Wilton Class Complete!

As of yesterday, I completed the first course of the Wilton Cake Decorating class and got my certificate! Since my last post, I've made two other cakes for the class. One was supposed to be a creepy little clown, but we were given freedom to do something else using techniques we learned in class. I opted to do make a bunny using a demonstrated technique for making faces out of buttercream. I also practiced piping shell borders and hearts on that cake as well. You'll have to excuse the crazy colors that I used. I kept reusing the colors that I made for the rainbow cake (or altering them slightly) because I didn't want to keep buying more buttercream ingredients for just a practice cake.

Our final class taught us how to make buttercream roses. They are a little tricky to work with, but its worth it for the end result. We also learned how to pipe leaves, vines and bows too. I love how the leaves turned out because the piping tip we use automatically creates the center vein of the leaf stem. Pretty cool! The roses got a little smooshed when I picked them up though because they didn't have time to harden before the end of class, but they're mostly intact.

I don't think I'm going to sign up for the other two Wilton courses now that I've completed the first one. I'm glad I took this class because it introduced me to the basic Wilton piping techniques and allowed me to practice with some instructor guidance. However, now that I understand the basics I think I can figure out how to pipe the items for their other classes by purchasing the Wilton "Decorating Cakes" book (only $12.99 and I also had a 40% off coupon). This book is kind of a compilation of most of their techniques for piping a large variety of flowers and borders, as well as how to make fondant/gumpaste decorative pieces too. Between the book, the first Wilton course information and my culinary school knowledge, it should be, well, a piece of cake.

Where There's a Wilton, There's a Way

As I continue on my job hunt, I decided to sign up for the beginner Wilton cake decorating course at Hobby Lobby in order to develop my cake decorating skills even further. Our first homework assignment was to bake any kind of cake and ice it (they showed us how) using the Wilton butercream recipe in our handbook. We also had to put some of that buttercream in five small containers, bring it to medium consistency and use colored gel paste to create five different colors for our class assignment.

In class, we learned about piping techniques and how to decorate our cake with a rainbow pattern by using a transfer technique to move the image from a pattern in our book and onto the cake. We then used a piping bag with a star tip to fill in the colors with the Wilton's buttercream that we brought from home. It takes a little time to change out your piping bag and it does get a bit messy, but it's pretty easy. Unfortunately, we didn't start piping until the last 20 minutes of class, so I kind of had to rush it and didn't have time to use all of my colors. That's okay though, I intend to create my own more elaborate design to practice these techniques on a future cake in my own time. Rainbows are nice and all, but they make me feel like I should be plastering unicorns and sparkles all over my cake.

Our next Wilton class (the third of four classes) will cover making buttercream roses and other flowers, so I'm pretty excited about that. We'll also learn how to make creepy little clowns (see photo), something I'm less than thrilled about. Our instructor said that a lot of people don't like making the clowns, but it's part of the standard curriculum. She did say that instead of putting the clown on the iced cake that we have to bring in, we can make a practice clown on the table and then scrape it off. I'm opting for that one because their buttercream bodies are a bit disturbing to me. Besides, I don't want to eat a clown — I heard that they taste funny (sorry, couldn't resist making that joke).

I've also been experimenting with cake flavors in my spare time. I recently made a batch of lemon-rosemary cupcakes with lemon zest/cream cheese icing. I really like this recipe because it isn't too sweet and like the unexpected hint of rosemary. The cake is more dense than fluffy (less like cake, more like cornbread consistency), but I think it worked great in cupcake form. It might be a bit too dense for some in cake form. I found the recipe in a magazine, but a friend of mine found it online if you would like to make a batch (http://szera.blogspot.com/2010/03/lemon-rosemary-cupcakes.html). I added an extra tablespoon of lemon juice and a little extra rosemary to the cake. I also added extra lemon zest to both the cake and the icing since I had some leftover and, in my opinion, you can't add too much lemony goodness.

Two Rights Can Make a Wrong

They say that two wrongs don't make a right. Well, conversely, two rights can make a wrong. Which is why I am no longer working at Coco Paloma Desserts. We both came to the conclusion that she needed an assistant with much more experience than a recent culinary school graduate. A great bakery and an eager worker may sound like a great fit, but you can't always assume it's a perfect match. You might love the taste of lemons and chocolate individually, but that doesn't mean you'll enjoy chocolate-dipped lemons.

It's odd to feel good about losing a job, but I think it was the best outcome for the both of us. I gave it my best effort (I even practiced at home), but we both understood that a few weeks of practice won't gain me years of experience. Since it would pretty much be just the two of us working on cakes, I felt pressured to achieve perfection immediately but that isn't a realistic expectation for a beginner.

I have no regrets about my short time at Coco Paloma Desserts. It was good to experience another person's techniques and work flow, plus I got a bit of training and practice in as well. I also learned that the saying "quitters never win" isn't always true. I think that in this situation parting ways will be a win for the both of us. She can find a more experienced assistant who can jump right in and help ease her workload and I can find a bakery that has time to allow me to develop my skills as a cake decorator.

So now I'm ready for the next step in my cake adventure...what will it be?!?  As always, I'll keep you posted.

Starting Out is No Piece of Cake

Phew! I survived my first week of work...barely.

My first week at Coco Paloma Desserts has been intense and a little rough. The first week of any job is always a little challenging because it takes a little time to learn the routine and adapt to a new environment. Well, it's ten times harder to do when it's your first job in a career you've only been immersed in for maybe nine months. Take that situation and add in the pressure of working in a small bakery where you are expected to take off running because it's just you and the owner. Add those together and you have a recipe for some serious stress.

