Class
Descriptions
SweetCelebrations.US
Current “Menu of Classes”

Experience Required to Enjoy Classes:  You do not need to take Sweet Celebrations
beginning classes to progress toward advanced classes.  Rate your skills and choose
projects you think you’ll be able to participate in.  If you’re unsure, call the instructor for that
lesson or contact us at classes@sweetcelebrations.us or 408/505-5507

Click here to return to the class page

Students Just Beginning (No Baking Or Decorating Experience):

Decorating I:  Decorating Basics – A demonstration class, with tips on baking, correcting icing
consistencies, torting, filling, using tools and creating smooth, crumb-free icing.  Hands-on
beginning piping practice and ribbon roses.  Instructor will complete a demonstration cake in
class, students will practice piping on wax paper.  All icing and tools are provided.  Most
students go home with good ribbon roses in this first lesson.   2 1/2 hours, $35

Decorating I and II Same Day – the fastest-track approach to learning.  Students prepare cakes
and icing at home according to simple recipes.  We work through both Decorating I and II
together in class.  Even without experience students go home with beautiful cakes including
ribbon roses, traditional roses, star flowers, writing/vines, shell border, reverse shell border and
leaves.  2 hours (part 1), 2 hours (part 2), $65

"Chocolate Stickers":  Images made with coating chocolate (a.k.a. Candy Melts) which can be
embedded in icing or placed free-standing on top or sides of cakes.  Coating chocolate and
other tools are provided.  Frozen buttercream transfers will also be discussed.  2 1/2 hours,
$35  

Quick and Easy Fondant Flowers and Modeling Chocolate Roses:  Using easy-to-find,
inexpensive cutters to produce all kinds of simple and unique flowers.  Using no wires for
supports, fondant dries to a crunchy-candy that is eaten easily, making these flowers a great
addition to fun cakes.  Feel and taste the difference between modeling chocolate and fondant
and create a realistic rose without cutters.  2 hours, $35

Hand-Modeled Animals and Plants:  Using fondant to make cute little edible animals for jungle,
ark and baby shower cakes. Includes fondant.  2 hours, $40

Gelatina / Artistic Gelatin:  Beautiful gelatin art created in champagne glasses and small
molds.  Create clear domes and other shapes with gorgeous flowers suspended inside.  All
supplies/equipment and recipes included.  Also, quick demo on creating gelatin bows,
sprinkles and butterfly wings.  2 hours, $65 (with supplies/equipment)

Professional Chocolate Candies:  using chocolate transfers.  Printed cocoa butter acetate
sheets (transfers) provided as well as molds for use in class, fillings and mix-ins, recipes, and
boxes for completed candies.  2 hours, $45

Decorative Cookies:  Using Royal Icing and Marshmallow Fondant to create two different styles
of cookies with a minimum of fuss.  Techniques can be completed in one decorating session
without hours of drying in between layers.   2 hours, $35

For Students who have some basic experience:  Baking, filling, icing (crumbs OK), some
piping.

Decorating II:  Essential Skills -- Super-smooth icing, basic piping, borders, simple flowers,
writing and vines, ribbon roses and traditional roses (using several methods for ease of
learning).  Most students go home with good roses after one lesson.  2 hours, $35

Basic Fondant -- Coloring, marbling, textures, draping, smoothing, how to repair folds and
tears, 3-D ribbons and bows, basic borders.  If you have some experience and you want to try
something a little more advanced, bring a square or other “cornered” cake or try a different
rolled icing:  Rolled buttercream, chocolate wrap, marzipan, marshmallow fondant.  Easy
recipes for all available upon request.  2 hours, $35

Basic Tiered Party Cakes -- Stacked cakes (two cakes/tiers), directions on transportation and
setup.  Simple buttercream decorations and a quick airbrush demo.  Includes all supports and
information on how to safely transport, cut and serve.  2 1/2 hours, $35

Basic Sculpted Cakes (3-D Purse): Covers internal structures and supports, carving, fondant
wrap, quilting and simple decorations.  Also:  Preparing and using silicone molds for buttons
and other accents (students keep mold created in class).  2 1/2 hours, $40

Decorating with Whipped Icings:  Pastry Pride, Frostin' Pride, Flavor Right, Bettercreme, or
home-made Whipped Buttercream -- how to ice, store, decorate, transport and repair following
setup.  Basketweave icing technique and simple flowers.  Includes Pastry Pride icing.  2 hours,
$40

