What makes The Bake Fest so special? The HUGE variety of classes! Browse all of the speakers and classes we have lined up for this October’s The Bake Fest below. We’ll continue to add to our lineup as planning goes on, so join our email list to get updated when we add new classes. Remember, your ticket includes recordings of these classes for a whole year, so you can revisit them again and again.
Note: All dates and times listed below are CDT (GMT-5).
We are thrilled to welcome Jaime Lehman, Executive Director of the nonprofit For Goodness Cakes, as our opening keynote speaker. Jaime is here to share the story of For Goodness Cakes, which she started in 2016 after delivering birthday cakes to her local foster youth agency. Since then, For Goodness Cakes has opened 18 chapters all across the United States. Today, Jaime and her volunteers (a.k.a. her Sprinkle Army) make and hand-deliver birthday and graduation cakes to at-promise youth and children in foster care, many of whom have never known the joy of receiving a celebratory cake. Jaime’s story is nothing short of inspirational—and it reminds us that baking for others can be the biggest act of love.
Jaime Lehman
With guidance from cake expert Kala Boulard, your cake can be the star of the show this holiday season! Join Kala’s fun, inspiring and educational class and learn how to design show-stopping holiday wreath cakes using LorAnn Oils gels. You will learn how to build a design, layer textures, add holiday colors, create buttercream florals, and assemble a simple, easy (yet beautiful) wreath cake design perfect for the holidays.
Artesão Cookie Molds (Hanging Cookie Mug Cookie Demo + Giveaway), ClearBags (Demo)
Kala Boulard, Brette Hawks, Erika Kwee, Stephenie Reed
Nika Spencer runs a home bakery called A Whisk Worth Tasting, based in Lafayette Hill, PA. The bakery has been licensed by the PA Department of Agriculture since January 2021 and is well-known for creating beautiful custom cakes for all occasions. Since opening to the public, A Whisk Worth Tasting now boasts a steady repeat client base with bookings on schedule two years in advance.
Nika is a self-taught baker & custom cake decorator with commercial bakery experience. She also teaches cupcake and cake decorating classes throughout the Philly suburbs. Nika has been baking since childhood; she started decorating cakes after making her daughter’s first birthday cake five years ago.
3Doodler Chef (Demo), Artesão Cookie Molds (Flower Cookie Bowl Demo + Giveaway), ClearBags (Demo), Farmer’s Market Foods (Pumpkin Treats That Aren’t Pie), Icing Images (Demo), Mason Cash (Giveaway), NutriMill Bosch (Demo), Stover & Company (Demo + Giveaway), The Ta-Daa Box (Demo)
Stacey Mai Yan Fong, Nika Spencer
Looking for a true show-stopper to bring to the table this holiday season? Don’t miss this exciting two-part, hands-on class with world-renowned sugar artist and 3-D cookie maker, Julia Usher! Julia will show you step-by-step how to elevate your fall and winter holiday tables with an unexpected cookie that doubles as a festive napkin ring.
Broken up into two parts with one class on each day of The Bake Fest, Julia’s lesson will teach you exactly how to make one or more napkin ring cookies. Along the way, you’ll gain experience with a host of innovative cookie decorating techniques that work beautifully on just about any cookie project. Those techniques include contoured and embossed cookies, contoured and airbrushed royal icing transfers (for the leaves), sculpted royal icing putty (for the berries), piped dimensional royal icing (for the pine cones), stamped fondant appliqués, sponging, spackling, piped beadwork, gilded modeling chocolate bows, and 3-D assembly.
While Julia will demonstrate the harvest-themed napkin ring shown in her class photo, she will also suggest other seasonal styling variations along the way. NOTE: On class day one, cookies will be shaped and baked, and long lead-time items that require icing drying time will be made. If you intend to follow along with Julia in class, you shouldn’t miss this first part. On class day two, the elements made on day one will be further embellished and then assembled into these spectacular, tasty, and functional treats!
