Here's my store....I made my first cake from scratch when I was a young teenager. It was somewhat flat, but it did taste ok, it was the silver white cake out of my mom's betty crocker cook book. I probably made that cake 2 more times and each time the cake tasted a little better. My decorating consisted of icing the cake in the pan and making small, simple figures out of marzipan. When money became tight I did not do it again, and since I did not have anyone to make cakes for I forgot about it. I did not pick up the hobby again until I was 19 and wanted to save money for my wedding. I decided to make my own cakes. I picked up some supplies and baked them- this time with box mixes. And decorated them with icing, some nice writing and fresh flowers from the florist. I was pretty proud of my first 2 cakes. I then had to make a really big cake for the reception that was a week later. Man if I knew then what I know now, I would have iced and constructed that cake a lot differently. But I still got compliments on it so I figured I can make cakes for a hobby. I've made several baby shower cakes, going away cakes, another wedding cake, a bridal shower cake, and even an anniversary cake. The whole time not taking one single cake course. But now that I found this website somehow (I think from a referral off of wilton), my skills are going to improve, and my cake making has seemed to pick up. When I have the time and money I will definetly take some classes. In the meantime I will still continue to make cakes for family, friends and for my work and my husbands work.
**I love this site and all the great people on it.

I have enjoyed reading everyone's stories!! How cool you all are! I started with my first cake for my daughter's one year b-day to save money! I am married to an accountant and it's all about the money! I wanted her to have something special and different (it's special and different allright - I posted it!) Either way, her two year b-day I made cupcakes and that was about it, I had just had her sister 10 days before. So, for her 3 year and her sister's one year this past September I wanted to do something really cool. I have a friend at church who had taken the Wilton I with her daughter and they lent me their stuff and some books and said you can do this. So, I made the Strawberry shortcake cake and a carebear cake as my first attempts ever! Then, I decided to take the Wilton courses. The only way I convinced my husband to let me was that I told him I could start making money and pay back all my supplies. So, I finished the courses in December and I am slowly paying back my husband. I would be making money if I would stop buying stuff on ebay...like pans!!!! Either way, I also enjoy it because, like someone else said, as a SAHM you don't get much recognition, and this is one area where you can get some!!!

NEXT

I have been decorating cakes since maybe July/August of last year however I have been making fancy tortes and such for about 4 years now. I had gastric bypass in 2001 and for some reason had a major hankering for baking everything under the sun right after surgery. I couldn't eat a bit of it, not one crumb, so it was all given away. Triple mousse cakes, pecan chocolate tortes, you name it, I made it. Drove my hubby nuts!

Then last year a cousin had a bridal shower and a friend had made the cake. I was so impressed with it and I thought I would really love to learn how to do that. My mom-in-law then asked me to do the baby shower cake for her neice and I wanted it to be really good. So I cruised the net for hours and downloaded hundreds of pics of what I thought I could do. I ended up doing a baby carriage with basket weave that turned out pretty good. It also helped me to see that I enjoyed it. From there I learned there was so much on the internet so I just started doing what looked easy. People started asking for decorated cakes and it just went from there. I absolutely love it and we are seriously considering turning this hobby into a business. And my practice cakes are still given away!

CakeCentral has played an integral part in advancing my abilities. In the short time I have been on here I have learned so much that it is beyond belief. The tutorials, helpful advice, EVERYTHING, it's just amazing!

I started decorating when I was 15 years old.......34 yrs ago......I was the youngest in my decorating class of I think about 6 adults......they thought it was so cute this little girl wanting to decorate. I began making family cakes and on and on and on.........I have the picture of my first cake.......I was so proud but it looks like crap!!!!!!!!!!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

In 2003, I had decided that I wanted to have a pooh bear theme for my son. I decided this a week before the party, and had not thought to order the cake. My husband bought me the 3-d stand up pooh pan, and I made a sheet cake and placed the 3-d pooh that I had decorated on it...and made a heart-shaped smash cake covered in stars of the same color of the colors on the pooh bear. From then on, I was hooked. I bought the Wilton Yearbooks and tried to teach myself the techniques. In September of this past year, we were in Michael's when we saw the fliers for the cake decorating class. I began my first class in October and found that cake decorating was something that I am very passionate about. I was devistated this past December when I was diagnosed with melanoma. I had quite a few surgeries...and the treatments left me not wanting to even get out of bed. My oncologist told me that I was to get as much rest as possible, but bedrest seemed to make me even more depressed. I told my husband that I was going to start decorating cakes again...he told me that he didn't think that it was a good idea, but if that is what I wanted to do, then he would help do whatever I needed him to do. He bought me a stool so that I could sit down and still reach the cabinent when I was making my frosting, and I started making royal flowers, and cakes with buttercream decorations. It was not long until my mentality changed; I was no longer depressed. Thanks to the many well wishes and prayers to my "CakeCentral family", I soon was cancer free and back to decorating..even though it is taking some time to strengthen my hands.

