Learn More, Achieve More, Be More

Who is this course for?
Want to learn how to decorate cakes and cupcakes using buttercream? This practical three-week course will introduce you to the essential piping skills you need to create attractive cake decorations. You’ll learn how to work with buttercream, prepare piping bags and use a range of nozzles. As your confidence develops, you’ll move on to more decorative piping techniques before bringing your skills together to create a finished celebration cake.

Entry Requirements
There are no minimum entry requirements for this course.

What you will learn
Week 1 - Piping & Buttercream: Getting Started
Learn the basics of making and working with buttercream, preparing piping bags and using a selection of piping nozzles. Practise simple swirls, stars, shells and borders to create your first decorated cupcake or small cake design.
The college will provide:
- Ready-made buttercream
- piping bags
- nozzles
- reusable cupcake dummies or silicone practice mats.

Week 2 - Piping & Buttercream: Building Your Skills
Take your piping skills further and explore more decorative techniques, including rosettes, ruffles, textured finishes and two-tone piping. You’ll learn how to combine different piping techniques to create a coordinated cake design.
The college will provide:
- Additional buttercream for practice.

Week 3 - Piping & Buttercream: Creative Cake Decorating
Bring your piping skills together to create a finished celebration cake. You’ll explore different piping styles, colour combinations and decorative finishes, while learning how to plan and build a balanced cake design.
You’ll have the opportunity to put your techniques into practice and create a finished cake to take home.
For Week 3, you will need to bring:
- An 8-inch round firm sponge cake, ready to decorate
- A 10-inch round cake drum
- A 10-inch cake box
- Your own ready-made buttercream - approximately 500g icing sugar to 250g butter

How you will learn
You will gain knowledge via presentations, demonstrations, group discussions, question and answer sessions and practical exercises.

What will you need to bring
For Week 3, you will need to bring:
- An 8-inch round firm sponge cake, ready to decorate
- A 10-inch round cake drum
- A 10-inch cake box
- Your own ready-made buttercream - approximately 500g icing sugar to 250g butter

How you will be assessed
Your tutor will provide valuable development feedback throughout the session.

Where next?
We have a range of sugarcraft skills courses that you can progress onto. Please see our web listings for further details.

What we expect from you
You are required to attend every session. The minimum required attendance for this course is 85%. Anything below this attendance will be reviewed by the Curriculum Development Manager and you may be withdrawn from the course and the outstanding course fees will still be payable. Please see our terms and conditions for more information.

Havering Adult College requires its learners and staff to uphold the following good behaviour principles:

-Act in a way that would not upset or offend others
- Treat all staff and all other learners with respect at all times
- Use appropriate language and not make remarks likely to offend; either verbally, in writing on or via social media
- Attend regularly and arrive on time
- If you are unable to attend or arrive on time, you must inform us by emailing your teacher or phoning 01708 434955 option 1, option 2
- Follow Health and Safety guidelines for the venue and those specifically related to the course you are attending
- Turn off mobile phones whilst in class (except in an emergency)
- Actively promote British values