Photo courtesy of the NY Cake Academy
From lavish weddings, big birthday bashes and milestone celebrations, cakes have been at the forefront of making these special occasions memorable. With cakes holding a pivotal role in society, the question “What skills does it take to master the creation of these tasty treats?” is still asked.
That is why I decided to take a trip to the New York Cake Academy to learn the art of cake decorating and determine whether the beginner’s Cake Decorating 101 class is worth taking.
The class is taught by Lisa Mansour, an award-winning cake decorator and Director of The New York Cake Academy, and is structured over a two-and-a-half-hour time slot. The class starts with learning how to fold and insert frosting into piping bags to create various designs.
Mansour teaches the importance of the various piping tips, such as the star tip and leaf tip, which each create unique designs. She carefully guides us as we practice on a blank slate, and you can tell Mansour cares whether or not a student understands the techniques and helps with corrections as needed.
After learning all the techniques, we were finally able to put our new knowledge to the test by decorating our own special cake. Mansour allowed students to pick from various icing colors and taught us how to properly coat the icing onto the cake before beginning the decorating process.
As students started decorating, a heartfelt moment was shared when Mansour told the story of how The New York Cake Academy came to be.
Mansour described how the inspiration for The New York Cake Academy came from her childhood home, when her mother and the founder of The New York Cake Academy, Joan Mansour, would teach locals how to make the tasty treat from her own kitchen.
With each passing week, the popularity of these lessons grew among her local community. Finally, Mansour shared how her mother decided to open The New York Cake Academy and endured many struggles before it became the success it is today.
The story was inspiring and intriguing to hear as I was finishing up my orange and yellow cake.
By the time the other students and I were finished, it felt like the time had passed far too quickly, and our experience had come to an end. After I finished packing up my cake, I asked Mansour what she loves most about The New York Cake Academy.
“It’s a happy business, and cake makes people happy,” Mansour said. “The satisfaction from people makes me happy.”
Overall, The New York Cake Academy’s Cake Decorating 101 class was an intriguing and fun experience that works both your mind and hands. It’s an experience that anyone can enjoy by themselves or with their loved ones.
The New York Cake Academy is run by empowered women, and the quality of the classes is shown through the love they have for the art of cake making. Decorate, create and elevate your cake game with The New York Cake Academy.
The New York Cake Academy is located at 18 W 22nd Street, New York, New York 10011