Course One Week Four Cake #3?

I missed class this week so no cake photo this week.

Why?

I confess, I chickened out.

Yep, after the "Congratulations you made Brussels Sprouts" comment from my instructor,
I practiced my roses until I thought my eyeballs would fall out and I hate them.

They look like cabbages.  Just ask DH and the kids.

They sure don't look like this...

And so I flunk Course 1.

Yep, get no certificate because according to her if you miss the last class you don't get one.

Whatever.

But then I signed up for Course 2...I am not sure why.

Perhaps the promise of Basketweave?

Yeah, we will go with that.  Or, I am just sadistic.

Course One Week Three Cake #2

So this week's technique is "figure piping."  Have I ever told you clowns creep me out?  

Don't really see myself using clowns on a cake anytime in the future....but like "wax on / wax off" I can use these techniques for other things, thankfully!

My yellow side and white top need more work.  You can see here where the yellow came up and I had to scrape it off and it left tell tale stains.  And I have to figure out this smoothing thing.

And I sort of hate my "shells"...

I am also getting to know that I have been doing a lot of things "not the Wilton Way" and sort of getting sick of hearing "Practice, Practice, Practice" from my instructor.

Homework this week is roses.  We have to make 10 by next week...I have the base down and the first petal that wraps all around.  After that they look like brussels sprouts.  That was my instructors thought anyway.  I officially stink at roses.  Guess I got my wish, this is harder than it looks.

Course 1 Week 2 First Cake

So here is my first official cake from my Wilton class.  I don't love that we are kind of "assigned" a cake to do but I guess it is to illustrate the techniques we learn in class.  My "red" never got red and my "blue" turned purple.  And I iced this in about 5 minutes so my background is not as smooth as I would have liked.  But I can say I am proficient in stars, clouds, outlining and writing.  Sure hope this curriculum picks up.  We are also practicing rose bases and that first wrap around petal.  I have to make 10 roses by week 4.  That might be a challenge.  I already think I hate them.

Course 1 Week 1

Today was my first cake decorating class.  It was a lecture class and I was right, I will need a lot more stuff than what comes in the Course 1 Student Kit.

I brought my coupon for the week and I bought the 101 piece Tool Kit, it helps that I saved my birthday money...

Homework:

1.Before leaving class buy the 8x3" round pan, cake boards, more bags...I see a trend here.

2. Go to the Dollar Store and scope out what I can get there.  Shelf liner, lingere bags, pastry brush...

3.  I have to make buttercream icing and pan coating.  One recipe to practice decorating and then at least another recipe another TWO recipes for my cake.  So now I have a grocery store list too...a ton of  powdered sugar, shortening and a mixer...that will have to go on the wishlist.

4. Containers for icing, Viva paper towels and handi wipes...that means a trip to Wal Mart. 

Now for the real homework:

1. Bake, level, torte, fill and Ice a cake so it is ready to decorate next week.  You are thinking, that doesn't sound too bad... But it has to be iced SMOOTH.  Like a baby's bottom...yeah.  

2.  Make the buttercream: Stiff, Medium and Thin.  And a second batch of Thin for the cake tinted blue.  Plus another batch tinted for the rainbow...

3. Cover a cake-board with foil...

4. Make and bake the cake... keep the kids away while it cools!

5.  Ice the cake.  Smooth it with the Viva paper towels.

6. Practice the rose base she showed us in class...

Then pack up half the kitchen and drag all this stuff to class... the cake, decorating tools, the icing (don't forget the icing!), lesson plan and CAMERA!!!

Looking through the Course 1 Lesson Plan I made a list of other things I will need because of course not everything is in the toolkit.  Not even close.

And of course things that can wait but I want for later:
Professional Turntable
Kitchen Aid Mixer 

Wilton Classes at Michael's

Today I took the plunge and signed up for Wilton Cake Decorating classes at my local Michael's.  They had a special going where you buy the kit and pay a penny for the class.  I had a coupon and used it on the kit, so I paid a about $15.00 for the class.  

The syllabus says only bring a pen and pencil to class, I bet that is not all I will need.  So I am collecting coupons from the Sunday paper and buying stuff I think I will need.  Saving up for the blue tool kit.  It is $150.00 and if I use a 50% off coupon...I think I might need to get a job to support this new venture...