Course 1 - Decoration Basics
I had taken the class when they had a 50% off the tution fee. Yet, it was pretty heavy on my wallet. They do not tell you upfront that you will be expected to buy cart loads of baking stuff if you do not already own them. Anyways, for me the class was worth the investment. I have given approximate cost of things you will end up buying once you sign up along with other small details that you will not find on the Wilton website.
What you will need to buy:
Decoration Basics Student kit - $ 35
Turn table - $ 20 (or a smaller one will cost about $10)
Disposable decoration bags (50 count) - $ 13-14
White vegetable shortening (3 cups crisco) - $4
Meringue powder (8 oz) - $10
Gel based food color - based on number of colors you buy - $2 each
Clear food flavor - 2 oz bottle - based on number of flavors - $ 2 each
Confectioner's sugar - about 3 lbs
cake leveler - $3
piping gel - $ 4 (If you plan to take other courses also)
cake mixes to make cupcakes and cakes - depends on number and size
Ready made decorator icing - 1lb - $4
Note: All of these things are available at Michaels and you can get 40% off coupons online and at store after purchase. If planned in advance, you can buy most of the slightly expensive stuff using the coupons. You also get 10% coupons for Wilton products when you sign up.
Also, I am not listing basic baking needs like electric hand/stand mixer, measuring cups, air tight containers and certain other common household things like parchment paper, cling wrap, ziploc bags etc
Things that you dont have to buy
Cake board - You can just cut out a big circle (as big as your turn table) on a piece of cardboard and wrap it with aluminum foil. And all you need to do is change the foil after each cake is done. Instead of buying a whole bunch of cardboard circles.
Parchment paper squares - There are 3 parchment papers in the kit and you can cut them into small squares. Its much more than enough for the class. If you need more, just cut squares from regular parchment paper. It works out cheaper to buy a roll and cut than to buy pre-cut squares.
Tip saver box - A normal ziploc box will work just as well.
Course details:
http://www.wilton.com/classes/decorating-basics.cfm
On the first day of course the lesson plan is handed over free of charge. The lesson plan is sold for $5 at AC Moore. You can buy it in spanish also if you want.
Pics: I dont have a picture of the cookies decorated on day1. There is the cake decorated on day 2, the cupcakes decorated on day 3 and the finale cake decorated on day 4.
Also couple of pictures of the class and instructor and me!
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Course 2 - Flowers and cake design
Things to buy:
Some stuff from basics class - like decoration basics student kit, turn table, decoration bags, food color, flavor etc can be reused
Flowers and cake design student kit - $35
Ready to use Gum paste - $ 10
Ready to use fondant - $ 10
9 " rolling pin with guide rings - $ 7
Meringue powder - 8 oz (depends on how much you have after the first course) - $ 10
confectioner's sugar - 3-4 lb
Piping gel - $4 (you will feel glad when you use this in your royal icing. It makes the otherwise hard and stiff icing soft and easy to use. Icing made using piping gel looks good too. There will be no cracks in your flowers)
cake mix - for finale cake
If you have a friend taking the class, see if you guys can share the gum paste and fondant. Its used only on the first class after which we are always working only with royal icing. But if you want to take fondant and gum paste classes later, buying the the whole bag might turn out useful.
Optional items:
Tapered spatula - You can easily do without this one. A normal angled/straight spatula will work just as fine.
Tip covers - Tip covers are used to keep the royal icing in your decorating bag from hardening while working with it. But a damp paper towel piece can be used to cover your decoration tips. At the end of the class, you can always transfer all the icing back into your airtight containers.
Cornstarch - If you dont have cornstarch in your kitchen already, dont go looking for it. You can just use icing sugar in its place.
Course details:
http://www.wilton.com/classes/flowers-cake-design.cfm
Instructors do not push students to use parchment paper bags. If you already have the plastic disposable decoration bags then feel free to use them as they are easier and less messier to use. Moreover, you will be using up the bags bought for the first course instead of spending on parchment paper bags again. Same is the case with feather weight decoration bags.
Save egg boxes (the hard paper mache boxes in which egss come) from your grocery trip. This can be used to carry the royal icing flowers you make. Because you need non-air tight containers to hold flowers until they are completely hard and dry.
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My experience at Michaels:
The instructor AnnMarie was a wonderful teacher. She never pressurized students to buy or use a certain product unnecessarily and gave unbiased opinions/reviews about all the different products for cake decoration available in the market. She was extremely patient and friendly with us. We were just 5 people for the decoration basics class and 4 in the flowers and cake design (out of which 1 never turned up). With such small classes, she gave personalized attention to each of us and classes never went beyond 2 hrs. In fact some times we would finish ahead in time and roam around the store.
Course feedback:
The courses are well designed to suit the needs of a beginner. I was really happy with my progress at the end of both courses. But finding someone to eat the 3 cakes, 6 cupcakes, 6 cookies that I made as part of these 2 courses was a tough task as nobody in my family is interested in eating anything sweet. So make sure you have friends/neighbors/ or kids around who will happily munch on the treats you make.
The lesson plan books are excellent. There are detailed pictures for each step and instructions are written in simple to-the-point language. Since most of us are not going to be decorating cakes all the time, having a book that has everything in necessary detail helps a lot.
Of all the things I learnt in these 2 courses, I personally did not like the shaggy mum and pom-pom flowers in the basics class. A classical flower like sweet peas or daisies would have been my flower of choice to learn. I also did not like the lillies in the flowers class as I do not like them on cakes as much as I like looking at them in an arrangement. Moreover, they are made using plastic stamens and it might get just a little too much to ask if we were to serve them to children and then go after them instructing them not to try and chew the tiny plastic parts. For this safety reason, I would never make them.
As it can be expected of any big company, Wilton tries to sell and market their products as much as they can through the classes. Its understandable and not annoying as long as instructors dont push us to buy things that we can do without.
Ohh...And the course completion certificates look nice.
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Course 3 - Fondant and Gum Paste
I did not take this course as I was well into 9th month of pregnancy and couldn't sit for 2 hrs at a stretch. But I bought the lesson plan from AC Moore and went through it. After having taken the first 2 courses, it looks as though this one can be self taught. I have not taken a shot at it yet though. Most materials needed are already there as part of student kits for course 1 and course 2. The remaining things are available on shelf and can be bought to use. I will try to do this one myself after say 8 months or so or if they still have the 50% off tuition fee offer I might complete the triangle as well.
One more thing to note is that though I have listed Flowers and cake design as course 2 and Fondant & Gum paste as course 3, they need not be taken up in that order.
2 Click and Speak:
You made a few excellent points there. I did a search about the subject and almost not found any specific details on other sites, but then great to be here, really, appreciate that.
- Lucas
I'm digging those gum paste+ fondant flower cupcakes. They're quite cute.
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