>Cake Decorating - Week Three

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This week was another exciting and fun cake decorating class. We learned lots of new techniques to make flowers as well as used techniques we learned from week two. We did an "Easter" inspired cake this week.

To start off, we did a basket weave along the bottom half of the top of the cake. The "handle" of the Easter basket is made using a "S" chain and a 18 star tip.

We then put star flowers using the 1D tip, swirl flowers using the 1D tip, and "grass" using tip 233. My grass started to look more like hair since it was all too uniform, so I added more and then it looked weird.

I really want to go back and practice using tip 233. I hate the way the grass looks. But then part of it has to do with the fact that it doesn't really look like grass, since I colored my cake green to begin with. I definitely want to start over again with this one.

Cake Decorating - Week Three

This week was another exciting and fun cake decorating class. We learned lots of new techniques to make flowers as well as used techniques we learned from week two. We did an "Easter" inspired cake this week.

To start off, we did a basket weave along the bottom half of the top of the cake. The "handle" of the Easter basket is made using a "S" chain and a 18 star tip.

We then put star flowers using the 1D tip, swirl flowers using the 1D tip, and "grass" using tip 233. My grass started to look more like hair since it was all too uniform, so I added more and then it looked weird.

I really want to go back and practice using tip 233. I hate the way the grass looks. But then part of it has to do with the fact that it doesn't really look like grass, since I colored my cake green to begin with. I definitely want to start over again with this one.

>Cake Decorating - Week 2

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Week Two was a lot of fun! We were supposed to bring an un-iced cake to class, so I brought a chocolate cake. YUM.

My first basketweave. :o) I love this technique. Seriously, one of my favorites so far!

We also learned how to use piping gel and transfer a pattern from parchment paper to your cake. I choose to outline a cupcake in piping gel. Basically, you trace a pattern onto parchment paper using a pen. Then you take a disposal decorating bag, put a small amount of piping gel in the bag, and cut a very small hole. Re-trace your pattern using the piping gel. Put your parchment paper down on your cake, and trace again with a small brush (paint brush).

A tip: Make sure that your parchment paper is curling up - not down - if it curls at all. If the parchment paper is curling down, it won't pull off your cake easily and it will ruin the icing.

I really need to spend some time working on crumb coating my cakes BEFORE I do the final icing job, but in a class room without a fridge and a two hour time limit, that just wasn't an option. I also need to spend some time on my borders. These look horrible.

Overall - I'm pretty happy with my cake, since it is my first time to try some new techniques. I like taking pictures and looking back at them over time, because it'll be nice to see where I started from, and where I'm going! :o) Plus... I can really determine what areas I need work in for the next week.

P.S. Look forward to a basketweave cake coming from me hopefully soon! I'm going to attempt to bake the cake tonight after class, and decorate tomorrow after work.

Cake Decorating - Week 2

Week Two was a lot of fun! We were supposed to bring an un-iced cake to class, so I brought a chocolate cake. YUM.

My first basketweave. :o) I love this technique. Seriously, one of my favorites so far!

We also learned how to use piping gel and transfer a pattern from parchment paper to your cake. I choose to outline a cupcake in piping gel. Basically, you trace a pattern onto parchment paper using a pen. Then you take a disposal decorating bag, put a small amount of piping gel in the bag, and cut a very small hole. Re-trace your pattern using the piping gel. Put your parchment paper down on your cake, and trace again with a small brush (paint brush).

A tip: Make sure that your parchment paper is curling up - not down - if it curls at all. If the parchment paper is curling down, it won't pull off your cake easily and it will ruin the icing.

I really need to spend some time working on crumb coating my cakes BEFORE I do the final icing job, but in a class room without a fridge and a two hour time limit, that just wasn't an option. I also need to spend some time on my borders. These look horrible.

Overall - I'm pretty happy with my cake, since it is my first time to try some new techniques. I like taking pictures and looking back at them over time, because it'll be nice to see where I started from, and where I'm going! :o) Plus... I can really determine what areas I need work in for the next week.

P.S. Look forward to a basketweave cake coming from me hopefully soon! I'm going to attempt to bake the cake tonight after class, and decorate tomorrow after work.

>Practice Cake #1

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I haven't been able to spend as much time practicing my "cake decorating" as I'd like, but I did manage to squeeze in one practice cake last week. It turned out pretty good, for my first time, that is. :-) The picture quality definitely leaves something to be desired, but when I'm out and about with my cake, iPhone quality is better than nothing! Right? Right! :-)

Cake Details:

Yellow Cake with Buttercream Icing

Icing Colors: Purple base with pink details

Tips Used: Star Tip (#26) and Round Tip (#12)

Practice Cake #1

I haven't been able to spend as much time practicing my "cake decorating" as I'd like, but I did manage to squeeze in one practice cake last week. It turned out pretty good, for my first time, that is. :-) The picture quality definitely leaves something to be desired, but when I'm out and about with my cake, iPhone quality is better than nothing! Right? Right! :-)

Cake Details:

Yellow Cake with Buttercream Icing

Icing Colors: Purple base with pink details

Tips Used: Star Tip (#26) and Round Tip (#12)

>Cake Decorating - Week 1

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Tonight was my first cake decorating class at Michael's. Lindsey and I loaded up in the car, with all our "tools" and our cookies to decorate, and headed to class. :o) I was kind of surprised at the number of ladies in our class. We started this course with 7.

What we learned...

- How to bake the perfect cake

- How to make the classic buttercream icing

- How to check for the proper consistency of our buttercream icing

- Preparing decorating bags with couplers, tips, and filling the bag with icing

- How to make a star using the star tip

- How to make a curving line and a tight zigzag

- How to make shells

- How to make a dot, elongated shape, and heart

Overall, I felt pretty good with my decorated cookies but I really could use additional practice. We definitely learned a lot for our first class, and we skipped around in our "book" a bit - but I'm pretty confident in my future abilities and what we've learned so far...

Now on to the pictures.

The first cookie was supposed to be a flower... um, yeah, with 5 petals. Looks more like an octopus to me. :o) Using tip #12.

This is a heart, using tip #12. With dots around the edges.

This is a spiral design using a star tip. I think it was #21.

I pulled this one out of a design in our book. Using a round tip #12. If it had been finished, the icing would have been another color, and the "biggest" dot would have eyes, a nose, and a mouth to resemble a caterpillar.

Another cookie design (a star) using a star tip.