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I’ve been meaning to write this post for a few days! Last saturday me and my good friend Emma went on a groupon cupcake decorating course that we’d booked back in early march.
I was super duper excited to learn more about cupcakes and also about the afternoon tea and cake we were promised. The class was at April Delights, a small business based in Top Valley, Nottingham that sell wedding cakes and also cupcakes for weddings.
When we arrived, we found that the class was a little disorganised since some people had evidentally arrived early and had begun a bit early.
Once everyone was on the same page, we begun by learning about rolling and colouring fondant.
The owner of April Delights was very friendly and knowledgeable plus approachable. We learned techniques such as how to make fondant roses, bows, butterflies, and even shoes!
I didn’t make a shoe myself as they looked a bit….old-fashioned. But I had fun picking out colours and decorating my cupcakes. Here I am (kinda) hard at work. Sorry about the weird head tilt.
It was quite satisfying learning how to make the little roses and ribbon.
We also iced a few of the cupcakes with buttercream and I learned a great technique for frosting with buttercream that I hope will result in amazing cupcakes the next time I make some of my own.
Overall, I enjoyed the class, but I was disappointed with a few things. The cupcakes were bought in and just didn’t have the freshness, moisture, or, most importantly FLAVOUR of homemade cupcakes. The frosting was also lacking in flavour and had a strange consistency/texture. Unfortunately I had no desire to eat the cupcakes I took home for this reason. Cupcakes are obviously calorific, so I’m not wasting hundreds of calories on a sub-par one. The result was that my remaining cupcakes ended up in the bin.
We were also promised ‘afternoon tea and cake throughout’ the class which actually meant a cup of tea and some biscuits/cakes. Shop bought (actually still defosting!) biscuits/cakes. This may be Groupon’s fault rather than April Delights as apparently they have a habit of miswording deals slightly even though the vendor may have provided correct information. But suffice to say I was not impressed with tesco donuts and the most flavourless biscuits I have ever tasted (maybe it was partly because they were still frozen?). Surely even if you’re not going to make your own cakes and biscuits, you’d get stuff from Waitrose rather than cut corners?
Interestingly, I did learn something rather valuable from the class – I bloody well HATE (maybe hate’s too strong a word) – I DISLIKE stupid fondant decorations that taste like nothing. They are pointless and completely contrary to everything that I like about baking which is making satisfying cakes that TASTE GOOD. And while frosting can taste good (yum!), fondant simply cannot. The cakes I make, for me, my friends and my family, will always be of the home baked, flavourful, moist, delicious, honest variety, like this yummy lemon and almond cake I baked for my friends birthday last week. Recipe coming on that tomorrow!
Hi Kelly,
I came accross your blog doing research into cupcake courses. I am thinking of starting to offer these as I have had many people ask if I do them,
What would you expected from the day? My plan would be to bake at home the cupcakes for up to 20 people to take 6 home each but I would have a few different flavour choices in there. I would have to agree with you about fondant as I dislike it and I agree a plain cake with no filling isnt nice at all, I like to cut a hole out of cupcakes and squirt in some jam or lemon.
Anyway I would also provide refreshements being cakes and biscuits but I would make the cakes myself. I would only be offering 2 courses a week one evening and one morning.
I would really welcome any thoughts you have on how I can make sure people leave happy.
My wordpress blog is here http://derbyshireweddingcakes.wordpress.com/
Thanks
Zoe
Hey Zoe! I’ll post this reply on your blog too in case you miss it here
Congratulations on your new blog!
Re expectations, I don’t think mine for the day were massively high, but I did expect homemade cupcakes. I don’t think I’m a complete snob about shop-bought products – Mr Kipling makes a better battenburg than any that I’ve ever produced! So the most important thing is for the cupcakes to taste good, definitely!
If people are more interested in decorating than making them from scratch, or if thats difficult due to mess/time, it would be nice to do a course where you show them your failproof cupcake recipe and all your tips and tricks by you demonstrating making a batch (you could then do a blue peter ‘here’s the ones I made earlier’ kind of thing.
Re refreshments, the ones on our course were truly awful so I’m sure your homemade ones will be fab! I wouldn’t have even minded shop bought if they were nice ones (Waitrose do lovely cakes and you can’t beat Fox’s biscuits!). It also might be good to see if you can get a friend to help you on the day, maybe just with the tea break bit or you could get a big boiler (forget what they’re called) and supplies and get people to help themselves.
The most important thing overall though is probably your attitude with the people – I would make sure I took the time to introduce myself to everyone individually and ask their names, and maybe provide name stickers so people could talk amongst themselves and make friends. If they leave with a good impression of you, they’ll be much more likely to recommend your cakes and the course to other people.
Good luck with everything! Kerry
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Glad someone else finds the fondant on top of cupcakes dull and boring. I’d rather have a delicious carrot and apple cake glazed with marmelade when it’s still warm. I’m going to be dragging you along to Nottingham Organic Gardeners one day for homemade cakes, allotment soup and a bit of digging. No more tacky fondant for you dear.
And Tesco biscuits and donuts?! Wow, they really know how to treat their CUSTOMERS. Bad reviews like this won’t deter them. Did you tell them you thought it was pap?
Groupon deals puzzle me. Apparently people up their prices by 50% before putting it on Groupon so it looks like a proper deal. How much was the cupcake course (if you don’t mind sharing)?
Hey Beth! Thanks for your comment!! I read your site so glad you came across mine! Glad that there are lots of other bakers who prefer simple homemade great tasting cakes!!
Nottingham organic gardners sounds great – is that a club?
The course was £29 and she does advertise it for 100 on her website – I have to admit I said nothing about what I really thought about the course as the lady was so nice and friendly! But I don’t think I’d go on another course as it made me realise that the cakes I make are fabulous already! (modest)
Xx Kerry