Find Your Cake Decorating School
Find Your Cake Decorating School
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a baker and a pastry chef? If you’re thinking about entering the Cake Decorating field, you might want to know about the differences between the two.
Although these two terms are often interchanged, they actually have two separate roles. First, the more obvious distinction is that the word “chef” literally means “boss”. So a pastry chef is a baker, but who also has leadership roles included with his responsibilities.
So the baker isn’t necessarily a pastry chef, and the pastry chef is always a baker. Makes sense right?
Now that we’ve got that straightened out, here’s the other thing. They don’t necessarily bake the same foods. Bakers spend most of their day baking breads, cakes, pies and cookies, while the pastry chef spends more time creating delicate pastries and creating beautiful desserts.
What if you want to be a professional cake decorator? Which school do you apply for? Ahh…now that is the question! The answer is simple. When you go to a Culinary Arts School, the programs available usually include both baking and pastry arts, so you will be taking both types of classes to get your degree or certificate.
To find out about colleges that offer culinary arts programs in your area, enter you zip code in the search box below.
If you don’t want to get a degree and just want to learn how to decorate cakes, there are classes you can take offered by Wilton. They are held at your local Arts and Crafts stores. More info on that below, just scroll down to the Wilton Cake Decorating section.
Culinary Arts Programs in Your Area
Wilton Cake Decorating Classes in Your Area
Wilton offers cake decorating classes, that consist of multiple classes that are available all over the country. They have been the leader in cake decorating products for 80 years, and they’ve always been my “go to” brand for instruction and supplies.
Wilton classes offer hands on training, new decorating techniques, and of course, their classes are interactive and a lot of fun. You don’t need any experience to sign up for a Wilton Cake Decorating Class. You can learn how to decorate cakes, cupcakes, cookies, brownies and hors d’oeuvres.
Classes are usually held in your local area craft and specialty stores, like Michaels or Benjamin Franklin’s, so you can get individual attention by trained Wilton instructors.
The First Course
The first Wilton Course will cover your decorating basics, such as baking a cake, making frosting, and using the decorating bag. You’ll learn how to use a number of decorating tips to make shell borders, stars, flowers and writing techniques for your ‘Happy Birthday’ and other such messages.
After you’ve completed the first series of classes, you’ll be able to take one of two other classes; Flowers and Cake Design or Gum Paste and Fondant.
Flowers and Cake Design
The Flowers and Cake Design class covers both traditional and contemporary designs and techniques. It focuses on making flowers with primarily royal icing. You will also learn how to choose colors for your cake, as well as placement of your decorations such as flowers and embellishments, borders and side designs.
All of these techniques will have an impact on the final look of your cakes, and will help you in the success of your cake designs.
Gum Paste and Fondant
The Gum Paste and Fondant class is a combination of two of their other classes. This class teaches how to cover cakes with fondant, make fondant bows and borders, and make gumpaste flowers.
Materials
Each course comes with a full color book with detailed, step by step instructions. And of course, at the end of each course, you will be taking home the cake that you baked and decorated.
Course Completion
Once you’ve completed any of the these classes, you will have gained the confidence to decorate cakes for your family and friends, and show off your talents in your beautiful cake designs for many many years!
The classes are a great way to not only learn how to decorate cakes, but you’ll have fun and meet new friends too! Call your local craft store and ask if they have a Wilton Cake Decorating class coming soon. Or….
Search For A Wilton Cake Decorating Class Near You!
Wilton Cake Decorating Classes are Near You!
Maybe you’d like to get started with this Decorating Basics Lesson Plan.
I’ve been looking for a cake decorating course near me. I bake cakes but haven’t done anything with icing. I think icing makes the cake really, as known by the icing on the cake phrase! Would love to showcase my cake backing skills to friends.
@sandhuharvey Awesome! I hope you can find one in your area! Let me know if you can’t, and I’ll see if I can find one for you.
These classes look interesting. I’ll gladly go to these classes to learn how to decorate cakes. I mean, decorating cakes itself is an art form once you look at it.
@drewgates64 Yes, it is an art form and getting to be more popular every day!
Interesting post. I never knew that there was a difference between a pastry chef and a baker. Always assumed that they did the same thing. And I did not know that they had classes like these. They seem interesting, I’ll gladly check them out.
@SallyRegner5123 Great! Thanks for the comment.
Awesome post! This was very helpful, especially the part where I can search for a Culinary Arts Programs in my area. Thanks!
@ThelmaMcAvoy234 Glad to have been able to send out some help your way!