Cake Decorating Class: Worth it? Or Waste of Money?
Where can you find a cake decorating class?
You can look up cake decorating classes at local bakeries. Sometimes bakeries have special offerings to the public. If not, you can try a local eatery or chief inspired courses. They even have somewhere you make chocolate deserts. If you are like me, maybe you will luck up and get gifted a class from Michaels. They have a Wilton cake decorating class that is wonderful. Trust me when I say that never, in a million years, did I think that I would enjoy a cake decorating class. I thought that they were for DIY-raving maniacs who tried Pinterest projects all the time. But I realized that I needed to learn a thing or two about decorating cakes if I wanted to save money and sanity on cakes in the future.
The course taught me a lot of new skills that I have used over and over again this past year. Now, I’m a cake-decorating fiend! I love a new challenge and giving the special gift of a home-made cake.
How much is a cake decorating class?
Michael’s publishes weekly coupons for 40%-60% off one regularly priced item or 25% off your entire purchase. They limit coupons to one per customer, so if you want to get items for 50% off, you have to keep coming back. You can also use competitors’ coupons, and JoAnn and Hobby Lobby regularly publish the same types of coupons. So, if Michael’s doesn’t have a great coupon that week, check out JoAnn and they probably will.
With that coupon policy in mind, most of these fees and supplies can be discounted by 50%. You just need to stop by the store a few times.
- $25 — sale price for the course
- $35 — course materials (use a 50% off coupon to get it for $17.50)
- $4.99 — coursebook (use a 50% off coupon to get it for $2.48)
- $10 — cake mixes (you will have to make two cakes and a dozen cupcakes)
- $16 — tub of Wilton frosting (use a 50% off coupon to get it for $8)
TOTAL: $90.99. Or, if you buy the materials and supplies with coupons, $62.98.
How much for Additional Supplies?
Aside from the fees and materials, I did purchase a few more tools. 
These are the supplies I decided I “needed” in my cake-decorating arsenal. The prices listed are after a 50% off coupon at Michael’s:
- $3.98 — Cake Leveler
- $4.98 — Cake Bases
- $7.98 — Cake carrier
- $2.98 — Large angled spatula (I repurposed my dough knife
instead)
- $7.98 — Cake decorating turntable
(I use a lazy susan from our cabinet).
instead)
(I use a lazy susan from our cabinet).TOTAL: $27.90
Was the cake decorating class worth it?
Did the course save me any money? No, but I prefer to make the cake instead of paying $45 for a cake from a nut-free bakery. Admittedly, any cake I made before taking the course would not have been decorated very well. Now, I have some useful skills. Not just in the actual decorations that we practiced, like roses, leaves, writing, etc., but now I can speak the cake decorator’s language and figure out new techniques from online examples. 
If having a well-decorated cake is the difference between buying one and baking one yourself, then this course will absolutely save you money — year after year. I estimate the cost of butter, sugar, and cake mixes to be about $7, although there are always opportunities to get them for less expense. Compared that to what you paid for your last store-bought cake ($25 at the grocery store? $45 or more at a bakery?). Depending on how many cakes per year you’ll replace with homemade cakes, it might save you some money just in that first year.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. I love to create thoughtful gifts for people I love, and I hate to contribute to clutter. A thoughtful, edible gift can be the perfect gift for someone who has it all. It’s also a gift for me because I have a few hours to myself where I can create something beautiful. It’s a creative outlet that I don’t get to have every week.
Here are the four other cakes I made, using Pinterest (gasp!) for inspiration:
They’re not perfect, but everyone who received a cake loved it, and that — to me — is what matters most. At one party, a guest asked where I got the cake, to make sure it was nut-free, and when I told him that I made it he was surprised. What an awesome feeling! I definitely didn’t get that question before taking the class.
For other DIY things you can do to save you time or money check out these great articles.
What Should Be in Your Date Night Jar
5 Home Decoration Tips That won’t Break the Bank
Fast Ways to Save Money
Have you ever taken a cake decorating class? Was it worth it to you? Are you considering taking one, or giving one as a gift?
36 thoughts on “Cake Decorating Class: Worth it? Or Waste of Money?”
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I totally agree! I took 3 of the cake decorating classes and loved them. Definitely worth it to me; and it was nice to get out of the house for a couple hours!
Yes! Getting out of the house in the evenings was definitely a big reason I loved taking the class. “Sorry guys, you’re on your own for dinner. I’m off to have fun!”
Am I the DIY-raving Pinterest maniac? LOL! ‘Cause I always wanted to take a cake decorating class. I have to say, though, it takes A LOT of patience, which I’ve recently learned I don’t have. 😉
Haha! No! I know how you roll — you’re much more down to earth than the image I had in my head about what it meant to do Pinterest projects. Turns out, there’s projects for all skill levels and timeframes on Pinterest. Until I started this blog, I honestly never knew that.
