Join Head Baker Susan Sweeney for an in-depth afternoon where you'll learn how to build and adorn your own two-tier buttercream cake.

Whether you're dreaming of making your own wedding cake or simply want to level up your baking skills, this hands-on class walks you through every step. You'll fill and crumb coat two cakes (one 4" round and one 6" round), then watch a stacking demo where Susan breaks down the structural techniques that make any multi-tiered cake stable and stunning. Once your tiers are assembled, you'll frost and adorn with a variety of piping tips and edible florals, and you'll learn the finishing touches that make a cake look professionally made.

You'll leave with a fully decorated 2-tier micro wedding cake, the skills to recreate it at home, and the know-how to bring tiered cakes to any event.

To ensure everyone gets maximum support, we are limiting class to 8 students.

Sunday, July 19th, 2-5 pm

Students will learn:

• Best practices for frosting and tempering Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• How to fill and crumb coat layer cakes
• Tips for styling with edible flowers and botanicals
• Preferred piping tips for all stages of tier cake decorating
• How to store, transport, and set up tiered cakes for events

What's Included:

• Components for one 4" 3-layer tier and one 6" 3-layer tier
• aprons, turn-tables and all materials and supplies
• piping tips and practice sheets
• Fresh edible flowers
• Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• Complimentary refreshments
• Cake Bloom's take-home Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe
  
• dedicated Q & A at the end of class with Susan to answer any baking/business questions

Recommended for ages 16 and up.

Some previous baking/cake decorating experience recommended.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Owner, founder and Head Baker at Cake Bloom, Susan started baking wedding cakes professionally in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2012. For over seven years, she delivered cakes through Napa and Sonoma counties, honing her signature floral-driven style and polishing her skill and process. 

In 2019, she relocated to Charlottesville, where she began again, relaunching Cake Bloom from home before opening her first brick-and-mortar, together with her four big sisters. Here, she specializes in eight flavors each month, along with weddings, workshops and charming weekly events. 

Susan's work has been featured in Martha Stewart Weddings, Southern Living, the Knot, CBS news, Gardenista, and Refinery29, and she's been a featured panelist in Charlottesville's annual TomTom Festival. Cake Bloom has been voted Cville Weekly's "Best of Cville" in 2023 and 2025, won Virginia Living Magazine's "Made in Virginia" Award and won Charlottesville Family Magazine's "Mompreneur of the Year" in 2025.