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| Silver quatrefoil pattern on blue fondant, finished with a fondant plaque, pearls and a gumpaste flower. |
My first experience with cake decorating began last spring in a classroom at the back of my local Michael’s. Eleven other women and I gathered for Day One of a four-week Wilton beginners course. I sat there with the Ultimate Decorating Set Tool Caddy in hand — a bit excessive for someone who had never decorated a cake — but excited and curious enough to begin.
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| My very first decorated cake – Wilton Cake Decorating 1 |
That initial spark didn’t fade. One year later, my curiosity became a passion. I completed two more Wilton courses and was fortunate to join a test group for Wilton Course 4: Advanced Gum Paste Flowers. The experience included tools and materials that made the whole class thrilled to participate.
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| My first fondant cake — inspired by a Peggy Porschen design, though I didn’t quite match it. |
Blogging has pushed my creativity and helped me improve rapidly. I remain a hobbyist baker and decorator — I don’t charge for my creations — but I enjoy learning and sharing what I make with friends and family. That first course led to more practice and many new techniques, from fondant to gum paste flowers and advanced decorating methods.
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| Second try at macarons — I still remember the thrill when the feet began to form. |
Over time I learned to make cookies and macarons, practiced ruffles and textured finishes, and explored sugar flowers like anemones, magnolias, poppies and ranunculuses. I also experimented with edible brooches and playful themes, including an exploration of insects in baking. Along the way I created a fondant girl figure and developed techniques that continue to evolve.
Not every project was a success, and the failures taught me as much as the wins. My first ruffled cake looked more like a green mudslide, early macarons were underwhelming, and cake pops didn’t always keep their shape. Each setback taught me what to try next and how to improve.
There have been some milestones: I was named Decorator of the Week at CakesDecor.com and several creations reached their Daily Top 3. My Ruffles & Pearls Mother’s Day cake was featured in Sweetopia’s Sweet of the Month, and the Huffington Post Kitchen Daily included my Key Lime Mojito Mousse cake in a Key Lime dessert roundup.
Looking back across more than fifty posts, I’m proud of how much I’ve grown and how many sweet memories I’ve made. I enjoy the creative process and love sharing each step with readers. I’m eager to keep learning and delighted that so many of you follow along.
The cake shown at the top of this post was my first for year two of the blog. It was made for a 12-year-old whose favorite color is blue. I couldn’t decide on a single flower, so I arranged several and, in the process, lost a couple — such is the life of a decorator who can’t pick just one option.
I like the unexpected pop of orange against the blue and silver — what’s your favorite detail?
Thank you for reading. If you enjoy these posts, please subscribe to my RSS feed or sign up by email to never miss an update. I look forward to sharing more creations and techniques as this sweet journey continues.