Cupcakes:  Smooth icing, traditional swirls, fondant accents, buttercream flowers, sprinkles
and picks.  Best ways to transport and interesting ideas for display.  2 hours, $35

Cupcake Cakes:  How to arrange and secure cupcakes and ice as one for a custom-shaped
pull-apart cake.  Techniques for keeping icing from falling through, arranging odd shapes and
transportation.  2 hours, $35

Cake Pops:  Also known as Cake Lollies, cake balls or cake truffles, these extremely delicious
treats can be made in a tray or on a stick and decorated like anything, anywhere, for any
season.  Lesson includes candy coating, decorations, bags, sticks and ribbons and all kinds of
ideas for variations on recipes.  2 hours, $45

Petit Fours:  Traditional delicious bite-sized cakes with poured icing.  “Tiffany box style” cakes
also created in class with use of Instructor’s molds.  Chocolate coating (used for Tiffany box
petit fours) provided.  2 hours, $40

Decadent Chocolate Cakes with Chocolate Transfer Decorations:  Chocolate mousse,
poured ganache, whipped ganache and printed chocolate accents.  Printed cocoa butter
acetate (transfer) sheets provided.  Hand-made truffles will also be created in class.  2 1/2
hours, $45

Building A Central Pillar -- Tall or "Crooked Cake" Stand:  A creative support used to create a
“crooked” effect using ordinary cake tiers.  Different from Whimsical Cakes -- in this case the
cakes are not carved but placed on a "crooked" stand.  Stand may also be used for “straight”
cakes for sturdy construction and transport.  Includes parts to create your own crooked cake
stand, assembled in class.  Prepare and decorate cakes at home following class. 2 hours, $70

Airbrush Techniques:  Bring your own or use instructor’s to get a feel for airbrushing before you
buy.  Information on differences between machines and airbrushes, and where to get a good
deal.  Creating stencils, layered color effects, clouds and flowers.  Practice on paper or on a
sheet cake from home.  2 hours, $35

Extreme Cakes -- Lights and Dry Ice Effects:  Several essential skills for creating lifelike
volcanoes, trains, cars with exhaust, waterfalls, etc.  Includes lights and all parts to create an
apparatus that will “erupt” steam into the air.  Demonstrations on how to have fun with dry ice at
parties; safety information and transportation/storage tips.  2 1/2 hours, $75


For Decorators with experience covering cakes in fondant, basic stacked/tiered cakes,
basic sculpting and good piping skills:

Making and Using Rolled Icings:  Prepared in class:  Marshmallow Fondant and Rolled
Buttercream Icing and Modeling Chocolate (Chocolate Wrap).  Learn the pros and cons of
working with each and how to blend items together for elasticity, durability and decorations.  
Take home samples of each for practice and exploration.  All supplies included.  2 hours, $45

Baroque Borders in Buttercream (Quick Lambeth Method):  Gorgeous over-piped scrolls and
swags for over-the-top classic cakes  (without the usual 90 hours to complete).  2 1/2 hours, $45

Fancy Buttercream Flowers on Cakes and Basketweave Design:  Daffodils, cat-tails, lily-of-the-
valley, oak leaves, gardenia, chrysanthemum, daisies, orchids and more – all done in
buttercream.  2 1/2 hours, $35

Royal Icing Flowers I:  Create crunchy candy-like flowers for dry storage and future use.  Apple
blossoms, wild roses, zinnias, mums, traditional roses and rosebuds, primrose, narcissus,
bachelors’ buttons and bluebells (“popcorn flowers”).  Creating bases on wires for royal
bouquets.  Fresh royal icing and wired bases provided in class.  2 1/2 hours, $40

Panoramic Sugar Egg and Simple Piped Spring Figures:  Ready-to-decorate eggs provided, a
second egg to take home created in class.  Creative sugar cubes and other uses for leftover
sugar.  Tiny flowers, eggs, chicks, bunnies and bears made from royal icing.  Fresh royal icing
provided in class.  2 hours, $40

Whimsical Crooked Cakes:  Cakes that look like they are going to fall over (but they never will!)  
Three styles of crooked cake are discussed, impressive Mad-Hatter-Style cake completed in
class with quick fantasy flowers, wired decorations, textured shapes, pearls and stripes.   
Includes a brief airbrush demo, all supports and information on transportation and set-up.  3 ½
hours, $65

