Pursuing a Career in Professional Cake Decorating

There are few people on the planet who don’t love the look, and taste, of a beautifully decorated slice of cake. While cakes are primarily designed to be delicious, there is no question that the adage, “Eating with your eyes,” is particularly true when it comes to beautiful pastries and cakes.

If you have a love of all things sweet, a desire to turn a hobby into a full-blow professional career and the direction and drive it takes to succeed in a competitive baking and pastry arts industry, then take the necessary steps to become a professional cake decorator.

A Typical Day as a Professional Cake Decorator

Before you dive headfirst into the idea of becoming a professional cake decorator, it is important to learn what daily life is actually like for someone in this position. Like most people involved in the baking industry, an early start to the day is not uncommon.

Many cake and pastry decorators have to start work before dawn in order to be there when baked goods begin to come out of the oven. If you work in a traditional bakery, you might spend the morning rolling out fondant to drape over cakes, piping on a thick layer of sweet frosting for a sheet cake or even creating delicate sugar flowers to place on a cake.

There is no question that artistic skill is a big part of becoming a cake decorator, but in larger bakeries a lot of your day might be spent doing more routine jobs like the ones listed above.

The exception to this rule is for very accomplished decorators who work for wedding cake companies or even a competitive decorators. In these instances, you may have a lot more creativity and flexibility with cake decor, but long days, hard work in the kitchen and tight deadlines for cake completion will almost always still come with the territory.

Skills Required to Become a Professional Cake Decorator

Along with some kind of formal training or education, there are specific skills and traits that will be necessary if you are serious about becoming a professional cake or pastry decorator.

Perhaps most importantly is some creative or artistic talent. Baking, especially the pastry arts, is more than just the scientific approach that it takes to mix flour, eggs, butter and leavening agents for the perfect dough.

The best pastry artists and cake decorators are also able to imagine beautiful pastries and then implement those ideas in the flesh. Of course, to take an idea and turn it into an edible piece of art, you will also need a steady hand and the focus to work on a single project for hours at a time.

Some upscale wedding cakes, complete with multiple tiers, can actually take a full week to decorate! You should also be a team player, as many cake decorators work with partners to create fabulous desserts for their clients or customers.

Pursuing Education in the Baking and Pastry Arts

In a few cases, bakeries will hire completely inexperienced assistants or apprentices to learn the ropes of cake decorating right on the job. However, that is becoming less and less common as an increasing number of degree programs pop up covering cake decorating and the pastry arts.

For a very basic introduction to cake decorating, you might want to enroll into a short-term weekend or month-long course in the subject. However, that should only be the first step to a more complete education.

The best way to prepare for professional cake decorating careers is with a formal degree. You can choose between a two-year associate degree and a four-year bachelor’s degree, both of which are often suitable for applicants who want to work in bakeries or cake shops.

It is important to note that few degrees are focused exclusively on cake decorating. Instead, you might major in baking arts or pastry arts, which can cover a variety of related subjects to help your future career.

What to Expect in Your Degree’s Curriculum

Whether you opt for an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree in pastry arts, your degree program will consist of a few key courses that can help prepare you for a career as a professional cake decorator. While the exact names of classes vary from college to college, expect to find a curriculum full of courses like tiered cake construction, color schemes for cakes, frosting techniques, food safety and sanitation, sugar flowers piping skills. 

Practice Makes Perfect

Perhaps the most important thing to do if you want to pursue professional cake decorating is to practice as often as possible. Even a degree, an internship and a love of beautiful cakes won’t be enough to catapult you to success in the field unless you also have the skills.

Many aspiring cake decorators invest in a set of piping tools so that they can practice icing and frosting cakes on a regular basis. You will also want to learn a basic recipe for making your own frosting, which will be much more affordable than buying commercial versions from the store.

Finally, don’t think that you can only practice your decorating skills with an actual cake. Spend time looking at other cakes, drawing, sketching or painting, making flowers from sugar, rolling fondant and even piping frosting onto flat pieces of cardboard.

Once you are done piping out the frosting, scrape it right back into your piping bag and start again! When it comes to decorating cakes, practice makes perfect.

Choosing the Right School for Your Degree

There are hundreds of culinary schools located across the country where you can pursue a degree in cake decorating or pastry arts, which means that choosing the right one can feel overwhelming.

There are several factors to keep in mind when making your selection: Location, teaching staff, facilities and cost. Location may be important because many culinary professionals go on to work in the same city where they earned their degree.

You will also want to look for colleges where teaching staff have some experience in the baking and pastry arts field as well as a reputation as hands-on instructors. Facilities are also integral for a successful education in the culinary world.

Pick a culinary school or college that offers spacious teaching kitchens, modern appliances, hygienic guidelines and space for students to practice their skills outside of set class times. Finally, remember that different programs have different costs. Pick the program that best meets your needs as well as your budget, whatever that might be.

Although decorating cakes at home doesn’t require anything more than some frosting, it takes a lot to become a professional cake decorator. However, the right degree, training, practice and skill set can help you to pursue your dreams and become a full-time cake decorator at a bakery or even your own cake business.  To explore the many ways you can begin a culinary career, visit Cooking-Culinary-Arts-Schools.org.

Explore Careers in Cake Decorating

There is a big difference between a plain white sheet cake and an artfully decorated tiered cake. The first is uninspired and boring, while the second is vibrant and brings up happy emotions and feelings for those about to enjoy it.

If you have an artistic side and a love for all things culinary, then a career in decorating cakes might just be the perfect option.

Certifications, Degrees and Education

Some people gain their experience in this field simply by practicing and decorating cakes for friends and family. While this is a great way to get started, it is important to have some kind of degree or certification from a course or program that proves you know how to properly decorate cakes of all kinds.

These courses will teach you how to use different mediums like gum paste, butter cream and royal icing. You can learn firsthand how to create beautiful cakes faster and how to transform your artistic abilities into cake decorating talent.

Explore your options to learn professional cake decorating.

Employment Opportunities for Cake Decorators

There are a number of different careers available for those who want to work in this field. Entry level positions are often found in retail stores and grocery chains in the bakery department.

With some experience and education, you may be able to open your own cake decorating company or even create wedding cakes in a large upscale bakery.

Pursuing a diploma or certification in cake decoration can ensure that you find the perfect career that blends your passion for art with your sweet tooth in the kitchen.

To uncover all of the amazing options available to help you reach your culinary career goals, visit www.cooking-culinary-arts-schools.org.