Wow, you have some skills. I don’t think like can be solely frugal and savings. You didn’t waste money buying something but used it to develop a skill you can do at home and to share with others. You now have a great skill and it’s fun at the same time. Seems like it was totally worth it. I’m not allowed to touch cakes to help…until it’s time to cut and eat them.
Cutting and eating cake is an essential part of the cake decorating process — so your skills are very necessary!
So pretty! I have none of these skills but always DIY the cake… Maybe I should take a class!
If you’re already DIYing the cake, taking a class is going to be a lot of fun! These cakes were all pretty easy once you have the right tools and practice.
Loved this. Your cakes are awesome! I decorate my own but they could go on Pinterest Cake Fails board. LOL. You will definitely get your money out of that course and now I am thinking it might be a good idea for me too. Bakery cakes are so expensive.
My cakes before the course were definitely worthy of a Cake Wreck or Pinterest Fail photo op!
I don’t think your first cake was bad! That was really clever that you thought to put all the trains around it.
That being said, they definitely got better after the course. I think if you enjoy it, there’s nothing wrong with spending some money on a hobby.
Thanks! Hopefully there weren’t any tears in that frosting. It took me forever to get all the writing right.
Now you’ve got me wanting to take a class. I wonder if Craftsy has cake decorating classes? It’s nearly impossible for me to get out of the house for something like that, but I could do an online course. Maybe you should become a craftsy affiliate 🙂 With my 5 kiddos 8 and under I’ve taken the last year to just buying cupcakes from the local ice cream place. And I refuse to feel guilty, although I do look forward to the time again when I can enjoy baking cakes.
Oh my gosh! I don’t think you have any reason to feel guilty for buying cupcakes when you have your hands full with 5 kids!
I’m still getting over the fact that you have time to bake and decorate. You’re a busy woman! They are really lovely cakes, and I’m reconsidering my previous no-decorating-class thoughts.
Thanks! It easier to find time to do something when you enjoy it so much! 🙂
i made an owl for my first cake i had fun
I’m trying to find a good cake decorating class that is local. I’m having a hard time finding anything.Any ideas on finding one? Your cakes are beautiful by the way.
Thank you! Wilton has a list of locations for classes and also offers an online version. Online won’t give you the personal coaching / critique of doing it in person, but it’s a reasonably priced class and will probably get the job done.
Etsy has online Wilton classes you can do at your own pace
Hey! I love your cakes! Very well done! I had a quick question. Did you have to pay a fee for each class or was it just the one time deal + the cost of supplies? I really suck with decorating, so I am wanting to take some classes at Michaels.
Thank you! You pay for a 4-class course and each course has its own course booklet and supplies.
I have taken 2 of the classes, at Michaels spent a lot of money buying suggested ( strongly ) by the instructor items for the upcoming week’s classes. Even with cupons it isn’t inexpensive
I have never taken a class. Would like to but at the moment I am self taught.
Wow! Good for you! See if Craftsy has some more advanced classes for you to take online.
I am a real beginner,Don’t know anything about frosting cakes,Love baking cakes,And cupcakes,
Don’t Worry I am one of the youngest person to complete most courses. If I can do most of the courses, so can you! I learned everything I need to know about all those things.
Hello I am wondering what Wilton course you took? I am trying to sign up but there are so many options. What is the exact name of the course you took?
I would like to learn how to how to decorate cakes I see so many beautiful cakes I have the machine but I’ve never tried it this would be my first time trying to make cakes
I took my first courses about 14 years ago. I had a dear friend who volunteered to take on my two little girls for 2 hours, four Fridays in a row. I had seen my mom and my aunt make some great cakes, and I wanted to have the ‘professional learning’. I did help my cakes look nice but was just as much for the social interaction. I ended up staying for all 4 courses (It is only 3 now). Each course builds on the last, although there is no hard and fast rule saying what order you have to do them in. Class one is usually called ‘Decorating Basics’ or ‘Buttercream skill’ or something similar and is about how to make icing, how to get the cakes ready for icing and some simple decorating techniques. The next course is usually using royal icing (that hardens) so that you can make flowers that you can just pick up in your fingers and add to a cake, and they last nearly forever. The final course is using fondant to decorate. My kids are all teens now, and I work part time at Michaels. I’m upgrading all my courses so I can help people with questions. Tonight I finish course 2. It was a little pricey but fun, and I’ve made a lot of birthday cakes and even a few wedding cakes for friends. Now, it is free for me…Michaels perks means I don’t pay for classes, and I have all the supplies already. I just bought the new books. And if you have the course, you can always make a few dates with friends and teach them too…