What a touching story, Sweeterbug!!! I praise God you are free from cancer!!! Whoo hooo you are a survivor!!!!!!!!!!

Always know that you are in our prayers!! Love you girl!!! Sending many blessing to you!!!!!!!!!

I am so glad to hear that you are doing better sweeterbug. Isn't it great to have a site like this? I also suffer from depression and when I am having a bad day I talk to my husband about it and also go on this site and I feel so much better. I don't take meds for my depression because I have learned to become so aware of my body that when I am having a bad day I make myself do things that I know will help me.
Today I called in sick to work so I am sitting on the couch with my husband's laptop and catching up on all the posts that I missed from over the weekend. I hate being sick I came down with mono in November 2004 and my immune system still has not fully recovered from it. I catch just about anything my son or my husband get. I hate staying home when I am sick and missing work. When I had mono I would work all day and then come home and just sleep and sleep. Thank goodness for the support of my family, they have been a big help.
So now I have another family to have support from- a big family of cake decorators

A very wonderful, touching story. I'm so glad that you are feeling better now.

Hugs,
Lisa

What a wonderful topic! I love reading everyone's stories. Here is mine:

When I was little, my mom would always make and decorate our birthday cakes. I would chase her around the kitchen until she would show me how to do something. The funny thing is--the first thing I ever learned how to do was roses--one of the hardest flowers to master in decorating. I could do those before I ever even learned how to do a simple shell border! The first cake I ever decorated was for my grandpa's birthday--it had yellow roses on it (his favorite flower) and the rest of it looked HORRIBLE! LOL! I so wish that I would have gotten a pic of that--I was so proud of my self.

Anyway--I always said when I grew up and became a mom--I would always make my kids' birthday cakes. I was 19 and getting married and thought that I should get started on learning how to decorate. I took the courses through the local cake shop. Sadly, I was never able to have children, and was told that I never would. I ended up getting divorced almost 9 years later and never decorated a cake.

Then, I met my hubby, Joe, and we got pregnant with Kailey. I was SO excited when her first birthday came around--I made the cuddly bear cake for her. I got pg with Sarah when Kailey was turning 3 and has such a difficult pregnancy (I was on bedrest for the entire time except for 18 days!! NO kidding!! In and out of the hospital, etc.) Anyway--I could not make her birthday cake, so I went to a local cake shop and was literally in tears when my hubby brought it home. Although I had given them a specific diagram of what I wanted and what tips to use, even, they didn't come close! I was SO upset!! That was the last time I ever got a cake from a bakery.

I have been making cakes for years for family and friends. Then, suddenly this past January, word started getting around. Now I have family, friends, and friends of friends asking me to do cakes. It's pretty cool. I just hope that I can someday feel confident enough to not stress when they come to pick up their cakes. I'm always so sure they are going to hate it and so far, that hasn't happened.

I found Cake Central just about a month or so ago--right before Kailey's 5th birthday when I was searching around for ideas for a wedding cake (the one I just did). I just love it here and find the encouragement, ideas, pictures and experiences wonderful!

So--there's my cake story!

Lisa

I started about 3 years ago when I received the basic Wilton set and 2 9 pans from my in-laws as a Christmas present, I had been baking brownies and cupcakes every once and a while on my days off of work. My first cake was a double layer 9 cake that looked horrible. I was just trying the tips that came in the set it had some basket weave on it. a little garland done freehand and of all different sizes, stars around the top and a shell border that looked like god knows what. I received a lot of support from my wife and in-laws about the cake though; I think they were trying to be nice. I didnt touch a cake until the following October, wife bought me the Wilton 101 piece tool caddy. That gave me a little spark to try decorating again. I made my father-in-law a birthday cake and tried to keep it more simple, it was a torted 9 cake with a star border and writing on it, even though it was my second cake it looked far better than my first.
I have read quite a bit more about decorating I work a night shift so as long as its quiet I can surf the net for hours I first found the Wilton forum and learned a few things by reading the posts there and asking questions, I even got Cali4awn rolled butter cream icing recipe. After a while of reading the Wilton forums I saw a reference to Cake Central and signed up over here I rarely check the Wilton forums anymore thus site seems more friendly and informative to me.
  I still havent taken any cake decorating classes between working 3 jobs and going to school at night I cant make the classes at my local Michaels, I have made several cakes over the past few years averaging about 3 a year. I am thinking about increasing my output and if I can get my schedule right I want to take the Wilton courses at the Michaels in town.