Pillow Cakes with Piped Tiaras:  Create a lifelike pillow using standard cake pans.  Piping
easy and edible tiaras with melted chocolate/candy coating (with tips on creating crowns from
royal icing at home).  Includes supplies for transporting tiara and creating more.  2 hours, $40
Easy Side Designs for Fancy Cakes:  picot dot, quilting, scrolls, fleur-de-lis, Crown border,
simple strings, vines, swirls, henna designs.  Practice on buttercream or fondant cake, wax
paper or Styrofoam dummies.  2 1/2 hours, $35

Hand-Modeled Figures:  These whimsical figures are adorable, created using simple
techniques for all skill levels.  Perfect for cake toppers for all kinds of cakes.  2 hours, $35
Making Cooked Icings:  Created in class:  Swiss Meringue, Italian Meringue and French
Buttercream.  All ingredients and equipment included in class.  Students go home with
samples of each.  2 hours, $45

Carved Candle Cakes:  Unique cakes with multiple layers of fondant and rolled buttercream,
sliced to provide a layered, curled and twisted multicolored cake.  Original concept by Laurie
Clarke.  Includes demonstration on how to add a “light switch” to your cakes.  Disposable LED
light provided.  2 hours, $45

Simple Lace Wedding Cakes:  Students bring two cakes, filled and iced, to complete a
romantic two-tiered (stacked) wedding/anniversary cake with fresh flowers and lace designs:  
Sotas, Alencon and Battenburg styles.  Students provide flowers of their choice, instructor will
bring tools for adding them to cakes.  2 1/2 hours, $45

Guitar Cake:  Guitars are easy to carve, but can be tricky to create with realism and scale.  Use
a few simple tools and learn how to create a gorgeous – even life-sized – edible guitar!  2
hours, $45

Realistic Gumpaste Flowers:  Lifelike sugar flowers created on wires and bundled into small
bouquets for lifelike decoration.  Includes gumpaste, wires and flower centers, use of cutters
and tools.  Created in class:  quick rose, rosebud, hand-pulled stephanotis, forget-me-nots,
leaves, and calla lilies.  We will also be using silicone putty to create custom petal and leaf
veiners for you to use at home!  3 hours, $60

For Advanced Students, skilled with piping, sculpting, stacking and rolled icings:

Sculpted Dragon Cake:  3-Dimensional dragon sculpture using cake and other edibles (cereal
treats, cake truffles).  Includes interior supports and quick airbrushed details.  2 ½  hours, $55

Spiral Cakes:  How to create cakes with a road or staircase spiraling from top to bottom.  
Perfect for mountains, castles, waterfalls, bicycles, cars and motorcycles.  Discussion on how
to re-create Laurie’s design for a marble to roll from top to bottom using a design variation and
fondant.  Includes all supports.  2 ½ hours, $55

Car Cakes:  How to create realistic and animated car cakes for grooms and children’s parties.  
Includes base/support , headlights and edible fondant sheets.  Some hands-on airbrushing.  2
½ hours, $55

Royal Icing Flowers II:   3-D flowers and filigree lace designs.  Completed in class:  Stargazer
lily, Petunia, Morning Glory, Moth Orchid, Gardenia and leaves.  Includes fresh royal icing.  2
hours, $40

Realistic Gumpaste Flowers II:  Completed in class:  freesia, dogwood, stargazer lily, orchid,
long stemmed leaves.  Use instructor’s cutters and pre-made flower centers, learn to create
your own at home.   3 hours, $60

Tall Tiered Cakes – Elaborate Cake Design:  Instructions for planning, creating, constructing
and building, plus transport, set-up and service.  In class students may complete a 3-tier
separated/stacked cake with fancy borders, triple Swiss dots, brush embroidery and fine royal
string work.  Fondant cakes are recommended, buttercream is optional.  Special tip and push-
in-leg supports and 8” separator plate provided.  3 1/2 hours, $70

New Oriental Stringwork (using Geraldine Randlesom’s techniques):  Multiple drop strings on
the sides and tops of cakes, built up in layers by flipping cakes upside down – the result is a
woven “fence” with strings suspended in the air.  In class we will create this effect in record time
using a real cake.  We will also create lace pieces that can be added at home.  Fresh royal icing
created in class.  3 hours, $60

Advanced Quick Lambeth Piping with stringwork "collar":  Lambeth designs often take
upwards of 90 hours to complete.  Icing is piped and overpiped with finer and finer tips so that
the cake takes on a whole new form.  This version uses buttercream to speed things up.  
Creating cushions with fondant and standing collars with gumpaste and royal.  2 1/2 hours, $40