Wondering whether the Wilton cake decorating classes at Michael's are worth the money? Take a look at what I can create after spending just $100 on the class and materials. Have you ever found yourself in a crunch on a holiday or even your birthday? With so much to do, you may have had to churn out a birthday cake of your own creation. If you did and it didn't look so hot, maybe next time you try a cake decorating class. I know I personally have churned a boxed cake into a tasty treat but going to a cake decorating class gave me a skillset I never knew I needed. No longer will you have to ugly cry because you can decorate the cake the way you imagined

Thomas the Train 3rd Birthday cake

Before: My Skill Set Before Taking a Cake Decorating Class

Where can you find a cake decorating class?

You can look up cake decorating classes at local bakeries. Sometimes bakeries have special offerings to the public. If not, you can try a local eatery or chief inspired courses. They even have somewhere you make chocolate deserts. If you are like me, maybe you will luck up and get gifted a class from Michaels. They have a Wilton cake decorating class that is wonderful. Trust me when I say that never, in a million years, did I think that I would enjoy a cake decorating class. I thought that they were for DIY-raving maniacs who tried Pinterest projects all the time. But I realized that I needed to learn a thing or two about decorating cakes if I wanted to save money and sanity on cakes in the future.

The course taught me a lot of new skills that I have used over and over again this past year. Now, I'm a cake-decorating fiend! I love a new challenge and giving the special gift of a home-made cake.

How much is a cake decorating class?

Michael's publishes weekly coupons for 40%-60% off one regularly priced item or 25% off your entire purchase. They limit coupons to one per customer, so if you want to get items for 50% off, you have to keep coming back. You can also use competitors' coupons, and JoAnn and Hobby Lobby regularly publish the same types of coupons. So, if Michael's doesn't have a great coupon that week, check out JoAnn and they probably will.

With that coupon policy in mind, most of these fees and supplies can be discounted by 50%. You just need to stop by the store a few times.

  1. $25 — sale price for the course
  2. $35 — course materials (use a 50% off coupon to get it for $17.50)
  3. $4.99 — coursebook (use a 50% off coupon to get it for $2.48)
  4. $10 — cake mixes (you will have to make two cakes and a dozen cupcakes)
  5. $16 — tub of Wilton frosting (use a 50% off coupon to get it for $8)

TOTAL: $90.99. Or, if you buy the materials and supplies with coupons, $62.98.

My cake for the fourth, and final, Wilton Cake Decorating Class, course #1 -- buttercream.

After: My Final Project for the Cake Decorating Class

How much for Additional Supplies?

Aside from the fees and materials, I did purchase a few more tools. Ribbon Rose Detail on my final cake for the the Wilton Cake Decorating Basics Course. Was the class worth the cost?During the course of the class, Wilton tries to sell you some of their other tools — that's to be expected — but some of them are actually useful. There are some tools I would have bought if I wasn't already re-purposing something I already had in my kitchen.

These are the supplies I decided I "needed" in my cake-decorating arsenal. The prices listed are after a 50% off coupon at Michael's:

TOTAL: $27.90

Was the cake decorating class worth it?

Side Cake Detail on my final cake for the the Wilton Cake Decorating Basics Course. Was the class worth the cost?Since taking the class, I have made 4 cakes — 3 of them were for birthdays and 1 was for Mothers' Day. I loved creating these cakes and sharing them. They are ways that I can give a thoughtful gift that people can see the time and effort made for them.

Did the course save me any money? No, but I prefer to make the cake instead of paying $45 for a cake from a nut-free bakery. Admittedly, any cake I made before taking the course would not have been decorated very well. Now, I have some useful skills. Not just in the actual decorations that we practiced, like roses, leaves, writing, etc., but now I can speak the cake decorator's language and figure out new techniques from online examples.Leaves and Rosette Detail on my final cake for the the Wilton Cake Decorating Basics Course. Was the class worth the cost?

If having a well-decorated cake is the difference between buying one and baking one yourself, then this course will absolutely save you money — year after year. I estimate the cost of butter, sugar, and cake mixes to be about $7, although there are always opportunities to get them for less expense. Compared that to what you paid for your last store-bought cake ($25 at the grocery store? $45 or more at a bakery?). Depending on how many cakes per year you'll replace with homemade cakes, it might save you some money just in that first year.

Was it worth it? Absolutely. I love to create thoughtful gifts for people I love, and I hate to contribute to clutter. A thoughtful, edible gift can be the perfect gift for someone who has it all. It's also a gift for me because I have a few hours to myself where I can create something beautiful. It's a creative outlet that I don't get to have every week.

Here are the four other cakes I made, using Pinterest (gasp!) for inspiration:

LEGO Cake, using oreos for the bumps on top. I recommend using a flower nail to frost the Oreos before placing them on the cake.

LEGO Cake

Boulder the Rescue Bot Birthday Cake: Yellow and Green with Black Hazard Stripes on the Side

Boulder the Rescue Bot Birthday Cake

Fall Birthday Cake with Sunflowers (chocolate chips for seeds), Mums, and Falling Leaves. It would have been useful to have more than one leaf tip so I could make a multi-colored leaf pile more easily.

Fall Birthday Cake with Sunflowers, Mums, and Falling Leaves

Mother's Day Cake Inspired by Wax Flowers and Lilacs

Mother's Day Cake with Wax Flower and Lilac Inspiration

They're not perfect, but everyone who received a cake loved it, and that — to me — is what matters most. At one party, a guest asked where I got the cake, to make sure it was nut-free, and when I told him that I made it he was surprised. What an awesome feeling! I definitely didn't get that question before taking the class.

For other DIY things you can do to save you time or money check out these great articles.

What Should Be in Your Date Night Jar
5 Home Decoration Tips That won't Break the Bank
Fast Ways to Save Money

Have you ever taken a cake decorating class? Was it worth it to you? Are you considering taking one, or giving one as a gift?