Your First Cake or Cookie Decorating Class in Chicago: What to Expect
So you booked your first class. Or you’re hovering over the button. Either way, welcome.
This is everything you need to know before you walk into our Albany Park studio, from where to park to what happens when the boxes come out.
The short version
Where: 4749 N Spaulding Ave, Chicago (Albany Park)
Getting here: Steps from Kimball, the last stop on the Brown Line. Metered parking out front and on Lawrence.
When to arrive: On time. Doors open at class time and close 20 minutes after.
How long: A few hours. Exact timing is on your class listing.
What to bring: Nothing. Aprons and tools are on us.
What to wear: Whatever you feel cute and comfy in.
Food and drink: Snacks and drinks are included.
Ages: 13+ for cake and cookie classes (under 18 with an adult). 21+ for happy hours.
Do I need any experience?
None. Your cake or cookies are baked before you get here. Your icing is already colored and bagged. You just do the fun part.
Every class runs step by step, with demos, piping practice, and lots of hands-on help from our instructors. Classes are capped at 14 people, so everyone gets real attention.
What happens at a Bon Vivant Cakes class
When you arrive
Doors open at class time and close 20 minutes after. Please plan to be here on time. Late arrivals are disruptive to the whole room, and we want everyone to start together.
The studio is three steps down from street level. If you need accommodations, let us know in advance at helpdesk@bonvivantcakes.com
At your table
You’ll sit at a table with other students. Plenty of people leave with a new friend along with their treats.
Snacks and drinks are on us. Morning classes get a coffee bar. Afternoon and evening classes include a cocktail. Mocktails are always available.
The decorating
Your instructor walks you through each step with a demo, then you practice your piping before it counts. From there, you’re decorating, with an instructor nearby whenever you need a hand.
Glamour shots
When you’re finished, our team takes photos and video of your work on your own phone, against our backdrops, under our ring lights. Then we box everything up for you. Care instructions are on the sticker on your box.
Photos are welcome all class long. Tag us @bonvivantcakes on all platforms.
Which class should I take first?
Happy hours
Happy hour is our gateway drug: the perfect way to dip your toe in. It’s shorter, usually on Thursday nights, with 2 different personal sheet cakes and 2 delicious different flavors. It’s designed for a Thursday amount of focus and attention span. Heavy on vibes, with some technique snuck in so stealthily you’ll be surprised at how much you learned while still having such a good time.
Cake classes
Almost every cake recipe online covers baking the cake and making the buttercream. Once your cake is out of the oven, the recipe authors wash their hands of you and leave you to fend for yourself.
That’s where we come in. We’ll teach you everything that happens after the oven. Stacking, filling, and crumb coating your cake. Using tools like a turntable, offset spatula, and scraper. Working with piping bags.
Sound intimidating? It’s not. We’ll baby step you through it, building your skills and confidence at the same time. You’ll leave with a beautifully finished cake and the satisfaction of trying something new and surprising yourself with the result.
Cookie classes
Decorated cookies look like they require a steady hand, a tiny paintbrush, and the patience of a saint. Mostly they require someone showing you how.
We’ll teach you the techniques behind the cookies you’ve been saving on Instagram. Outlining and flooding with royal icing. Adding detail on top. Keeping your colors crisp, and what to do when a line goes rogue.
You’ll leave with a box of 5 cookies that look like you knew what you were doing all along.
Food, drinks, and dietary needs
Gluten free: Cake and cookie classes can be gluten free. Just buy a gluten-free ticket. We can’t accommodate gluten-free for happy hours.
Nuts: Cookies are always nut free. Cakes are nut free unless the class listing says otherwise. We can’t accommodate nut allergies in our complimentary snacks.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. Aprons, tools, and everything you’ll decorate are ready when you arrive.
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Doors close 20 minutes after class time, so please plan to arrive on time. If you’re running late, please email us at helpdesk@bonvivantcakes.com.
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Yes. Cake and cookie classes are 13+, and guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Happy hours are 21+.
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Tickets are final sale, but they can be transferred to another person via email.
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The studio is three steps down from street level. Let us know in advance if you need accommodations.
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Please do. Tag us @bonvivantcakes.
