Wilton Cake Decorating Class. Course 1, Week 3

Last night was week 3 of the Wilton Cake Decorating Course 1 class. This was probably the most fun of all the classes so far. We did a lot and covered a lot of ground from shell borders, to the rose base, to dot borders to evil clowns. But more on that a little later.

This week we had the choice of either making cupcakes or a cake. I decided that to make a cake because I wanted to practice icing it. I chose a Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge Cake. I make cake from time to time. I know how to make cake. I've made many many cakes. Rarely, ok never, are they boxed mix cakes. And never have I ever burnt a cake (OK, except this one time). But on my second time ever making a boxed cake, I burned the dang thing! I set the timer and left the room and then after a little while, I started to smell, not the heavenly aroma of chocolate baking, but a much more acrid smell. Oh no, this was not good! I got the cakes out immediately with only minimal damage. And since this was a practice cake, I didn't feel the need to remake it. So I let them cool. And armed with an almond filling, I continued. As I mentioned in my previous blog, I used the handy dandy cake leveler and then put the disgusting frosting around the edge and then put in the almond filling.




After leveling off the second layer, I placed it on top and pushed it down and there you have it. My burned chocolate almond layer cake.



Now I have to frost it with you know what, and hope for a better result than last week. On the suggestion of several readers, I decided to first do a very thin layer of icing on the cake called a crumb coat. This is supposed to take care of any of the crumbs that come off the cake and seal them to the cake. So I did that and then put the cake in the fridge to let the crumb coat harden a little. After about 40 minutes or so, I took the cake out and frosted it for real. Check it out! No crumbs!




Off to class I go, crumb free burned cake in hand. And as previously mentioned, we did a lot of practice. That two hours goes by fast so with a mere half an hour left, it was time to get to the *gasp* clowns! Our teacher Alicia showed us how to make the clown body, arms, legs, feet and hands. And then we were on our own. We could make clowns or we could just do more practice. Well dammit, I was making clowns!

With a number 21 tip, it is actually rather simple to make the clown. I used a parchment paper bag and painted up the side with green food coloring then filled my bag with the aforementioned gross buttercream icing. I didn't feel the need to buy the clown heads for any reason at all, so I borrowed Patty's (my sister in law, who is also taking the class) just so I could have the completely look to document. Here are my evil clowns!




With very little time to spare before class ended, I tried my hand at making the shell border. That didn't work out very well. But that is definitely something I will need more practice on.







Next week is week four, our final week. We will be making roses and I'm ascared! I sense disaster in the making. But we'll just have to see. Maybe I'll surprise myself :)