The Perfect Cake Layer - Starter Series

The Starter Series

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Tired of gummy centers, dry edges, and uneven layers? This class shows you exactly how to bake clean, consistent, professional-looking cake layers.

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The Starter Series

Welcome! - Starter Series

Welcome to The Starter Series, perfect for beginners eager to learn buttercream flower piping. This guided learning experience features 17 classes where Dara walks you through each step, from preparing buttercream to mastering essential techniques. By the end of The Starter Series, you'll have mastered the basics and be ready to create stunning buttercream flowers with confidence. Ready to start your piping journey? Join us in The Starter Series and watch your skills blossom!

The Starter Series

American Buttercream - Starter Series

Life is sweet, and so is American Buttercream. With a 2:1 sugar-to-butter ratio, it’s quick to whip up and tastes divine.

The Starter Series

Blooming Buttercream: Making, Reconstituting & Troubleshooting

In this class, you'll discover the secret recipe for Dara's famous Blooming Buttercream! Dara will guide you through each step, making it a breeze to recreate this mouthwatering, flower piping buttercream. Plus, she's got some fantastic tips to help you troubleshoot any hiccups along the way. Get ready to become a Blooming Buttercream pro with Dara by your side! Download the Buttercream Temperature Guide.pdf and the Whipping Guide.pdf files.

The Starter Series

Blooming Buttercream: Making, Reconstituting & Troubleshooting - Starter Series

In this class, you'll discover the secret recipe for Dara's famous Blooming Buttercream! Dara will guide you through each step, making it a breeze to recreate this mouthwatering, flower piping buttercream. Plus, she's got some fantastic tips to help you troubleshoot any hiccups along the way. Get ready to become a Blooming Buttercream pro with Dara by your side! Download the Buttercream Temperature Guide.pdf and the Whipping Guide.pdf files.

The Starter Series

Vegan Buttercream - Starter Series

Today's video will show you how to make delicious Vegan Buttercream, proving that being Vegan doesn't mean missing out on scrumptious desserts.

The Starter Series

Fill, Squeeze, Twirl, Pipe & Repeat - Starter Series

In this class, you will discover everything you need to know about the basics of flower piping. From twirling your flower nail, to lefthanded flower piping, to knowing which end of the piping tip to use for petal edges, you'll learn it all here! Master these simple techniques and unlock your potential in creating stunning buttercream flowers.

The Starter Series

Piping Tip Types & Tip Positions - Starter Series

Get ready to dive into the wonderful world of piping tips! In this class, we'll cover all the different categories of tips and show you how to position them to create stunning buttercream petals that come to life with movement and flow. Please refer to our Piping Tip Categories and our Piping Tip Position & Petal Compass Guide .

The Starter Series

The Tunables - Starter Series

Unlock the secret to creating stunning buttercream flowers in our Tip Tuning class! Join Dara as she shows you how to use needle-nose pliers to narrow the openings of your piping tips for more realistic petals. Follow her easy, step-by-step guide to piping buttercream flower petals that look so real, you'll have to resist the urge to water them!

The Starter Series

Practice Made Simple: The Piping Nook - Starter Series

In this class, Dara walks you through a fast, under-30-minute Starter Series session designed to transform how you practice flower piping. In this class, she introduces the “Piping Nook” system—a grab-and-go container stocked with everything you need (buttercream, tips, bags, nail, spatula, paper towels and a simple practice plan) so that short, focused sessions become effortless. By the end, you’ll understand why progress beats perfection, how to avoid practice pitfalls, and exactly how to set up your own Piping Nook to make every 10–30-minute practice count.

The Starter Series

The Core Petals - Starter Series

You’ll learn how to pipe just about every kind of flower with the Piped Peony Academy. We’ll cover the core petal types and how to get started. Accompanying PDF Downloads: Core Petals

The Starter Series

Anatomy of a Buttercream Flower - Starter Series

Let’s make something beautiful! In this video, we’ll learn the fundamentals of piping buttercream flowers. Accompanying PDF Downloads: Anatomy of a Buttercream Flower

The Starter Series

Moonstone Succulent - Starter Series

Are you ready to learn how to pipe a one-of-a-kind buttercream succulent that you won't find anywhere else but here at The Piped Peony Academy? This class is perfect for you! We'll teach you how to create a stunningly unique beginner succulent that looks incredibly intricate, but guess what? It's actually super simple to make. Our amazing instructor, Dara, will be your guide, breaking down each step so you can easily follow along. So, let's get started and pipe some beautiful Moonstone Succulents together!

The Starter Series

Spiral Succulent - Starter Series

Ready to master the Spiral Succulent? Join Dara for a step-by-step guide on creating these stunning buttercream beauties. Trust us, it's easier than it looks! We will walk through the process together, ensuring you nail those perfect spirals every time. Let's get piping!

The Starter Series

Yarrow Flower - Starter Series

In this class, you will learn the art of piping a stunning buttercream yarrow flower. Dara will guide you through each step of the process, making it incredibly easy for you to learn and create beautiful yarrow flowers to include in your buttercream designs.

The Starter Series

The Rough Draft Cake - Starter Series

In this class, we’re tackling the rough draft stage of every cake—the crumb coat! Learn how to stack, level, fill, and seal your cake for a smooth, sturdy foundation. I’ll walk you through every step so your cake stays straight, stable, and ready for decorating. Remember, this stage isn’t about perfection—it’s about structure and confidence. 💪 Need support or want to share your progress? Join our Facebook community, The Piped Peony Academy, and meet fellow cake-lovers who get it. Every masterpiece starts with a rough draft—let’s build yours! 💛

The Starter Series

Acrylic Discs - The Secret Agents of Sharp Edges and Smooth Finishes! - Starter Series

Uncover the magic of achieving sharp buttercream edges and a smooth buttercream finish with our acrylic discs class! Dara will be there with you every step of the way, guiding you to master the art of the smooth buttercream finish. Grab your acrylics and bench scraper, and let's go!

The Starter Series

What’s Next? - Starter Series

Congratulations on completing The Starter Series! The What's Next Class is designed to conclude your journey through the basics and guide you on what to tackle next. In this class, Dara provides advice on how to continue honing your skills.