Cake Decorating Classes

A professional cake decorator is one who is trained in the art of creating designs on pastries and cakes.  These designs can range from the simple to the elaborate.  To be a cake decorator you must have an understanding of fillings and frostings in order to turn them into the beautiful works of art found on cakes.  Cake decorators must also learn the temperatures certain baking materials can withstand.  Some cake decorators choose to specialize in wedding cakes because there is such a huge demand for them.

There are educational requirements to become a professional cake decorator.  Formal training and education is suggested if an individual is interested in becoming a cake. decorator.  Many students can attend a pastry program, which is accredited by the American Culinary Federation.

There are several culinary schools for you to choose from when pursuing cake decorating as a career.  Wilton school is one of the many vocational schools, which train professional and amateur cake decorators.  There is also the Art Institute, Le Cordon Bleu Schools, the Florida Culinary Institute, Kendall College, Oregon Culinary Institute, Lincoln College of Technology, Arizona Culinary Institute, Capital Culinary Institute, and the Johnson & Wales University just to mention a few. 

Training and education is encouraged when a person shows an interest in becoming a cake decorator or a cake baker.  Most employers prefer to hire those with a certificate received from an accredited school as well as those with relevant work experience.

The occupational outlook for cake bakers and cake decorators, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the economists are predicting the demand for baking careers to increase as quickly as the average.  These same experts are saying most of the available positions for a cake baker or cake decorator will be in store, specialty shops and traditional bakeries.  Earning in the year 2004 was $21,330, which was the middle salary reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Once you are in a culinary program you will learn how to blend color and how to create shapes.  You will also learn the art of molding sugar and the uses for it.  You will learn the physics used in building towers and you will acquire the ability to sketch out your projects.  If it is your dream of owning your own company one day, your chosen program will include entrepreneurship and you will learn the financial facet of the business.

Your course work will depend on the college you choose since each one is different.  Some of the most common courses you will probably take are:

French Math    
Business Management
Inventory Control and Purchasing Tortes and Cakes
Concepts & Theories of Culinary Techniques
Purchasing
Sanitation & Safety
Cost Control
Cakes for Display
Chocolate, Confections & Centrepieces

After receiving a culinary degree in Cake Decorating you may choose to open your own bakery or cake-decorating store.  You may want to take advantage of the apprenticeships available to culinary graduates who want to start their own bakeries or catering companies.

Because cake decorating is a hands-on industry, the more you practice the better your skill will become.  It is a good idea for graduates to search out mentors who can work with them to build stronger culinary skills and techniques.  Standard classroom settings cannot provide this type of extensive training.

The type of position you have and the region you are employed in will make a difference in your salary.  A cake decorator’s employment opportunities can include a pastry artisan, cake designer, bakery owner, and catering.

Baking and Pastry Arts II adds to your marketability if you have already taken Baking and Pastry Arts I.  Also the additional training will give you an edge while searching for a position in an upscale establishment, which would pay very well.

If you are the type of person who likes getting up early in the morning and gets pleasure from working with their hands, a degree program in Baking and Pastry Arts can be a satisfying career.  Those who have earned a certificate or degree in the Baking and Pastry Arts can find employment as cooks, pastry chefs or bakers.

There are only some people who like baking because it is hot, backbreaking work.  Plus most bakers have to get up early.  But for some people baking is an opportunity to use food as a medium for their art.  If you are one of those people who enjoy cooking and baking, and don’t mind rising early, you will probably enjoy the pastry arts as a profession.  Should you decide to major in baking and pastry arts you will spend about 15 to 40 hours per week in the kitchen included with your other coursework.  You will start you day as early as 6 in the morning and learn skills such as basic bread and pastry baking, chocolatiering, meringue creation, use of icing, Continental baking, ingredient selection, menu creation, and more.

Cooks are an extensive group of workers.  They generally cook and prepare food in restaurants, catering establishments, cafes, hotels and more.  They must have the ability to multitask and work quickly in order to direct the tasks others.  They also must have an acute sense of smell and taste along with an extensive knowledge of ingredients and of the dishes they are in charge of preparing.  You will find cooks working in diners or at 5-star establishments, but at “Billy Bob’s Roadside Diner” it is not likely for you to find a graduate from Baking and Pastry Arts programs.  However you will find those who have combine baking and pastry skills with all-around cooking and culinary skills in upscale establishments.

Pastry chefs are a sweet tooth’s best friend.  They are the people who create such items as the bear claws, fine doughnuts, specialty breads, muffins and much more.  They can work on commission making desserts for special occasions, or they could own a business and produce the same type of stock every day.  For the pastries businesses who deliver goods to coffee shops and stores must be ready to deliver as early as 6 or 7 in the morning.  It is predicted the employment growth for bakers of all kinds will continue to grow.  The middle range of salaries is from $30,000 to $40,000 for inexperienced workers and range from $44,000 to $67,000 for executive pastry chefs.

It is a common misconception among most of us, which says, bakers only bake bread, right?  Stop and think about who made the tortilla wrapped around your burrito, or who made the cake your mom bought at the store? Bakers.  They are responsible for the creation of many of the things we take for granted.  They make pie, croissants and other items with the use of their knowledge of equipment, baking ingredients, health codes, and other standards. Baking and Pastry Arts Degree

The Baking and Pastry Arts program will train you to become a skilled dessert chef.  Through this program you will be introduced to the world of desserts and the numerous ways to create these masterpieces.  Also with this training, you will learn to combine textbook techniques with creativity, and you will have the hands-on experience with kitchen tools used in a professional setting.  Some of the other area covered will be the terminology used in the industry along with health and safety issues related to this line of work.

You will develop skills during the course of Baking and Pastry classes in Baking Methodology, Food Preparation, Basic Service, Plating Techniques, Creativity, and Analytical Thinking.

There are several reasons for taking the baking and pastry arts program is you will have a variety of settings to work in such as coffee shops to upscale hotels.  Owning your own business is another option.  There are numerous job opportunities in the baking and pastry arts, however you might want to keep in mind you will have considerable competition if you want to work for an upscale business.  Your salary as a bakery and pastry chef depends on the location, level of experience, and responsibility.  The average yearly salary for a bakery and pastry artist averages to be about $25 per hour.

If you have taken Baking and Pastry Arts I then you will want to take Baking and Pastry Arts II.  You will use and improve your skills learned in Baking and Pastry Arts I and will make even more advanced specialty desserts and pastries.  The courses you can expect to take when you take the Bakery and Pastry Arts II are:

Restaurant desserts
Advanced pastries
Menu planning
Plate Presentation
Pricing
Recipe research and evaluation
Management
Classical desserts

The courses offered depend on each individual institution.  Most courses will include laboratory classes where students can obtain hand-on experience in the creation of baked goods and pastry.

The skills you will learn when taking this course are advanced pastry technique, advanced dessert creation, the correct use of equipment and utensils, safety and sanitation techniques, working in a team atmosphere, organizational skills, presentation skills, timing skills, and a la carte skills.