A Decorating Class Is the Date Night You Haven't Tried

Dinner is a fine date. It's also the date you've had 400 times.

If you want a night where you actually do something together, come decorate cakes.

Your brain on date night

Your brain is built to hold on to what's new. Novel experiences trigger a hit of dopamine in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that files away memories, which helps them stick. Your 400th dinner date doesn't get that treatment. The first time you pipe a buttercream rosette next to someone does.

Couples research backs it up. In a study by psychologist Arthur Aron, couples who spent 10 weeks of date nights doing new, exciting things together reported a bigger boost in relationship satisfaction than couples who stuck to dinner and a movie.

Why it works

• You have something to do. No pressure to fill every silence. Your hands are busy, and the conversation takes care of itself.

• You get to watch each other try something new. Few things tell you more about a person than how they handle their first piping bag.

• It's a little competitive, if you want it to be. Two cakes, side by side. Nobody's keeping score. Everyone's keeping score.

• You end with dessert. One you made, and one you get to take home.

Start with happy hour

Our happy hour is built for this. It's short, it's usually on a Thursday, and the cocktail's included. That's a date with a built-in plan. It's essentially doodling with buttercream on a flat surface. You each decorate 2 personal sheet cakes in 2 flavors, with snacks and an instructor there to help. 21+. See what’s available now.

Want more time together?

Our cake and cookie classes run a few hours. Classes are capped at 14, and everyone sits at shared tables, so a double date fits right in. See what’s on sale now.

Make a night of it

We're in Albany Park, steps from Kimball on the Brown Line, surrounded by some of the best food in the city. Grab an early dinner at Kabobi before an evening class, or head to Nighthawk after for a drink. For more, see our Albany Park guide.

Good to know

• Be on time. Doors open at class time and close 20 minutes after, so this isn't a "we'll be a little late" kind of date.

• No experience needed. Everything's baked before you arrive, and the icing is colored and bagged.

• Gift it. Booking for someone else? Tickets are final sale but transferable, and we sell gift cards.