Making buttercream from scratch and coloring it for class

Had to make a double batch of Class Wilton Buttercream Icing and divide, color and seal to take to class this week.  And the half-dozen cupcakes we needed to bring in to decorate too.  I had to double
this.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1 teaspoon Wilton Flavor (vanilla, almond or butter)
• 7-8 tsp water or milk
• 1 lb pure cane confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon Wilton Meringue Powder
• Pinch of salt (optional)

Makes: About 2 1/2  cups

Ready to divide

Ready to color

1 and 1/4 cup medium consistency

1/4 cup thin consistency

1/2 cup medium consistency dark color

1/2 cup medium consistency dark and light colors

cupcakes made from Wilton's Butter Cake recipe

Wilton's Decorating Basic Class - 2nd night

Here are pictures of the cake I took to Class 2 for decorating.  I was surprised to catch myself OCDing using the fondant smoother and a Visa paper towel in class trying to get the buttercream icing as smooth as I possibly could.  This ended up in me packing it all up and decorating it the next day at
home.  I think I did pretty good with the icing but did not end off the blue flowers just right - too pointy.

I love our instructor - she is so patient plus explains and demonstrates in remarkable detail.  If you leave there not understanding it is not because she did not try.  She has two other classes that I plan to take plus she told us last night that she may be offering specialty classes soon.  Even if I only continue to bake and decorate for the grandchildren, children and Motorcycle Man I hope that I can make cakes that will leave them speechless - and not from the way the cakes/icing taste ha ha.

Ready to start the piping of the fish.

Another close up to show you the icing was not so bad for a first time using a new method.

Piping gel of the copy of the fish stencil from the book.

The piping gel reversed after I brushed it on the cake.

That sure is a fat fish.

Here, look at all that yellow icing!

Yep, my little fat yellow fishy.

Wilton's Decorating Basic Class

Have I mentioned I love to bake?  I finally decided to sign up for the Wilton's Decorating class at the local craft store and took my third lesson this week.  I will post pictures from the first two weeks ...