Getting a cake to sit straight and tall is no small feat, and the higher it goes the closer to looking like the Leaning Tower of Pisa it gets. Levelling your cakes is the first crucial step in avoiding a trip to Italy.
All great cake decorating starts with the techniques taught in this course.
Master Cake Artist Yolanda Gampp has spent over two decades perfecting and practicing her methods. With over 20 key techniques covered in step-by-step videos, this course is a true A-Z of her cake decorating essentials . Making stunning cakes doesn’t have to be trial and error.
This course isn't about learning how to decorate one cake, it's about learning how to beautifully decorate any cake!
Who Is This For?
Do you love sky high buttercream cakes with sharp stripes and the perfect drip? Or do you want to experiment with novelty cakes that look like real things? It all starts with the techniques in this course.
Built for all skill levels, this course is perfect if you’re a true beginner, or if you want to get deeper into perfecting the techniques you’re currently using.
The best part? You can work your way through this course at your own pace, there is NO pressure to meet deadlines.
Why wait? The sky's the limit for what you can create!
Yolanda Gampp has spent over 20 years of her life mastering the art of cake decorating. As seen on Netflix, The Food Network and Good Morning America, Yolanda has over half a billion views on Youtube, and when starting her career could ice 120 cakes a day! She holds a Degree from The George Brown Culinary Institute and is a self professed perfectionist who is obsessed with organization!
What's Included?
20 A-Z Decorating Techniques - Covered in beautiful videos with Yolanda Gampp walking you through step by step. Lessons are organized A-Z so that you’re learning the key elements of taking your cakes and fillings, and turning them into beautiful masterpieces. Transcripts for every video are also included!
The Baking Basics! Over 12 core recipes you’ll need to get decorating, laid out in step by step video tutorials! Crafted and optimized by Yolanda over her career as a professional, these recipes are designed to build and decorate cakes with - they are both sturdy and delicious! You’ll learn Yolanda’s key techniques for getting them perfect, so that you can get to practicing your decorating!
Live Stream Cake Talks with Yolanda will be available quarterly inside the portal so that you can check in, ask questions directly, and talk all things cake! Do you want to celebrate a win? Or maybe you need some Cake Therapy? Join Yo and pour your heart out (:
Course Contents
Take a sneak peak at the course! Yolanda walks you through over 20 decorating techniques with step-by-step instructional videos you won’t find anywhere else.
Lesson 1: Crooked Cakes No More (10:35)
Lesson 2: The Secret To Moist Cakes (8:55)
Simple Syrup isn’t so much a secret but using it correctly and avoiding soggy cakes or sliding sloppy buttercream sometimes is.
Lesson 3: Your Spatula’s First Steps (17:44)
Filling your cake layers with buttercream is the next most common place things go sideways (literally). In this lesson you’ll learn how to properly handle your spatulas for an even, thick, crumb-free fill that stands straight PLUS a fun technique for the ultimate wow factor.
Lesson 4: Surprise inside! (12:39)
Learn the tricks to building a surprise inside cake correctly, so that you avoid cutting the cake open to reveal sprinkles clumped together with buttercream, melting candy, and a cake that collapses in on itself. That’s a...different kind of surprise.
Lesson 5: DON’T skip this step! (7:23)
The crumb coat and chill is the most crucial step to getting a perfectly smooth iced cake that isn’t full of crumbs and that stays moist.
Lesson 6: Icing Three Ways (16:06)
Your spatula technique is CRUCIAL here, and depending on the type of cake you’re icing, the process is different. Round cakes need to be flawlessly smooth, square cakes scream for sharp edges, and oddly shaped cakes make icing a real challenge. Yolanda covers them all in this three-parter.
Lesson 7: Straight, Clean Buttercream Stripes! (15:29)
Cake combs are the focus in this lesson - striped cakes are gorgeous but they can easily end up looking like uneven smears of buttercream. Let’s make them clean, crisp and straight!
Lesson 8: Use Your Cake Like A Canvas (7:28)
Blending buttercream can take a cake from meh to Monet. But it’s important to use the right blend of textures and colours or you may create something that looks similar to the artwork you did in kindergarten.
Lesson 9: Drip Drip Baby (14:17)
This technique is all about control, and chocolate that’s JUST the right temperature and consistency. Avoid thin, runny stripes that pool at the bottom of your cake and achieve that flawlessly smooth look we’ve all come to love!
