Buttercream Intensive: Creation, Color & Cake Finishing
Schedule
Sun Mar 29 2026 at 02:30 pm to 05:30 pm
UTC-04:00Location
Fran's Cake & Candy Supplies | Fairfax, VA
About this Event
About this class:
This hands-on Buttercream Intensive is designed for pastry enthusiasts and cake decorators who want to master the art of buttercream from the ground up. In this focused class, students will learn how to create two distinct styles of buttercreams, understanding their textures, uses, and how to troubleshoot common issues for consistently smooth, stable results. Chef Dawn will demonstrate how to create Italian Meringue Buttercream & American Buttercream.
A key focus of the class is working with natural food colorings. Students will explore how to achieve beautiful, vibrant hues using natural ingredients while maintaining the integrity and flavor of the buttercream.
Participants will then apply their skills to two mini cakes, learning professional techniques for:
- Filling, crumb-coating, & final buttercream
- Achieving smooth, clean buttercream finishes
- The use of natural food colorings
- Basic piping techniques for decorative detail such as piping beautiful buttercream borders and focal points
By the end of the class, students will leave with a deeper understanding of buttercream science, confidence in coloring naturally, and the hands-on experience needed to create polished, bakery-quality buttercream cakes.
Perfect for: beginner to intermediate decorators, home bakers, and professionals looking to refine their buttercream skills with a natural approach. This is a great class to take especially if you have completed Chef Dawn's Beginner Cake Decorating Foundations with Extreme Piping.
Register for this class and receive:
- Expert instruction from Celebrity Pastry Chef Dawn Alston of Ravy Cakes
- In-person, step-by-step instruction
- Delicious mini-cakes to share with your family and friends
- A 5% discount on purchases of supplies and tools at Fran's Cake and Candy on the day of class.
Meet Your Instructor:
Dawn Alston of Ravy Cakes, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native, grew up in Northern Virginia where she started baking at the age of six. Dawn holds an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts and has competed in many local baking events and in 2018 she competed on Food Network’s Wedding Cake Championship. Chef Dawn strives to share her love of baking and decorating through teaching both adult and childrens classes. Follow Dawn on FB or IG to see her work and upcoming classes:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ravycakes
IG: @myravycakes
All The Details:
- Age Level: 13+
- Skill Level: Beginner
- All supplies and tools are provided for use during class.
- We will provide a box for you to take your cakes home in
- The class may be a little messy so we recommend bringing an apron.
- If you have long hair, you may want to tie it back.
- Class requires a minimum of 4 students and there is a maxiumum of 12. In the event of insufficient enrollment, you will receive a full refund.
- Class will run approximately 3 hours. Please note that the class is hands-on and may run over or under schedule.
Cancellation Policy:
Changes and cancellations...we know life happens so we try our best to be flexible while being fair to our instructors who purchase supplies and bake for each student. Full refunds or credits are available for cancellations made at least 5 days prior to the class. If you need to cancel after 5 days but at least 48 hours in advance, we can offer you a credit for a future class. We cannot offer any credits for cancellations within 48 hours of the scheduled class.
Where is it happening?
Fran's Cake & Candy Supplies, 10927 Main Street, Fairfax, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 156.57



















