Cake decorating lesson

During my first week of exploring in Songdo I came upon a smart-looking shop called Sugar Posh.  Beautifully decorated cakes and baked goods were on display, along with the headline “Sugarcraft Cake & Class.” Unfortunately, those were the only words in English and the shop was closed, so I could not read and understand the printed flier or inquire about the cake decorating classes.  I put this shop on my mental list of places to visit again.

I have enjoyed decorating cakes since I was quite young. I loved the beautiful doll cakes that my mom made my sisters and me for our birthdays, and how as she decorated, she taught me this skill. I later took two Wilton Cake Decorating courses, and over the years have created many cakes for birthdays and special events for my family.  I have always used butter-cream icing and like its flavor, flexibility, and possibilities.  However, I have also been intrigued by the”perfectness” of fondant and wondered how to use it.

In January I went back to Sugar Posh, found it open, and entered with the hopes of enrolling in a class.  I’m wondering if I am the first foreigner to inquire about lessons? Trying to get information about the classes was a language challenge to say the least, so this sweet owner called a friend to serve as our translator over the phone. We passed the phone back and forth and eventually set a cake decorating lesson date for March 🙂

On the day of my class, arriving with the apron specifically purchased for this event in hand, I discovered that I was the only one in the class.  Wow – one on one instruction – you can’t beat that! And bonus “small world” story: The instructor and owner of the shop is the mom of one of the boys I have worked with at Chadwick School, so he was there to serve as our translator! I was given a cup of tea and a just-out-o-the-oven scone with delicious homemade apple jelly. All tools necessary for the class were set up, as well as the four cake designs I could choose from.  I liked the “Will You Marry Me” design best, but since I am already married, I simply modified the words to “I Love You.”

Because this was for practice, foam molds served as the cake.  We used a prepared white fondant whose texture reminded me of taffy.  In fact, to blend color into it, you kneed and pull and twist the fondant just like the taffy making machines I have seen in candy stores.  Working with this material was easier than I had imagined; rolling it out like pie crust, shaping and trimming it to desired shapes and sizes, and using cutters, punches, stamps, and brushes to create designs. And like any craft, having the proper tools makes all the difference. I thoroughly enjoyed the process and after three hours, I had in front of me a finished “cake.” I feel confident that I can now try this at home:)

I am thankful that Mrs. Jeong, despite the difficulties that could result given our language barrier, was willing to open her kitchen and class to me.  And I am really indebted to her son, whom I am sure, would have rather been somewhere else on a Saturday morning. Being 10, I am doubtful that he fully understands how his translating enriched this experience for me.  Without it, not only would the instruction have taken longer, but I believe explanations, descriptions, and small talk would have been missing or lost in translation. Having him there was truly a gift!