forward with your interest in cake decorating. You already have one avenue, CAKE CENTRAL.....not to mention everyone on here. There are a few Wilton Method instructors here on CC and they will be patient with you and let you know how to do it right!!!!!!! VaCakeLady I believe is an instructor. She is fabulous!!!!!!!



Amy

My first attempts at cake decorating were self taught using the Wilton YB's. Two years ago, I attended classes at the local community college with the intention of earning a baking and pastry certificate. After my first required class in cake decorating and then in wedding cake design, I was hooked. My desire now is to start a business baking and decorating cakes. Who knew I was going to enjoy cake decorating so much?

The instructor for the cake decorating classes had owned a very successful bakery for 16 years. I learned so much from her in the 12 week program. Her ideas, tips, shortcuts and techniques perfected over the years was well worth the time and money invested going through the community college.

Just wanted to update a bit. I sent Wilton an email about the class I had at Michael's and the instructor issues and I was shocked that they replied to me within 24 hours. They were more than kind and really seemed interested in knowing what could have improved the class and instructor. The person I exchanged with offered to send me some of the yearbooks, but I told him I already had those so he sent me the Tiered Cakes book and WOW, it's so cool. I just got Kate's and the Magnolia Bakery cook book this weekend too so I'm in cake book heaven right now. I was just very pleased with Wilton's response and response time to my issue, not to mention that they sent me a little gift..and fast! Guess it's official, I'm a HUGE Wilton fan. I'm learning so much from reading all these books lately. I will post a complete list of the ones I have and that I am learning from in case anyone else is interested.

What a nice thing for Wilton to do! With so many cake decorating books out there, I would love to hear feedback from others in which books they think are worth spending money on. Keep us posted.

Best decorating book I've read: The Essential Guide to Cake Decorating.

Lots of pictures and step by step instructions. I tried practicing decorating last summer with a colicky baby and an overly hot kitchen. Very frustrating! I did manage to teach myself how to level a cake and frost evenly. Sounds boring, but I didn't see the point of making fancy flowers to put on a lopsided cake.

Be sure to try the mmf. It's sooooo easy. Now, I just have to find someone who wants it on a cake.

I would love to be able to take cake decorating classes just so I would be forced to set aside time to practice. I love to bake and my family/friends are a little too happy to eat the cake without the decorations. I bought some Americolor dye (Wilton's sucks!) and hope to get some practice in soon.

Good luck with your classes and happy baking!

This is my last week of Wilton Course I and I too am less than impressed. I have been dabbling in decorating quite a bit longer than my instructor. She seems like she is teaching herself as she is teaching us. She made the comment to me that I should be teaching the class...I am so far from that it's not even funny. I have taught myself mostly on my own, but I have learned some tricks and shortcuts in course I. I will be taking course II& III at another craft store.