By Kallee Nielsen
Melanie Christofferson recognized her flair for cake decorating by coincidence of 'sheer boredom.'
'My husband was still finishing up school and working swing shifts; I was at home all day with an 18-month-old baby and extra time on my hands,' she said.
When Christofferson''s great aunt sent her a cake decorating kit she began experimenting.
Now the Wilton-certified cake decorator shares her talent with BYU students and other residents throughout the valley, decorating wedding cakes and teaching cake decorating.
Beginning Wednesday Sept. 19, Christofferson will teach a beginning cake decorating class, hosted by Campus Craft and Floral.
The class will run from 7-9 p.m. every Wednesday for four weeks.
'Everybody has baked a cake before, but we teach you how to do it right,' Christofferson said.
So let them eat cake, but first it must be decorated properly.
'Cake decorating is a science, it really is,' she said.
Students will learn essentials such as how to fill and frost a cake and techniques on creating icing roses.
Melanie Virtue, assistant manager of Campus Craft and Floral, was involved in the class last year.
'It''s a nice break for students from bookwork, and there''s a lot of practical application,' she said.
Often roommates or mothers and daughters sign up for the course together, Virtue said.
Melinda Ortiz, 20, a junior from North Hollywood, Calif., majoring in family history said she would enjoy learning how to decorate a cake if she had the time.
'It would be nice to be able to make my best friend''s wedding cake,' she said.
The $25 cost of the course includes instruction and a course manual.
While supplies are not included, enrolled students can buy them at a discounted price.
Virtue said enrollment usually ranges between 10 and 15 students.
For more information on the Wilton Method of Cake Decorating Class, students may contact Campus Craft and Floral.