I loved reading all of these stories and getting to know you all better.

A couple of years ago, I mentioned to my husband that I admired people who could decorate cakes. We were shopping in Candyland Crafts cake supply store in NJ and my husband secretly inquired about classes while I was shopping. He got the class for Christmas for me. Six years later, I'm still at it. It's been a fun time! Cake Central has given me so many new ideas for decorating and recipes to try. My husband wonders what he started.

I am glad that this thread was restarted because it is great to read all the stories.

Well I am just getting started...so to speak. My father used to decorate cakes and taught me some when I was a kid, he has since pasted away but I remembered a few things he had taught me and wanted to try again.

In addition, I want to leave my career as an accountant and start a pastry shop and I felt that there is no way I can do this without being very good at cake decorating also. So I saw the classes and did not want to do them by myself so I talked my 17 yr old son into taking the class and to keep the tradition going...(both of his grandmothers are also chefs), 3rd generation. Decorating cakes is a special time that I spend with my son and I cherish every moment as he will be leaving this summer for college.

I have been addicted every since the first class and am determined to be the best that I can be. I am practicing all the time and trying new techniques as I read them here on this site.

Hopefully, I will be up and running with my dessert and pastry shop soon.

I'm 15. I started decorating last year. I've enjoyed baking for a long time and was looking for some baking related classes when I came upon Wiltion classes at Michael's. Was without a doubt the youngest in my class . Don't have a whole lot of time, but whatever time I have i pour into decorating. It's so much fun!

I got started baking when my mom let me "dump and stir" when I was about two. I baked with her until I was about 8 or 9 when I started baking on my own as well.
When I was 10 I took a 4H cake decorating class, and totaly fell in love! I've been making a few cakes a year since then. I would make way more, but time and money have held me back. I've self-taught since that first class. Now, I'm planing on opening a bakery/specialty cake shop after college. Yey! I love cakes! lol

~Kelsie

What a great topic! I have really enjoyed reading all your stories and getting to "know" you!

After a 20 year career in the printing industry, I became a stay at home mom in 2003. It had been suggested to me that cake deocorating may be something I might like. I have a friend who does it as a paying hobby. I kept putting her off until September 2004 when I took Wilton Course 1 and then III. My original plan was just to be able to make my daughter some cool birthday cakes. I discovered not only did I LIKE cake decorating, but I was pretty good at it too! Since then I have made 69 cakes!

Now I work part-time as a teacher for a toddler program which also offers birthday parties. As a result, anytime someone books a party, I end up with the cake order. I have found my calling in children's birthday cakes. Word of mouth in our little town has kept me busy and I have my first wedding cake order due in June!

I end my day with at least 2 hours of surfing on CC...I am so grateful to be a part of such a special and talented group of people! -diane

Way back when I was little, my Aunt got a job as the Parish Priests Housekeeper in our village. Back in those days, it was a live in job and as I lived closed by I used to go to the shop for her each day for supplies. Nearly as often as once a month there would be some sort of big Dinner or Tea in the Parochial House and as I got older she asked me to help her with things. I'd cook the cocktail sausages for buffets, serve dinner. I could do silver service by the time I was 12. She was elderly and big into crafts, she taught me to knit, crochet, embrioder and make cakes, all things most of my daughters Mum's and non of my colleagues at work cannot do.

I started baking cakes and buns when I was about 11 or 12 and I could whip up an egg sponge without even thinking about it. I had a coffee cake speciality that I decorated with basketweave and my Aunt asked me to do it one day for the Cardinal's Tea. The cake got complimented by the Cardinal, but my Aunt was too embarrassed to admit that I'd done it, so myself and the Canon teased her mercilessly about it for years. My Mum was also there that day and 23 years later I still tease her about it.... I was ony 14 at the time.

Anyways thats how I learned the cake baking. The decorating nobody taught me I just figured it out as I went along. I wanted to be a chef, but catering college was very far away my Dad was elderly and he didn't want me to go, so I didn't. Went to secretarial college, got into an auditors office and became an accountant. I did all my friends 21st Birthday cakes, fruit cake and royal icing and then as life got busier, apart from my own christmas cake and the sunday dessert I stopped baking.

Then I met my husband who's mum is big into arts and crafts and although she mostly paints, her embriodery and cross-stitch's etc. brought me back to Aunty Josie, who passed on about 20 years ago at this stage. I started baking again, did some minor decorating and when we were getting married I was going to do my own cake, they talked me out of it, said I wouldn't have enough time, which I sorry I listened to now. My MIL did the cake and it was lovely but it lit the fire in me again, I started sugarcraft courses in September and I'm loving every minute of it. Did a 40th Birthday cake for my friend in December and now I have two wedding cakes coming up and a few birthday/celebration cakes in the coffers also.

