Let them eat cake.

Over the past month, I've been taking a cake decorating class, and, I must say, it's been a lot of fun! It was only the first course (I still have two more to go) but I kind of amazed myself with what I was able to do! AND how easy it was!

If you have never taken a cake decorating course, I definitely recommend it! But let me just state, if you take the one at Hobby Lobby (which is the one that I took), they tell you that you only have to pay $20 for the class + the kit. Well.. that is complete bull.. haha.. You have to buy all kinds of extras that are not included in the kit, but if you plan on taking the other courses, it is worth it..

Week !:

We learned the star technique. You know those cakes that are decorated completely out of stars? Well, we learned to make the stars. Not much to it. We didn't decorate anything in class, so I don't have a picture to show my mad star-making skills.

Week 2: 

We decorated our first cake! We learned how to do three-dimensional decorating, how to make a pearl border, and an image transfer technique involving piping gel and parchment paper. We also learned the correct way to ice a cake (I never knew there was an INCORRECT way) and how to smooth the cake. My icing was too thin, so I wasn't able to smooth it. Oops.

Week 3:

We learned how to fill and ice a cupcake, how to make several different flowers (shaggy mum, pompom, and drop flower), and how to make leaves. The shaggy mum is my fave. I had mums in my wedding, and I just LOVE them! I filled my cupcakes with strawberry pie filling, and they were yummy! We were supposed to use a special icing recipe. When I used it in the first class, I thought it was kind of disgusting, so the next week, I made a cream cheese icing, and it was MUCH better!

Week 4:

We learned how to make a ribbon rose and how to write on cakes. I kind of suck at ribbon roses, but maybe with some practice, I'll get better! We were able to decorate a cake however we wanted to this week. I filled my cake with strawberry preserves (I wanted raspberry but couldn't find them) and iced it with a mint green buttercream icing. After I smoothed it, I added some shaggy mums that I had pre-piped onto some vanilla wafers and allowed to harden. Then I piped my border and added a dot pattern. I think it turned out pretty nicely.  Today happens to be my grandma's birthday, so when she gets home from working the polls today (which she does every year, along with her three sisters), I am taking the cake to her for her birthday cake!

My cake.. Excuse the crevice in the top of the cake. It apparently happened on the way home. =(

 This is my mom's cake. She was better at the ribbon roses that I was, so she made a more traditional cake. Danny is my dad, and no, it wasn't his birthday. My mom is just weird. Haha

Oh, and I have some news that I may be sharing soon!

Happy Tuesday!