Lesson 10: Piping Tips - Literally (19:45)
There are basics about piping you need to know because no one can resist a cake with those perfectly coiffed poofs of buttercream!
Lesson 11: Making Your Cake MEGA. (15:50)
Yolanda’s Mega Cakes have become a favorite, and have a signature ‘piled high’ look that is packed with flavor and careful design. Learn how to top your cakes artfully.
Lesson 12: The Secret Weapon (7:52)
Sprinkles. Always have them on hand, use them wisely, and practice these different techniques for taking your cake to the next level of colour and texture.
Lesson 13: Cake Architecture (20:01)
Cake structure could be a complete course, but here you’ll learn the basics of using dowels to make tiered cakes - because gravity is not a cake decorator’s friend and YES your cake will collapse in on itself if you don’t understand structure.
What Do I Need?
Ingredients You'll Need
- Baked cake of your choice
- Buttercream of your choice (multiple colors)
- Simple Syrup
- Marshmallows
- Chocolate bar of your choice
- Chocolate wafers in your choice of colors
- Sprinkles of your choice
- Piping gel
- Sanding sugar
- Lollipops
- Other candy of your choice
Tools You'll Need
- lazy susan
- cake board
- ruler
- long serrated knife
- short serrated knife
- Straight spatula
- Offset spatula
- bench scraper
- squeeze bottle (optional)
- silicone brush (optional)
- spoon
- Small bowl
- piping bags
- #805 round piping tip
- #826 star piping tip
- circle cutters
- metal cake comb
- squeeze bottle with pointed nozzle tip
- or parchment paper piping bag
- 8-10 sticks of 12" long 1/4" wooden dowels
- felt tip pen or thin marker
- garden shears
- emery board or sandpaper
Get Guidance and Help As You Go
Ask questions in the Forum section and get guidance from our team!
PLUS!
Join Yolanda quarterly for a LIVE Cake Talk! Bring your questions, and hey, bring your cakes! This is all about getting you answers, sharing cake woes, and laughing along the way.
Why this course and not others?
There are tons of courses out there on how to make one cake design that range from $30-$150. Or you could pay a monthly fee for a website offering classes that have low production quality and may not be taught by someone you can trust.
This course is not only led by one of the most recognizable and experienced cake artists in the world, but it’s built to teach you the foundations you need to make ANY cake, not just one trendy design.
Join over 800 bakers who have levelled up their cake decorating With Yolanda
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I access the course?
After you have enrolled, you will receive an email from Thinkific, the e-learning portal where the course is hosted. This email will contain your login info. Once you are logged into the portal, all of your lessons will be there waiting for you! :) If you have any issues accessing the portal, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at shop@howtocakeit.com
How long is the course?
This course includes 13 pre-recorded video lessons and is completely self-paced! Once you enroll, you will receive access to the e-learning portal where you can view all your lessons.
When does this course start?
Whenever you’re ready! Once you enroll, you will receive access to the e-learning portal where you can access all the lessons. This course is completely self-paced. Need help? Leave your questions inside the forum and one of our team members will answer. Remember, we’re here to support you every step of the way!
Who is this course for?
This course is for any baker who wants to improve their decorating skills! Yolanda covers over 20 decorating techniques and that will help you build a great foundational portfolio. Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced cake decorator, you’ll be able to use these foundational techniques to create a wide range of cake styles. The best part? This program is completely self-paced, so you can go through the lessons at a pace that works for you!
I’m a beginner. Is this program right for me?
Absolutely! Built for all skill levels, this course is perfect if you’re a beginner, or if you want to get deeper into perfecting the techniques you’re currently using. With over 20 key techniques covered in 13 step-by-step videos, it’s a true A-Z of the cake decorating essentials.
This program is completely self-paced, so you can go through the lessons at your own pace! You will also receive full transcriptions of every video that you can refer back to anytime.
What equipment do I need to participate?
You’ll need basic cake decorating tools, such as spatulas, piping bags, a cake comb, and a turntable. You can find the tools you’ll need above. Remember, this course is completely self-paced, so if there’s a tool you don’t have, you can alway come back to that video later!
What ingredients do I need to participate?
You can find all the ingredients you will need above. This course focuses on the core decorating techniques you need to create great cakes. From there, you can make a huge range of styles!
