Wilton Method Classes

Let our friendly Wilton Method instructors help you experience the thrill of creating cakes and treats that will delight your friends and family—even if you’ve never decorated before!
The Wilton method courses feature:

• A fun, friendly, experience! - Anyone can do it!
• Streamlined curriculum
• More practice time with your instructor
• Exciting new techniques
• More hands-on activity
• Easy ways to decorate cookies & cupcakes

You don’t have to be a chef or even experienced in the kitchen to decorate a cake, cookie, cupcake or brownie. The Wilton Method of Cake Decorating will teach you all of the techniques to make treats that will amaze your friends and family.

You’ll find that it is easy to perfect every technique—we’ve organized each lesson to help you build skills at the right pace. The first course, Decorating Basics, is your starting point and will cover topics such as fundamentals in baking a cake, making icing and using a decorating bag. From there you will use a variety of decorating tips to make stars, borders, flowers and pipe messages.

Once the first series of classes is completed you can extend the excitement and fun by taking one of our two other classes, Flowers and Cake Design Method or Gum Paste and Fondant. Flowers and Cake Design encompasses both traditional and contemporary design. It focuses on making flowers primarily with royal icing. Additionally, you will learn how to choose colors for your cake as well as positioning the elements of decoration – the message, flowers and embellishments, borders and side treatments - which will all impact the final look and ultimately the success of your cake design.

Gum Paste and Fondant is a collection of the best techniques from two current classes into a fun and challenging experience. This class teaches you how to cover cakes with fondant, make fondant bows and borders and excel in gum paste flowers.

Each Wilton Method class is held at Stark & Whyte in-store, where you'll receive individual instruction from trained Wilton Method teachers and an attractive, full color publication detailing step-by-step instructions. And, at the end of every course you will leave with a cake specifically designed and decorated by you.

Once you have completed any one of these courses, you’ll have gained the confidence to decorate cakes your family and friends will enjoy for years to come. You’ll also have had a great time sharing the excitement of decorating with other students. It’s an experience that over 4 million people have enjoyed in Wilton Method Courses. Come and join the fun! We hope to see you soon!

Decorating Basics Wilton Method Course

Topics covered in Decorating Basics include:

• How to Bake a Great Cake
• Buttercream Icing
• Using Decorating Bags and Couplers
• Icing the Cake
• Leveling and Torting the Cake
• Using the Star Tip
• Drop Flower, Rosette
• Dimensional Decorating
• Shell
• Pompom Flower, Leaves
• Filling and Icing a Cupcake
• Guidelines for Elementary Cake Design
• Printing, Writing, Rose Base
• Piping Gel Pattern Transfer
• Ribbon Rose
• Guidelines for Decorating Your Cake

What to bring to Lesson 1:

• Wilton Decorating Basics Student Kit*
• 1 lb can Wilton Ready-to–Use Decorator Icing
• 6 plain flat cookies with a smooth top surface (e.g.: sugar or butter cookie)
• A box to transport the cookies home (optional)
• Wilton Icing Color(s) (optional)
• Apron
• Plastic container with lid and a plastic bag to bring back dirty utensils

*OPTION: Wilton Ultimate Cake Decorating Set – Includes all tools needed for all three Wilton courses (purchase in place of student kit)

Flowers and Cake Design Wilton Method Course

After completing Decorating Basics, Flowers and Cake Design is one of two additional Wilton Method courses you can choose. In Flowers and Cake Design, you’ll explore sophisticated ways to bring your cakes and desserts to life! Your Wilton Method Instructor will teach you to create breathtaking icing flowers such as pansies, lilies and the famous Wilton Rose. Then, you’ll discover the secrets of arranging them in a beautifully balanced cake-top bouquet. Your amazing flowers will be framed by an impressive boarder treatment or basketweave design. With the skills you learn here and your ability to make flowers in advance using gum paste and fondant or royal icing, you can create beautiful blooms at your convenience, ready to place on any cake.

Topics covered in Flowers and Cake Design include:

• Basic Principles of Cake Design
• Gum Paste and Fondant 101
• Button Flower
• Pansy
• Making Royal Icing
• Making a Parchment Bag
• Flower Nail
• Rose Base, Rose Center
• Apple Blossom, Primrose
• Rosebud
• Daffodil
• Violet
• Using the Lily Nail, Lily
• Making Stems
• Guidelines for Flower Arrangments
• Floral Cake Design
• Reverse Shell
• Basketweave
• Wilton Rose

Your Wilton Instructor is ready to show you how to make these exquisite blossoms step by step. With practice and attention to detail, you will soon be creating spectacular bouquets that will be the talk of the party. You'll also have a great time sharing the excitement of decorating with other students.

What to bring to Lesson 1:

• Wilton Flowers & Cake Design Student Kit*
• 1 Package Wilton Ready-to-Use Gum Paste
• 1 Package Wilton Neon Fondant
• 9” Rolling Pin with spacer rings
• Wilton Tapered Spatula
• Wilton Angled Spatula
• Wilton Practice Board
• Pen or pencil
• Box to take home flowers
• Apron
• Scissors

*OPTION: Wilton Ultimate Cake Decorating Set – Includes all tools needed for all three Wilton courses (purchase in place of student kit).

Gum Paste and Fondant Wilton Method Course

After completing Decorating Basics, Gum Paste and Fondant is one of two additional Wilton Method courses you can choose. In Gum Paste and Fondant you’ll discover one of the most exciting and satisfying ways to decorate a cake. Your Wilton Method Instructor will lead you every step of the way as you create amazing handshaped flowers, beautiful borders and bold accents using these easy-to-shape icings. As you learn each technique – an artful bow, mum, rose, carnation, calla lily, rosebud, daisy, and embellished borders – you’ll be closer to your crowning achievement: A Final Course Cake that showcases your skills.

Topics covered in Gum Paste and Fondant include:

• Gum Paste and Fondant 101
• Bow Loops
• Mum Base, Rose Base
• Carnation Base
• Assembling a Bow
• Tinting Gum Paste and Fondant
• Basic Principles of Floral Cake Design
• Calia Lily
• Rosebud and Rose
• Carnation
• Calyxes and Leaves
• Assembling the Calia Lily
• Daisy
• Mum
• Covering a Cake Board with Fondant
• Elements of Fondant Cake Design
• Creating Geometric Designs Using Cut-Outs, Overlays, and Inlays
• Eyelet, Ruffle, and Ball Borders

What to bring to Lesson 1:

• Wilton Gum Paste & Fondant Student kit
• 1 Wilton Ready-to-use Fondant (24oz)
• 1 Wilton Ready-to-Use Gum Paste
• Wilton Roll and Cut Mat
• Practice Board
• Wilton 9” Rolling Pin with Spacer Rings
• Wilton Tapered or Angled Spatula
• Wilton Rolling Pin 20”
• Wilton Yellow Sparkling Sugar
• Styrofoam cup
• Facial tissue
• Box to take home bow (at least 8 inches square and 4 inches high)

*OPTION: Wilton Ultimate Cake Decorating Set – includes all tools needed for all three Wilton courses (purchase in place of student kit)