After nearly 20 years of doing books, I'm now regretting that I didn't go to catering college, I just love this and I'm hoping maybe someday to drum up enough business to be able to do cakes full time from home. Its so fulfilling to be able to bake a cake from scratch, design it and present it to somebody and watch their face light up. I've had enough of counting other people's money, I know it will take time to build up business, so thats what I'm doing now, biding my time and building a reputation and hopefully in time it will pay off.

In November 2004, my youngest daughter (31 at the time) wanted to take the Wilton classes at Michaels, but didn't want to go alone. So I went along to keep her company. By the end of the second class, I was in tears. The 9 year old boy who was there with his mother was making better roses than I could. However, I finished class 1 and 2 and half of class 3 - it ended just prior to Christmas and it was just impossible to find the time. My daughter took to cake decorating immediately - she is a total perfectionist and does beautiful work. I'm kind of mediocre. However, after my class 2 breakdown, I decided to just enjoy it - and I do. I don't have much occasion to make a cake - no one in our family eats more than a sliver - so I am not improving rapidly. Sometimes, I will make a cake for Ronald McDonald House just to get the practice. And sometimes I will make cakes for my grandchildren when they have school parties. I have learned a ton from CC but have a long way to go to perfect my skills. Reading these forums has helped immensely, and somehow even improved my confidence which in turn makes me reach a bit to try new things - so if they fail, I have to eat them. Everyone is so helpful and encouraging. It has become a very important part of my life. Thank you all.

Next!

My sil has made a ton of cakes, especially wedding cakes. I've watched her & watched her....and so many times I wanted to jump in, but was too afraid. She encouraged me, but I'd never give it a try.

About 10 years later, I did give it a try. It just came to me one day to buy some of the tips, etc. in walmart and I did and I've been hooked ever since. I worshipped another cake website that will remain nameless until I found this one!!!!!!! I'm so glad I found this one, because I've learned SO MUCH!!!

Here is my story....I've always wanted to take a decorating class ever since my older sister took a class 12 years ago when I was in grammar school. She never really got into it but I knew it was something I wanted to do.

I went to the Wilton Tent Sale in 2004 and my girlfriend and I bought the 101 decorating kit because I thought it would be cool to take a class. She never took the class with me so I went by myself in September of 2004. Before the cake class, I thought decorating a bundt cake with can frosting and sprinkles was a decorated cake! Wow, has my world changed since then. I took the classes because I wanted to make cool cakes for my two little girls. And then I decorated cakes for all my family and their kids (I am one out of 13 kids + 19 nieces and nephews) so I always have an excuse to decorate a cake. Then last June I made my nephew's graduation cake and EVERYONE at the party loved it. It was the first time non-family members saw my work. The day after that party, one of my sister's friends called me to see if I would sell her a cake. After thinking about it, I decided to try it out (selling cakes). And so that is how I started.

That is almost one year ago and I'm making anywhere from 2-5 cakes a week now!! I'm still in shock that I'm doing this. If you asked me two years ago if I would be selling cakes, I would have thought you were crazy. But here I am and LOVING it. I found something that I totally love and can't wait to do the next cake each time.

I also couldn't do all of this without the help of all of you CC friends. Without your help, guidance and inspiration, I doubt it if I would really enjoy my "hobby" as much as I do now. Thank you all for everything!

How I started.... well my grandma always made my birthday cake since i was itty bitty- always a special cake, never the same and always perfect. I have grown up since and my grandpa became ill and passed about a year ago. During that time all the family got together and remembered lots... My aunt told all of us grandchildern to ask my grandmother for something that has a special memory or something like that. I knew it was the cake equipment that instant. Soo many happy memories. I thought at that moment i want to continue that - make someone else happy (and recreate my favorite childhood cake). I asked and my grandma gave me soo many pans, books, the works! and she taught me how to use it all. I still call here if im doing something new and everytime i make a cake. I have now made cakes for some friends and family. Seeing that huge smile and having the person happy is the best reward.