It was even harder because it was an unusually stressful week for Paloma as well. She had a very busy week with some challenging orders and had to train me too, so it wasn't exactly a picnic for either of us. I felt terrible that I wasn't much help since I didn't know the routine, where anything was and was slow in a rushed environment. I hate feeling helpless and useless, but in such a harried week I just didn't have time to absorb and process the onslaught of information coming at me.

Next week is supposed to be a little slower, so hopefully things will get a little easier and more pleasant. This was definitely the hardest first week I've ever had and next month is supposed to be crazy busy. I'm hoping I can get really good at all of this before then, but all I can do is my best. No pressure!

Yummy Cum Laude

I am officially a culinary school graduate (see goofy-looking photo above)! Graduation day went smoothly and the buffet we created turned out fantastic.  For the buffet, I made chocolate financiers and lemon wafer cookies — two of my favorites from class. Chocolate financiers are a bit like a lightly sweetened brownie made with almond flour (gives it a nutty flavor), sprinkled with cocoa nibs (adds a slight bitter chocolate taste) and drizzled with chocolate. Lemon wafer cookies have a lot of lemon zest in them so they have a fantastic strong lemon flavor (but not sour) and then covered with a sweet splash of citrus glaze.

So what am I going to do now that I've graduated? Well, I've managed to get a job as an assistant at Coco Paloma Desserts. Coco Paloma makes some amazing and beautiful cakes, so I am excited to be a part of such creations. I start on Wednesday, April 14 and I'm both excited and a little nervous. It's a little daunting starting a new career, but I will jump into it with eagerness and ambition — a surefire formula for success.

It is Good to Love the Unknown

With just four days left until culinary school graduation, I am filled with excitement and just a hint of trepidation. I don't yet know what the future holds for me, but I am giddy with anticipation to discover my new path. I hope my first job in my new career is a good, strong stepping stone filled with great experiences and good people. There is a quote that says "It is good to love the unknown" and I must say that I agree. Some people fear uncertainty, and yes, it can be a little scary. However, you should try to view the unknown not as an obstacle, but as part of life's adventure and full of possibility.

This week, our class has begun to focus on planning for the future. We've prepped our resumes, discussed goals and job hunting, held mock interviews and learned a little about the business of entrepreneurship. I've been applying for jobs, sending out resumes and even scheduled a few interviews. I am eager to jump into my new career, so I'm hoping the job hunting process won't last too long.

I still can't believe that I'm already at this point. This time last year, I was sitting at a desk designing yet another edition of the newspaper and feeling a bit uninspired. Now I'm about to graduate from culinary school, I get excited about cakes design ideas and have grown extremely fond of working with fondant. Life is funny sometimes, but I'm always up for a good laugh.

Cats, Cotton and Cakes Galore!

I've been pretty busy helping out at Blue Note lately. I'm truly flattered that they trust my design skills to allow me to decorate cakes and create wedding toppers. You feel a little pressured to get it just right and not look like a culinary student made it since people are paying for it and featuring the cake at their wedding, birthday or shower. I'm learning a lot by helping out though and it's great practice to hone my skills to a more effortless flow. Here's what I've made lately:

Kitty Cake Topper
A couple requested a five-tiered wedding cake, plain white and nothing else on it but a simple beaded border and their two cats sitting on top. They even provided photos of their adorable kitties, a striped yellow tabby and a black tortoiseshell. Cute! It was fun creating the kitties out of gumpaste, but knowing that they were the main visual on the cake added some pressure. I love animals though and they have always been my main subject in my art, so I knew exactly how to pull it off. I even made sure to capture the unique patterns and patches that give the kitties their unique identity.  I'm really happy with the finished kitties and I hope it met the couple's expectations for their special day.

Cotton-Pickin' Cake

Someone ordered a birthday cake for their papaw who is a cotton farmer, so they requested the cake resemble a cotton farm with a tractor and a cowboy hat and boots. The bakery already baked and iced the cake, so they gave me a bit of guidance for decorating and then let me at it. I'm always astounded that they let me do so much on the cakes, but they always seem pretty happy with the result so I must be doing something right. All those years of art classes and doodling can pay off! I really like working with fondant and gumpaste, now I'm starting to really like modeling chocolate too (the boots).

Airplane Cupcakes Take Flight

An order for a baby shower led to these adorable airplane cupcakes. I used fondant and a little bit of innovation to create the little airplane pieces. I love the challenge of trying to come up with efficient and effective ways to create cake decorations. It would take too long to hand-cut 18 identical fondant airplanes, so you have to come up with short-cut techniques to get the job done. I had a moment of inspiration when looking amongst the collection of cookie-cutters for something to make propellers. I spotted a butterfly cutter and noticed that the top half of the wings were long, thin and even tapered in the center — just like a propeller. It worked beautifully and I even used the bottom half of the butterfly wings for tail fins. It may seem a little weird, but things like that excite me the way solving crossword puzzles excites people. Eureka moments are exciting no matter what problem you're solving...including cake!

A Shot at a Twist of Lime

Lastly, I helped out with this tequila-themed birthday cake. I didn't design the bottle, but I did paint the table, salt shaker and limes. I'm all about the little details, so I had a blast painting the table's wood texture and giving the limes segments and pulp.

Yep, I've definitely chosen a fun career. Designing on a computer is fun, but it's not quite as thrilling as taking a lump of white fondant and turning it into a cat, tractor or limes that will help make someone's special day that much more special.