Viral cake startup April's Baker, founded by Roxy and Corinne Mankoo, has united two talented young sisters, conquered social media, movies, and brands, and has been featured on magazine covers. Mix Roxy's professional pastry degree with Corinne's excellent management skills, add a pinch of creativity, passion, and expertise, and you get the perfect recipe for turning your pastry dreams into success. For the first time, Roxy shares her buttercream recipe and teaches stacking, icing, endless piping styles, decoration, and how to create retro colors. Corinne will teach you about taking orders, pricing, and social media. Whether you’re just starting or want to develop your skills, this class is for you!
Lesson 1: A Sister's Journey: From loving art to a successful business
Roxy and Corinne share the story of their pastry journey to inspire you to set out on your own. Learn both the creative and business sides of their brand and get inspired by how quickly you can turn your artistic skills into success.
Lesson 2: Checklist: Tools & Equipment
Create the ideal kitchen set-up with Roxy Mankoo. She shows you her preferred tools and the range of substitutes you can use from your own kitchen — from affordable to more advanced options.
Lesson 3: Lemon Earl Grey Cake
Follow along with Roxy to make a delicious and versatile sponge recipe. Learn various ways to flavor, soak, change proportions and make it your own.
Lesson 4: American Buttercream
Learn to make the perfect cream for filling and stacking cakes and tiers. Roxy will take you through different whipping stages, guide you through temperature control, and help you find the right texture.
Lesson 5: Swiss Meringue Buttercream
The question we hear most at April's Baker is, "What buttercream do you use? It's so smooth and perfect!" For the very first time, Roxy will finally share her recipe, giving you the exact ratios you need to make different flavors, and tips to avoid bubbles so you can get the smoothest buttercream.
Lesson 6: Creating Vibrant Colors
Roxy guides you through the fundamental nuances of the coloring process with this vibrant red cake. Learn what colors to use, how to achieve maximum brightness, and when to add color to your buttercream. You'll also get recommendations for some natural alternatives for coloring your cakes.
Lesson 7: BEGINNER 1: Round Monochrome Cake
This lesson is about your cake's most critical and creative elements: decorating, icing and piping. Follow along with Roxy as she shares how to create cake edges, a smooth top and sides, and dip your toe in your first piping lesson. Don't stress if this feels difficult at first; perfection can be learned!
Lesson 8: Icing Cakes
In this class, you will not only learn how to ice ROUND cakes but also how to ice SQUARE, HEART, and TIERED cakes. Expect tips suitable for everyone from entry-level to professional level — all for your own growth and development.
Lesson 9: BEGINNER 2: Vintage Heart Cake
This Dusky Vintage Blue cake by Roxy screams elegance! Learn to create different shades of one color and unique vintage tones, add more piping styles to your skill set, and cut heart-shaped cakes into the grid. Ohh, Roxy is such a heartbreaker!
Lesson 10: Creating Unique Vintage Colors
Learn to work with different shades and piping tips without changing your piping bags. Pastel Pistachio Green, Dusky Vintage Blue, Yellow Apricot, Pale Peach, White, and Barbie Pinks, are just some of the colors you'll learn to make in this class.
Lesson 11: ADVANCED 1: Square Marie Antoinette Cake
Roxy demonstrates how icing square cakes is different from round cakes and teaches you a whole new set of icing skills to practice, including how to avoid creating dome shapes on the top of the cake and how to keep your icing perfectly straight and smooth.
Lesson 12: Piping Styles
Roxy introduces us to so many new piping styles in this class we've lost count! You'll learn styles ranging from entry-level to more advanced, including frills, shells, border flourish, pearl drops, double-layer strings, swirling inverted shells, small leaves, fleur de lis, and blossoms — and that's just the beginning of class! There are so many styles we can't even be sure you'll be able to use them all in your lifetime!
Lesson 13: Creating Ombre Colors
Learn to turn one color into an ombre selection with an Ombre Pink Effect for a Retro Three-Tier Cake. Learn to break down Barbie Pink into Soft Pink in 4 tone steps, and do the same with any color of your choice.
Lesson 14: Stacking Tiers
Roxy shows you how to stack cake tiers using two-tiered and three-tiered cakes. Learn how to apply buttercream to stacked cakes, how to store them between stages, and get essential tips on cake boards and turntables.
Lesson 15: Doweling Tier Cakes
In this lesson, you'll learn an essential step for making tiered cakes; adding a support system to help them hold their weight and avoid collapsing. Get tips for larger cakes and various support systems, with a choice of sponge recipes for tiered cakes.
Lesson 16: PRO: Retro Three-Tier Cake
You may think you've learned everything, but once you start this Three-Tier Cake, you'll realize you are only halfway through! Now it's time to get serious with this highly professional vintage cake: ombre shades, stacking, icing, doweling, and unique piping styles. New level, new skill, new breath, new you!
Lesson 17: Exclusive Piping Styles
It's time to learn some really exclusive piping styles. You won't see these anywhere else because they're Roxy's signature creations! Add to your skill set with double-layer strings, bows, shell hearts, rosettes, string layered on swags, corner embellishments, and more.
Lesson 18: Cutting, Storing, Serving
Roxy explains the aftercare for cakes throughout this class: storing, transporting, serving temperature, and slicing grid.
Lesson 19: Business Tips, Pricing, Orders
It's time for Corinne Mankoo, the business brain behind April's Baker, to take the stage. She shares how to start your pastry business, tips on pricing, social media, photos, and videos, along with a system for taking orders and turning them into cake.
Lesson 20: Social Media, Photos, Videos
Roxy talks about building Instagram influence with tips on visuals, posting, and engagement.
Lesson 21: Creative: Vintage Floral Cake
Voila! You did it! It's time to celebrate your artistry! The next time you’re baking utilize all the techniques learned in this class, and make it your own. We can’t wait to see you succeed with cakes that represent your style and come from your own creativity!
Learn More
Enroll today on PastryClass and learn from world-class cake designer Roxy and her sister Corinne how to make bespoke vintage cakes and share tips that helped their viral startup, April’s Baker, to succeed.
