Shoe Addict Thriving: Budget Buster-- Wilton Class

Shannon:

01/20/2011

I was very excited to start the Wilton cake decorating classes at my local craft store.  It seemed a pretty good bargain too at $27 for the four week course (one night each week).  With $5 off coupons for the two follow on classes I figured I was getting a pretty good class for not too much money.  The course ends up being a budget buster though.  Here's what I ended up spending:

1. $71 for the class "tuition"
2. $99 for the toolkit that I thought would provide the tools I needed for the first two courses (not the case)
3. $50 for the course 2 and 3 class kits (after the 40% off coupons)
4. $50 for decorator icing
5. $8 for chocolate decorator icing
6. $11 for colored fondant
7. $20 for gum paste
8. $7 for white fondant
9. $3 cake leveler
10. $10 cake lifter
11. $9 cupcake decorating kit
12. $10 tip covers
13. $6 couplers
14. $6 various decorating tips
15. $8 icing colors
16. $4 piping gel
17. $6 meringue powder
18. $14 turntable

GRAND TOTAL $392!!

 

This doesn't even include the cost of parchment and wax paper, cling wrap, cake boards, and ingredients for making the cakes.   Now this all was spent over 12 weeks so at $32/week it really sneaks up on you.  I didn't really have to buy everything that was on the list.  If you are interested in the class here's some tips to make it more budget friendly.

1. $72 - just buy the class kits with the 40% off coupons and it ends up being cheaper than any of the bargain tool boxes
2. $7 - make your own butter cream and cut down the cost of frosting significantly
3. Skip the colored fondant - I didn't really miss it and I just used the $0.99 color to tint it for the class 
4. Skip the cupcake kit - the cupcake nail was stupid and I didn't use it at all and the only tip I needed was the filler tip - order online before you start the class.
5. Skip the tip covers - or buy only one pack when you get to the royal icing class.

Grand total $234 a $158 savings!  To save $30 more skip the extras like the cake lifter, extra bag of gum paste, extra tips, extra colors, and extra couplers.

Shoe Addict Thriving: Cake Testing DISASTER!

Shannon:

01/12/2011

I wanted to test out my 3 mini-tier cake pan that I just got.  My cousin is getting married in August and asked me to make her a wedding cake with a small tier that they can freeze for the one year anniversary tradition.  I immediately had feelings of stress and anxiety:

1. I have trouble saying no to people.
2. I have never done a stacked or tiered cake before.
3. The wedding is more than two hours away from where I live.
4. The wedding is an outdoor wedding which means fondant - and fondant is not my strong point.
5. It is for some one's wedding!!!!  Stress!!

So when I saw her over the holidays and she asked me about it I started with a firm no.  Then I felt really bad and said... "Well, I can make you a cupcake.  Literally one cupcake for you to do the cake cutting ceremony and one for you to freeze."  When she said it could be the tiniest cake in the world and said it could be kept inside so that I can use butter cream v. fondant I caved like a cheap Ikea bookcase.  I felt infinitely better about the whole thing when I ordered a mini 3-tier cake pan.  They are supposed to look like tiny cute wedding cakes and so last night I tested baking and decorating them.

They are evil Satan Spawn!!!

I now give you pictures of the disaster also known as the demon cakes that refused to be iced by any means.  

The Damage in Total 

This one was an attempt at poured frosting...frosting failed.
Ben still ate it and said it tasted great.

This one was iced, re-iced, attempted quick-set fondant,
scraped off  quick-set fondant, and iced again.... I gave up.

This one I sort of liked.  Basket weave is the way to go.
There were two color flow birds that looked like they
were kissing, but one broke... one by itself = not so cute.