Industry Secrets for the Savvy Decorator
Kara Andretta
Class Preview
1:41
- In-depth Instruction; over 161 mins
- On-demand video access anytime
- Bonus downloadable PDF resources
- Access to class Q&A
Getting Set Up
30:58
Meet cake decorator Kara Andretta, your guide to discovering industry tips and techniques crucial to a thriving, successful business. Before you start baking, learn how to effectively organize your workspace. Then find out how to build -- and maintain -- your online presence to best reach a global audience, as well as your local community.
Doweling & Stacking 101
25:04
Ensure that your cakes are completely secure with Kara's doweling and stacking techniques. Get in-depth instruction on everything from drilling a center-pole hole in your cake base, to sizing dowels and placing them in each tier for maximum stability. Plus, find out simple tricks for hiding cake seams.
Easy Supports for Super-Impressive Cakes
25:32
See how to pull off breathtaking designs with simple tools as you work on a gravity-defying upside-down cake. Construct a sturdy barbell-style cake stand out of wooden dowels cleverly hidden by the design's upside-down birthday candle! Finish the look by applying petal dust for added dimension and visual interest.
Wafer-Paper Wraps
30:20
Transform your cakes into elegant works of art using Kara's tried-and-true wafer-paper techniques! Gain confidence creating delicate grasses and vibrant poppies as you cut, shape and attach wafer paper to your cakes. You'll also see simple ways to embellish a cake board with textured fondant.
Cost-Effective Embellishments
17:34
Make your cakes stand out from the crowd with one-of-a-kind designs that won't break the bank. Learn how to expertly apply a shimmery luster finish to each tier. Then practice constructing a gorgeous wafer-paper bouquet -- complete with customizable centers -- that your clients will adore!
Cake Storage & Delivery
21:45
Finish your cake orders in a timely fashion with Kara's tips and tricks. Discover how to create a highly efficient production timeline, starting with the first client meeting. In addition, gain trusty techniques for securely boxing your finished cakes and delivering them safely to the venue.
Fix It!
9:12
Knowing how to troubleshoot common problems is key to a stress-free delivery day. Kara shares valuable tips on how to stock a general emergency fix-it kit to touch up small blemishes, bubbles or dings at the venue. Plus, get expert advice on what backup items to bring for specific designs.
Deliver your clients an experience they’ll never forget and results they’ll rave about to their friends, with guidance from cake designer Kara Andretta. First, learn how to organize your workspace for a more productive decorating experience. Then, get tips for building a strong online presence at both a global and local level. Next, Kara shares cake hacks — clever solutions for your cakes — you’ll wonder how you lived without, including how to build sturdy tiered confections and how to create impressive upside-down cakes! And, take your cakes from ordinary to show-stopping with Kara’s wafer-paper techniques for delicate grasses, vibrant poppies and even a wallet-friendly wafer-paper bouquet. Finally, discover how to finish, box and deliver your cakes in a timely, organized fashion. Plus, find out what to keep in your emergency kit so on-the-go mishaps never trip you up!
Kara Andretta
Kara Andretta is an international cake and sugar art instructor and designer specializing in gravity-defying and novelty cakes. Her career started in arts education, before she discovered her passion for baking and made the switch to culinary school. She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and earned a B.A. in culinary business management. Today, she owns Kara's Couture Cakes, a cake-decorating business where she is able to put her art, education and culinary backgrounds to use creating bespoke cakes for any occasion.
Bonus materials available after purchase