My Cake Decorating Adventures

I've been taking classes in cake decorating which will earn me a PME diploma in approximately 3 Mondays time.  My Mum, who is the bestest in the world, paid for me to take the classes as a bt of time out just for me.  I cannot thank her enough!  I have thoroughly enjoyed the classes and am now able to decorate cakes that people are willing to pay for.

When I was little I used to walk past Decor Cakes in Otahuhu on the way to Kindergarten and back.  Mum and I could never walk past without me watching the ladies in the window decorating cakes.  I was fascinated!  When I got married my wedding cake was made and decorated by Decor Cakes, and the business is still going strong today, it was founded in 1965.  I always said that I would love to be able to decorate cakes properly.  I have now achieved that goal thanks to Mum, for her generosity paying for my courses, and also to my tutor Scott from Authentic Cakes in Cambridge.

Scott is amazing! He has the patience of a saint, demonstrates techniques really clearly,  answers all our questions - no matter how daft they are, makes a fab cuppa and is a lovely bloke to have a natter to.  He has taught me so much and I've gone from being a complete novice at cake decorating to being able to produce some decent cakes.

Our first sugarpaste course which lasted 5 weeks (5 hours each Monday) taught us how to produce cakes like these:

The Royal Icing module really tested my patience and we made an Engagement Cake complete with run outs and icing swans to top the cake:

Our final module is flowers and I'm thoroughly enjoying it! We made pulled flowers the first week and last week made lillies and poppies:



This is Scott's gorgeous poppy, complete with buds and wheat

I'm not sure which flowers we're going to be creating this week.  However, I'm sure I will be amazed at how learning a few techniques helps me to create something fab.  Scott is a proper legend!

Using the techniques I've learned so far on the PME courses I've made a few more cake creations:

I took this to the Ladies Christmas Craft Afternoon at my Church



I made an edible bouquet for a friend who needed cheering up



My first ever paid for cake that wasn't made for a friend!

Birthday cake for the daughter of a friend from Church

If you get the opportunity to learn how to decorate cakes then do, it is SO much fun!  I will miss my Monday course sessions as it is my time for me to escape the world and enjoy learning how to use sugarpaste, flower paste and royal icing to create lovely cakes and indulge in some cake creativity.

My 8yo's birthday is in March and my 11yo's birthday is in April and of course they want me to make their cakes.  My 8yo wants a flower fairies cake, with sugarpaste fairies on it.  OMGness! I'm slightly worried about how I will manage to make them LOL My 11yo is undecided but wants something to do with princesses.  I guess it's my penance for taking time out to learn how to decorate cakes *sigh*  I shall post pics of the cakes, if they are any good, once I've made them.