Cake decoration is an art form. Social media is full of video clips, shorts and reels of elaborate wedding cake designs and, more recently, super realistic cakes designed as everyday objects. Looking at those amazing cake designs, you might think it’s impossible to do the same, but Rome wasn’t built in one day. Join a workshop a Julie’s Cake Studio and soon you’ll have all the necessary skills to make your own edible art.
Julie Donald, a mom of three, is a Silwood-qualified chef that first started out in the wedding cake industry. She soon, though, realised her passion lies in teaching sugarcraft. Julie’s Cake Studio, owned and managed by Julie herself, was established in 2007 and it’s where she leads numerous workshops, but she has also helped many aspiring entrepreneurs launch their own successful businesses. She writes regularly for food24 and SA Craft and Home and she also has her own blog where she shares her recipes.
Julie is very active at her studio with all kinds of classes for all kinds of skills (or lack thereof). She offers four Short Intensive Courses, which run for three to five days, on novelty cake design, wedding cake design, and edible flower making. But if that sounds too intense, she also has several four-hour workshops that normally take place on Saturdays, which means it’s perfect for the weekday nine-to-fivers who would like to learn a new skill over the weekends. Here are the six exciting workshops lined up for the next month:
1. Butter Icing and Drip Effect Class
The Butter Icing and Drip Effect Class will focus on all the basics of working with butter icing, including how to create sharp corners, piped effects and ombre effects. Students will experiment with naked cakes, semi-naked cakes, and butter icing stripes, and will learn how to do the drip effect using water ganache.
Details:
- Date: Saturday 21 May 2022
- Time: 9am – 1pm
- Price: R1 050
2. Unicorn and Rainbow Class
During the Unicorn and Rainbow Class, students will learn the basics of working with fondant. By the end of the class, students would have learned how to hand model a unicorn and a large standing rainbow, the ideal skill for kids’ parties.
Details:
- Date: Saturday 28 May 2022
- Time: 9am – 1pm
- Price: R950
3. Gumpaste Rose Class
In the Gumpaste Rose workshop, students will learn to make a lifelike sugar rose and leaves that can be used on top of cakes or cupcakes at events like birthdays, engagement parties, kitchen teas or baby showers.
Details:
- Date: Saturday 4 June 2022
- Time: 9am – 1pm
- Price: R950
4. Cookie Decorating Class
The Cookie Decorating Class will focus on all the basics of working with royal icing, including how to make a perfectly flooded cookie. Students will experiment with drop-in and wet-on-wet techniques, and will use piping consistency royal icing to add details such as borders and lettering.
The cookies themselves will be baked by Julie in advance, but for those who still need some help with their own cookie baking, Julie will give a demo on how to bake the perfect cookie for decorating.
Details:
- Date: Thursday 9 June 2022
- Time: 9am – 1pm
- Price: R950
5. Flower Fairy Class
During the Flower Fairy Class, students will learn the basics of hand modeling people and working with fondant, and will make a flower fairy out of fondant, another cute skill to have for children’s birthdays or themed baby showers.
Details:
- Date: Saturday 11 June 2022
- Time: 9am – 1pm
- Price: R950
6. Sculpting and Covering Fondant Cake Class
During the Sculpting and Covering Fondant Cake Class, students will carve and shape a cake, then cover with fondant and make at least one 2D/3D animal as per the class’s circus theme.
Details:
- Date: Saturday 25 June 2022
- Time: 9am – 1pm
- Price: R1 050
Booking is essential for all of these workshops since there are a limited amount of participants allowed, and a lot of preparation must be done before the classes start. Have a look at the website for further instructions on how to join one of these enriching and fun activities.
Details:
- Location: 22 Roseville Rd, Claremont, Cape Town, 7708
- Website: juliescakestudio.co.za
Also read:
Wake up and smell the cupcakes – Hout Bay local creates ‘floral’ wonders
Picture: @julies_cake_studio / Instagram