My Mom taught herself how to decorate cakes when I was in high school (in the early 80s). I thought it was so cool. I tried then to decorate some cakes and did ok. I could not do the rose but my shell boardes looked great. Then on my 39th birthday my store manager and assistant manager bought me the big caddy filled with all those fun things. Some of my other co-workers also bought me some cake decorating supplies that year. And since I work at Michaels (and the Wilton aisle is my responsibility) I decided to take the classes. I had always wanted to learn. But knew it would be expensive. But with the great birthday gifts and the fact that being an employee at Michaels I could take the classes for free. I had such a great time. I still had to buy more products though for the classes so I'm glad I didn't have to buy everything. On my first attempt at the rose in class it came out perfect. But now I can't seem to do the shell boarder. LOL. I just do my own version of the shell and everyone loves my cakes. I am doing my first wedding cake in June.

I wrote a little about this when I posted my last photo. I've always loved cooking. I tortured my Dad and my brother with my experiments whenever my Mom went on a golfing trip. When I got married though, I really didn't know how to cook real food. Mom gave me a good cookbook and I was thrilled. We actually ate well. That was 30 years ago. A few years back my Mom and my Dad both began to fail in their health. I took over taking care of them. They were fabulous people and a joy to be with. They lived down the street from us and I could run down there day or night and it was no problem. I was also working part time and taking care of our 3 kids. My work in freelance photography really filled my creative need. (My avitar is of my daughter from a 40's style shoot we did for her husband when he was in Iraq). Needless to say my life was pretty full.

Then Mom passed away. A week later Dad suffered a terrible stroke. He hung in there for another 4 years. When he died a few years ago, my brother gave me the interesting news that we had both been adopted. Quite a shocker! Needless to say I was stunned. Anyway, enough of that. I sort of lost interest in so many things that I guess I was pretty blue. Then last Dec. I was doing some Christmas baking and watching the Food Network. Watching Collette and so many others create such beautiful cakes really sparked something in me. I had to wait until after the holidays to find a class but I finally found a little cake shoppe that was well known for good teaching. I just finished up 3 months and now I'm looking for another. My hubby has been really encouraging me and that helps a lot.

I've learned so much from Cake Central and have been so encouraged by all of you on this site. I was even able to share some of the "secrets" with my teacher. Too funny. Anyway, that's how I got started with this. If I have said it once, I'll say it again, Thank You all so much for sharing your tips, secrets, photos and yourselves!

p.s hope this wasn't too long!

I started about 3 years ago. My grandmother wanted to take classes, but she didn't want to do them alone. It was fun spending time with her, but I thought that's as far as it would go. Now my grandmother can't decorate anymore becuase she has arthritis, and I love it!
Kelly

When I was a teen, my mom wouldn't bake desserts. My brother (who's 4 years younger than me) wanted cake. I decided to open a recipe book and try to do one. For a first try it was good. So each time he wanted dessert, he asked me. Afterthat when I hade my first son, I bought a cake at the bakery for his first birthday. I wanted a beautiful cake, full of colors!! but the cake tasted nasty, and the icing too. So for his next birthday I decided try to decorate my cakes instead of just icing them. And now, three kids later, and lots of encouraging friends, I now have my own business, I sooooo enjoy and love my job!!!!!!

Lorris

my hubby and i were talking about a year ago, it was near one of my kids' birthdays. and somehow my cake decorating came up and i said "ya know, i think this is a talent i have that i could do something with" so i kind of started practicing and spreading the word about cakes. my mom was dx with cancer last august, and this really helped keep me sane. it gave me something to focus on and zone out on. i still mainly do cakes for family/friends/friends of friends. i'm realizing it takes aquite a bit to do word of mouth. plus, i'm not that into weddings, so it's hard. but, i enjoy it when i do get a cake order,, and my family members get lots of cakes "just because".

I just found CC a few weeks ago and I'm hooked. I have decorated my first 2 cakes so far and can't wait to do more. My mother used to decorate cakes when I was little and it looked like so much fun. But it wasn't until my beautiful wedding cake, that a friend made for me, collapsed right before my reception that I really became interested in learning to decorate. If I every get good enough, hopefully no one else will have to cry over a collaped cake.

My love of baking started in 1978 in Junior High HomeEc class. I discovered I loved baking. It was fun and it was delicious too! I have a terrible sweet tooth for pastries. Anyway, from cinnamon rolls to pies to cakes I was hooked. My first decorated cake that I can remember was pretty basic with buttercream icing and coconut on the sides. I got into it more in 1989 when my daughter was born and every year for her birthday I made a cake to go with her theme. I had Wilton yearbooks for inspiration and I learned techniques from those books too. I had wanted to take classes for years and just recently took the Wilton Classes last fall which took my cakes to a new level of decorating. Of course Martha Stewart was a big inspiration as well and I was addicted to all the compliments I got on my presentation of cakes, pies, desserts, dinners or whatever I was making it had to "look" good as well as "taste" good. Now my family has nicknamed me "Martha".