The Ta-Daa Box (Demo)
Artesão Cookie Molds (Unique Cookie Mold Uses + Giveaway), The Ta-Daa Box (Demo)
Artesão Cookie Molds (Demo + Giveaway), The Ta-Daa Box (Demo)
Artesão Cookie Molds (Cookie Mold Recipe Tips + Giveaway), The Ta-Daa Box (Demo)
Alex LaRosa, Carly Preston, Emily Retamozo
For the first time EVER, an episode of The Knead to Know podcast will be recorded LIVE at The Bake Fest! The podcast, hosted by Gemma Stafford and Ami Shukla, Gemma’s culinary director, offers insights into the baking world and baking entrepreneurship. This episode will features special guests: Liz Marek, an accomplished cake decorator and online school founder; Paul Bradford and David Brice of CakeFlix, known for their high-profile cakes and successful baking school; Amanda Haas, a cookbook author and culinary instructor; and Natalia Lima, who runs a successful vegan bakery. They’ll share their experiences and advice on overcoming challenges in the baking industry. The episode will conclude with all guests returning to answer audience questions during the Bold Baking Hotline.
The Knead to Know podcast is hosted by Gemma Stafford and Ami Shukla, Gemma’s culinary director. Gemma, Ami and their guests discuss all things baking, including trending topics related to owning bakeries and baking businesses. Guests present at the LIVE Bake Fest episode include:
– Liz Marek (@sugargeekshow): Artist, cake decorator, and cookbook author with a large online following, who transitioned from running her own cake company to launching an online baking school.
– Paul Bradford and David Brice (@cakeflixofficial): Founders of CakeFlix, a successful baking school in Scotland, known for creating high-profile cakes for prestigious clients like the King and Queen of England.
– Amanda Haas (@amandahaascooks): Cookbook author and former test kitchen manager for Williams Sonoma, with experience teaching for major culinary brands.
– Natalia Lima (@curiouscatbakery): Owner of Curious Cat Bakery, a thriving vegan bakery in Florida that sells locally and ships nationwide, offering valuable insights into building a direct-to-consumer baking business.
The holidays will be here before we know it, and in Susan Trianos’s super-informative decorating class, you’ll learn how to decorate the MOST cheerful Christmas cake—though you can apply your learnings to any holiday! A lifelong cake decorator, Susan will demonstrate how her Big Blue direct-to-food printer operates by printing her cake board, fondant panelling and the top of her cake. She will then take things to the next level, teaching you how to make delicious ornaments and incredibly realistic candy canes. Students will learn so many decorating techniques to use for almost any holiday treat. If you love decorating, this class is for YOU!
Looking for a true show-stopper to bring to the table this holiday season? Don’t miss this exciting two-part, hands-on class with world-renowned sugar artist and 3-D cookie maker, Julia Usher! Julia will show you step-by-step how to elevate your fall and winter holiday tables with an unexpected cookie that doubles as a festive napkin ring.
Broken up into two parts with one class on each day of The Bake Fest, Julia’s lesson will teach you exactly how to make one or more napkin ring cookies. Along the way, you’ll gain experience with a host of innovative cookie decorating techniques that work beautifully on just about any cookie project. Those techniques include contoured and embossed cookies, contoured and airbrushed royal icing transfers (for the leaves), sculpted royal icing putty (for the berries), piped dimensional royal icing (for the pine cones), stamped fondant appliqués, sponging, spackling, piped beadwork, gilded modeling chocolate bows, and 3-D assembly.
While Julia will demonstrate the harvest-themed napkin ring shown in her class photo, she will also suggest other seasonal styling variations along the way. NOTE: On class day one, cookies will be shaped and baked, and long lead-time items that require icing drying time will be made. If you intend to follow along with Julia in class, you shouldn’t miss this first part. On class day two, the elements made on day one will be further embellished and then assembled into these spectacular, tasty, and functional treats!
In her inspiring keynote address, acclaimed baker, cookbook author and blogger Rose Beranbaum, the pioneer of the reverse creaming technique of cake making, will share the story of how she found her way to baking, her greatest inspirations and her career as a journalist, writer, and of course, as a baker. Along the way, you’ll learn how to find your path, trust your journey and follow your dream.
Artesão Cookie Molds (Cookie Chat + Giveaway), Icing Images (Demo), The Ta-Daa Box (Demo)
Rose Beranbaum
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