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Cake Decorating: Beautiful Buttercream for Teens

Join me, a professional baker, to learn how to bake a stellar cake and pipe petals, ruffles, and rosettes like a professional confectionery artist!
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What's included

4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks
of teacher support
1 year access
to the content

Class Experience

Why is a flex format positively awesome for baking and cake decorating? 
#1  For best results, learners truly need to work with ingredients in an ideal state.  In live classes a lot of time is spent “keeping the group together.”  Oftentimes this means learners are working with fondant that has dried out of ganache that has cooled because they aren’t able to work at the best pace for them. 
#2  Creative minds typically don’t like to be rushed.  I doubt Van Gogh ever said, “I’ve got 55 minutes.  Let’s knock out some sunflowers!”  I can see precision, detail, and creativity in the work my learners complete because they have the time to really immerse themselves and work at a pace that is comfortable for them. 
#3  The ability to pause and rewind is like being the gift of time travel!  Class participants can manage the pace of the class themselves and customize it 100% to their learning style. 
#4  As a working mom of three homeschooled kids, I completely understand how busy life can be sometimes.  This class is available whenever you are!  Rainy day and soccer is cancelled?  Make your cake!  School holiday?  Make your cake!  Flexibility is a gift in our busy lives!  

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Does your child have an artistic flair?  Love good food?  Love to watch the kids baking championship and other Food Network fascinations?  This class is for them! 

Participants in this class will learn how to make smooth, delicious buttercream that has just the right amount of sweetness!  Then, we will learn how to apply that buttercream to cakes using some of the trendiest design techniques on Pinterest right now.  

This class will focus on decorating techniques more so than baking.  Our first week we will bake a boxed cake mix as a group to lay the foundation for future weeks.  In the subsequent weeks, students will be expected to have a baked cake (6" or 8" round) ready to decorate at the start of class.  They may continue to use boxed mixes or try their hand at Grandma’s secret cake recipes.  Students may use gluten free mixes.  Please message me to discuss any other accommodations prior to enrolling.  

Each week a series of videos will be shared in the classroom providing students with step-by-step instruction for the skills we'll be focusing on.  Students can work at a time that is convenient for them, re-watch the videos, pause while working along... whatever jives best with their creative process.  I encourage lots of classroom discussion throughout class.  Whether you're stuck on something or jumping up and down with success... share!  I love to see it all - from work in progress photos to completed masterpieces.  Students can learn so much through classroom discussions and peer review.  Plus we all love cheering one another's successes in the classroom.  I am available to troubleshoot and am able to hop in a classroom when necessary for the toughest of questions.  Let's create together! 

Week One:
We will bake a box mix cake as a group and learn how to level and crumb coat it.  This will lay the foundation for future weeks when we get into the fancy stuff!  

Week Two:  
Students will learn to frost a cake using the petal technique.  (Design shown in class photo.)

Week Three:  
Students will learn to frost a cake using the ruffle technique.  (Design shown in class photo.)

Week Four:
Students will learn to frost a cake using the rosette technique.  (Design shown in class photo.)

When it comes to cake decorating…. I pretty much do it all!  I can take learners from their very first box mix all the way up to stacking tiers upon tiers of fondant covered edible works of art!  I offer a “skills map” towards the end of each class to help learners identify what skills they may want to jump into next.  Want to see some of the cakes learners have recently completed in classes with me?  Check out this link - https://youtu.be/gm7GTE5aRrc

Syllabus

4 Lessons
over 4 Weeks
Lesson 1:
Foundation Skills: Dress Rehearsal
 This week we'll focus on our foundation skills of baking a cake and leveling it, making buttercream, and crumb coating our cake.  This lesson is very detailed and even experienced bakers will have an opportunity to refine their skills and set themselves up for decorating success in the coming lessons. 
Lesson 2:
Piping Technique: Petals
 In this lesson, we'll be using the 1A piping tip to create a lovely petal design on our cake. 
Lesson 3:
Piping Technique: Ruffles
 In this lesson, we'll be using the 104 piping tip to pipe thin ruffles on our cake. 
Lesson 4:
Piping Technique: Rosettes
 In this lesson, we'll be using the 1M piping tip to pipe the ever-popular rosettes on our cake. 

Other Details

Supply List
Supply List:  A detailed version of the supply list with photos for clarification is located in the classroom.  Please utilize that for your final class preparations.

16” piping bags
Wilton 1A piping tip
Wilton 104 piping tip
Wilton 1M piping tip
Cake level or a large serrated kitchen knife
A 6” or 8” cake for class each weekly.  This can be baked from scratch or a box mix.  Learners need to have *two* matching cake pans to bake the layers for their cakes. 
Gel food coloring in color(s) of your choice
A stand mixer or hand mixer.  Whisking buttercream without an electric mixer will not work!
Angled spatula – in a pinch a dull knife or the back of a small spoon will work.  

Kitchen basics will be needed as well.  Things like scissors, oven mitts, etc.  Likely all things you already have handy.  

Each week we will make a batch of buttercream.  Weekly, students will need:
•	1 cup of salted butter softened
•	2 lbs of powdered sugar
•	4 tsps vanilla extract
•	Approximately 1 cup heavy cream
 1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined October, 2018
5.0
708reviews
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Teacher expertise and credentials
North Carolina Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
Judith Smetana
Ohio Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
Judith Smetana
California Teaching Certificate
Maura Knowles
Texas Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
Andrea Phillips
Colorado Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
Melissa Riggs
Kentucky Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
Melissa Riggs
Texas Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
Melissa Riggs
Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Idaho
Giselle S. Veach
Master's Degree in Education from University of North Texas
Melissa Riggs
Bachelor's Degree in International Business from The Ohio State University
Judith Smetana
Bachelor's Degree in Communications from San Francisco State Universtiy
Maura Knowles
Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Idaho
Giselle S. Veach
Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Idaho
Giselle S. Veach
Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Management from Nova Southeastern University
Meagan Tauber
Bachelor's Degree in Education from University of North Texas
Melissa Riggs
Bachelor's Degree in Art and Design from Arizona State University
McKenzi Aguirre
Bachelor's Degree in English Language and Literature from University of Alabama at Birmingham
Tiffany Barnes
Associate's Degree in Animal Science from The Ohio State University
Judith Smetana
I am a professional baker who has been teaching confectionery arts on Outschool for three years now.  I have loved baking since I was the age of most of my learners!  In fact, in class you’ll see my beloved KitchenAid stand mixer that was my 12th birthday present and is still a total workhorse to this day!  

When my kids were young, I decided to take some cake decorating classes to ensure my kids always had show-stopping cakes at their parties.  Over time it blossomed into a career beyond my wildest dreams.  I operated a bakery for a number of years and eventually transitioned into this ultra-fulfilling role as a confectionery arts teacher.  

I love seeing the creativity, patience, and precision that goes into each learner’s work.  However, I also love seeing them manage a project from start to finish.  I am proud of them when they are faced with a setback in their project and they calmly make a plan B.  I enjoy watching them interact in the virtual classroom as they learn from one another and provide feedback/compliments on the work of their peers.  There is so much more to cake decorating than just cake.  (((Although as an invested parent it is your responsibility to partake in eating their delicious homework – haha!)))  These learners grow in so many ways throughout class and it is a blessing to participate in that process.  

I am so excited for this opportunity to create with your learner.

Watch Meagan's intro video here:  https://youtu.be/s_P4jmzt7Sg

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$10

weekly or $40 for all content
4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content

Completed by 95 learners
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Ages: 13-18

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