Check off #12

Tonight I completed my cake decorating class, thus completing #12 on the 40 by 40 list.

More important than the list, however, is that I learned how to make a Wilton rose. That is not to say that I became good at making Wilton roses, but I did at least learn the same basic technique that people who are good at making them use.

I also think I learned that my energy is far better spent making things that taste good, rather than things that look pretty. (Hello, life metaphor.) I've never been good at visual arts in any way and cake decorating was no exception.

Still, it was fun. And I think I'll actually use a few of the techniques on my cupcakes from now on. Hooray for developing skills that you might occasionally use!

That's three list items in under 5 months. Apparently my ambition is closely tied to my ability to check things off of a list - who knew?

Cake is Important

So I had my first cake decorating class last night. I think surprising might be the best word to describe it.

As in, I was surprised to find out that the class is held in the middle of Jo-Ann Fabrics. I guess I had pictured us safely tucked away in some sort of, I don't know, classroom? But no, the class take place in the center of the pattern area, as if we are just another craft display.

I was also surprised to learn that we are expected to bring a frosted cake to every class. A whole cake. A cake that we, in theory, baked and then frosted with the icing that we also made ourselves because we have to bring all of our own frosting and decorating tools to class. I'm pretty sure my friend nearly killed the instructor with the darts that shot from her eyes when this news was revealed.

Don't get me wrong: I love to bake. I am excited to learn to decorate. I just assumed that materials would be provided. I didn't picture myself spending hours every week baking and mixing frosting and then lugging an entire cake and a duffle bag full of supplies to class. It seemed sort of like if my college biology professor had told me I was responsible for bringing my own scalpel and pig's heart to class.

Anyway, I am now filled with questions about what kind of cake I will bake and what colors of icing I will bring. Should I bake a cherry cake shaped like a heart with the standard gleaming white frosting? A chocolate cake with peppermint-flavored buttercream? A pineapple cake that I then decorate in a Hawaiian theme? The possibilities are endless...well, in a finite sort of way.

The techniques I will learn in this class will pretty much prepare me to make really nice grocery store-level cakes. Ace of Cakes, this is not. In fact, these are the kinds of cakes I probably wouldn't even normally buy. But who cares? I'm going to master the Wilton rose!

In fact, I'm thinking about practicing only the rose, making cake after cake covered in roses. Birthday? Baby shower? Christmas? Roses in every color. I'm envisioning my kids growing tired of the roses. Asking me, as their 16th birthday looms, to please, let them have a cake without roses.

Don't worry, I will say, I'll make the roses black and thorny! They'll be serious roses! Roses of angst.

And one day, when they get married, their future brides (or groom, whatever) will be forced to agonize over whether to just let me make the damn rose-covered wedding cake or to break the news that they really want something "more modern." (To which I will cheerily reply, "Roses never go out of style!")

Yes, this class is important. Life-changing, even.