My Wilton Portfolio – Chapter #2: Floral Finish and Rosebud Boutonnieres

© You Want Me to Cook?

You’re probably thinking I abandoned my Wilton Portfolio Project with only the first chapter.  Not so!  I just haven’t written about it, which is silly since this is a blog and it depends on my actually writing stuff after I’ve made it and decorated it.

This particular project is from the second class – Flowers and Cake Design.  The medium I’m working in is Gum Paste, Fondant and Royal Icing

Maple Carrot Cupcakes

Recipe made/modified June 6, 2012

For a commentary-free and printer-friendly version of it, please click here.

Original recipe from Taste of Home: Cupcake, Muffins and More and also found on their website.

It was time for me to make my second project from Wilton’s lesson manuals, this time from class number 2 - Flowers and Cake Design.  I could have made things a little easier by using a box cake mix, but I decided that I should be testing out cake recipes from scratch if I ever want to do this professionally.  I decided on one of my husband’s favorites, carrot cake, and went with this Maple Carrot Cupcake recipe.

© You Want Me to Cook?
Maple Carrot Cupcakes

Don’t these look delicious?  I didn’t sprinkle on any of the nuts since by this time I was exhausted from making, frosting and decorating the cupcakes from my lesson manual.

My other “complaint” is that my frosting didn’t look like and wasn’t as firm as their frosting was.  I come across this a lot and haven’t yet figured out what I’m doing wrong, especially since I’m following the directions closely.

Flowers and Cake Design – Class #4: The Final Class

So it’s the final week and that means final project cakes.  The hardest thing about the final cake is picking the design.  Sure, Wilton gives you some ideas, but there are a lot of different things you have to keep in mind.

Since we still had 2 techniques to learn, we were going to have approximately 90 minutes to finish the cake.  If you ever watch any of the Food Network cake challenges, you know the biggest weakness of the majority of the designers is they plan too big of a design to complete in the time they are given.  That is one thing I have in common with them.  The things I don’t have in common?  Insane cake decorating talent. 

Er, okay, mediocre cake decorating talent. 

Sigh… basic cake decorating talent