Cake Decorating

While living in Montana, a group of friends and I took cake decorating classes at our local Michael's store. I had aspirations of decorating beautiful wedding cakes...until I decided it was kind of stressful! Although I felt I did well in the classes, I had a hard time deciding what to charge people for something I felt was flawed (even if they couldn't pick out the imperfections!). I decided that I enjoyed decorating cakes, but on my own time and for my own friends or events. However, I haven't decorated a cake in probably the last two years. Today was the day I broke out my decorating case and got to work on a birthday cake for my friend, Olivia. After a couple of minor bumps in the road, here's how it turned out..



If any of you like wedding cakes because of the wonderful frosting...here's the frosting recipe!

Wilton Buttercream Icing (stiff consistency)
1 cup solid white vegetable shortening
1 tsp Wilton flavor (vanilla, almond, or butter)
2 Tbls milk or water
1 lb pure cane confectioners' sugar (about 4 cups)
1 Tbls Wilton meringue powder

Cream shortening, flavoring and water. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together. Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy. Makes 3 cups of stiff icing.

For medium consistency add one teaspoon water for each cup of frosting. Use medium consistency for piping stars and borders.

To make thin consistency add two teaspoons of water for each cup of stiff icing. Use thin icing for writing, making vines, leaves and icing a cake.