Last week I ventured up to great state of Illinois for a Wilton Food Blogger Workshop with a handful of my fellow fabulous food bloggers (Whew, trying saying that five times fast). If you aren’t familiar with Wilton, they are the resident experts on the art of cake decorating and let me just say, they do a fantastic job.
To kick off the workshop, we were introduced to buttercream piping ( I finally learned the art of leaf and shell piping) by the amazingly talented Sandy Folsom.
Here are a few of my attempts at piping shapes and lines. What do you think? Did I challenge my inner cake decorator?
We toured the design center, where they’re already planning out the new trends for 2013. There is seriously impressive stuff going on in there. So impressive in fact, that we weren’t allowed to take pictures. You’ll just have to trust me on this one.
After wandering through the design center, we made our way to the photography studio where I witnessed a prop room that would make any food photographer smile with delight.
This was followed by lunch and then a lesson in the art of fondant. Considering I haven’t done much work (ever) with fondant, I learned a bunch from this little session. Here’s the results from one our activities. Not too shabby if you ask me.
We finished up the day with a friendly little cake decorating competition. I reveled at the talent in that room. There are some bloggers that seriously know how to decorate a cake. My team mustered through and came up with a respectable result.
So respectable, in fact, that we won best design at the awards ceremony that night. You can send all future cake decorating orders to…
… just kidding. You don’t want me to decorate your cake just yet. Trust me on this one.
I conclude this post with a heartfelt thank you to Wilton for putting together a top notch blogger’s workshop. I left with a deeper appreciation for cake decorating, a handful of new friends, and a massive stash of new toys to play with (look out, this blog may take a turn for the beautifully sweet in the upcoming months). It was an experience I won’t soon forget.
Competing cakes on display at the awards ceremony. Photo courtesy of Wilton.
Looks like fun! Anything with cake is time well spent!
such a fun trip!! so glad to have been able to meet you 🙂
This looks like it was such a fun event to attend. Your completed cake looks so pretty. Your team really stepped up to the cake plate. LOL The Wilton headquarters is pretty close to where I live. Wish I could have been there.
You go girl that looks like it was awesome! Anne
What a great event Julie. Glad you had a lot of fun. The cake looks awesome 🙂
Have a great week ahead.
Yay, Julie! I’m so proud of you. I’ll be watching for you to learn how to make roses… Love ya, girl!
Awesome job!! Sounds like you had a blast!! Looking forward to the sweetness you come up with : )
Congratulations!! Your team made a beautiful cake! Looks like you had lots of fun. I wish I was there 🙂
Looks like a great time! Looking forward to seeing you take what you learned and making something fabulous!
Fun! I don’t know the first thing about fondant or cake decorating, so all the results look wonderfully impressive to me!
Oh I love your cake!! I took all the Wilton classes last year and I just love cake decorating. I would have loved to have participated in such an awesome workshop! Great job on winning Best Design award. Your cake was gorgeous! I can’t wait to see what more you can show us!
Totally Jealous of your trip! Glad you had a great time!
What a fun workshop and congratulations on your group winning the best design award.
🙂 Mandy
Wow Julie, this is sure such a fun event…glad that you had a great time and your team won the competition. Have a wonderful week 🙂
Looks like it was a great event and you learned a lot. You can come decorate my cake anytime girl!!!
You did a great job! And this looks like so much fun! 🙂
Now that does sound like lots of fun & good on you…. thinkin’ you did indeedy challenge your inner cake decorator. Awesome job.
Sounds like you had a wonderful time. I think your piping skills are great.
Your group did such a gorgeous job on that cake! And yes, I love that props room.
Julie, what fun! You get to do the coolest things. 🙂
COOL! I just took my first Wilton cake decorating class here… fun times!
Wow, that looks like an incredible time! Your team cake turned out beautifully! I have to admit, I’m totally jealous. I’ve been working with Wilton products for years and would absolutely go head over heels to see their design center! You are one lucky, lucky ducky!
Best, Jenn
What a cool event. I would swoon over such a gathering…cakes are my favorite part of weddings….I LOVE a good looking cake.