Batter Chatter: Interview with Melissa Diamond, My Cake School - Giveaway Closed
Friday, July 23, 2010 
People take courses online for all sorts of things--and now, cake is one of the subjects! My Cake School is an online cake decorating school with all sorts of tutorials, message boards, and other goodies (and a new CakeSpy sponsor). Now, without knowing too much detail, I'd go so far as to say that this schooling is far funner (and more delicious) than, say, required Math credits! But how does it all work? I got in touch with owner Melissa Diamond to find out. Here's the interview:
CakeSpy Note: Melissa has also kindly offered a free 1-year membership to My Cake School to one lucky reader! Find the details at the end of the post.
CakeSpy: First things first. Who exactly are you, Melissa Diamond? And what is your relationship with cake?
Melissa Diamond: I am a wife and a mom -- and I LOVE cake decorating. I started a home-based cake decorating business years ago so that I could work from home--- now, I love to teach! Cake decorating is so much fun-- anyone can learn!
CS: OK. Now that we've figured that out...what exactly is My Cake School?
MD: MyCakeSchool.com is my new cake decorating website. I have a cake Blog that is open to everyone, and then other parts of the site that are for members. Membership is $30 for a year-- With this, you can access my cake decorating video tutorials (over 100 so far). There are Message Boards available for members to share their experiences, ask questions, and request videos!
CS: What are some of the advantages of an online cake school versus taking a course in a physical classroom or kitchen?
MD: I think that both have their advantages---but what I like the most about MyCakeSchool is that you are able to see a close-up view of the skill being demonstrated as many times as you like. Videos are permanently posted and available 24 hours a day--so, there are never any scheduling conflicts! Finally, it is so much more affordable! $30 may buy a 4 class course in decorating.....or a cake decorating dvd-- but with my site, you have access for a year to sooo many more videos--there is always something new to see!
CS: What is your first cake memory?
MD: Hmmmm.. I think that it was my 5th birthday-- My mom made me a cute cake with clowns on top----the giant swirls of buttercream with the plastic clown heads!! Do you know the ones? They still sell them!
CS: As a professional cake decorator, what are your thoughts on cupcakes?
MD: I love cupcakes! My favorite kind are just very simply decorated with a big swirl and a cute little topper or sprinkles! Or maybe the ones injected with cream.... or dipped in ganache.....
CS: Please, tell me something that people might not know about you.
MD: I love decorating to LOUD music! I can't do this in my videos though!
CS: What cookbook could you simply not live without?
MD: BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking by Shirley Corriher. Such a great book--she gives you the science behind baking.
CS: Morbid curiosity time: if you could envision your last meal, what would you have for dessert?
MD: This is so hard! I'm going with banana pudding!
But wait, there's more! You can experience the magic for yourself at MyCakeSchool.com. And one lucky winner will win a year-long subscription for free! How do you put yourself in the running? Simply leave a comment on this post saying what cookbook you simply could not live without! One winner will be chosen at random--the giveaway will close on Friday, July 31 at 12 pm PST. The winner will be announced shortly after!
UPDATE: THE WINNER! We have a winner, friends, and it is Judy R., who says "My favorite cookbook is Confetti Cakes for Kids. Also the cake decorating blogs online". Congratulations, Judy!
batter chatter
Reader Comments (130)
martha stewert's cupcakes! i love baking and cupcakes just happen to be my favorite!
It has to be either Martha Stewart's Cupcakes or 1,001 Cupcakes, Cookies, And Other Tempting Treats!
I love Martha Stewart Cupcakes! I love cupcakes-couldn't live without them:)
The cookbook I can't live without is actually the Joy of Cooking. My mom has the copy from when she got married and the copy her mom got, and I have my own copy. Someday I will have all three and I love comparing the different recipes and techniques and history behind them all. It's amazing to see how far some food has come in the last 75 years!
Teens Cook Dessert! Sounds really strange but it was my first cookbook and it has some of the best recipes! It's really simple to use and has plenty of pictures! Everyone at my house loves anything I bake from Teens Cook Dessert! :)
Joy of cooking! It has everything you could think of! Love it!
The Cake Bible. Whenever a recipe has failed on me, I go back to the bible and Rose is able to tell me exactly why and what to do differently.
I'm quite ploygamous when it comes to cookbooks so I can't say that I can commit to just one ... but, there is one that I treasure only because I know that only ONE COPY exists and that is my mother's (and what was my grandmother's) recipe book which is hand-written & full of interesting recipes.
My original Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. It has all the basics, and is how I learned to cook after I moved away from home. The poor thing has been through hell, chewed on by a dog, and is currently held together by packing tape in lieu of a spine. It shall never be replaced by a shiny, new copy.
The Cake Bible!!
I love my Martha Stewart Cupcakes cookbook!
Absolutely love Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri. His recipes are really amazing.
My go to cookbook at the moment would have to be Martha Stewarts Cupcake book, but thats only because I can't seem to stop baking cupcakes!
I have tons of cookbooks but I always go to the internet, so I would have to say the "Internet" is my favorite cookbook.
Thank You!
The cake bible! It's my first cake recipe book and I loveeeee it :)
Martha Stewart's Cupcakes!! love it!
I just couldn't live without the Martha Stewart cupcake book, its so great and has a lot of great ideas!
For me the Internet is also my favorite "cookbook" :p
Hi! The internet is my cookbook! for cakes I love Roland Mesnier Basic to Beautiful cakes! Thank you for this oportunity!!!
Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery. Perfect cakes and pretty pictures - It is a book I always come back to.
Rose Levy Beranbaum's "Cake Bible" changed my life. I had never known that baking cake could be so simple or delicious (or challenging and delicious). Her recipes were the basis of the small cake business I started and are still the go-to, never-fail ones I rely on.
Mark Bittman's, "How to Cook Everthing" series is like the " Joy of Cooking" for this day and time. It is a contemporary and user- friendly cookbook .
Hi, love cakespy.com, and mycakeschool.com! The cookbook that I could not live without, is the cookbook that my mother's friends, and neighbors published, from the small community where I grew up. It's called the Lakes of the Four Seasons Cookbook. My sisters and I still use the recipes often. We have so many memories of the recipes, and the ladies who submitted them.
My favorite will be posted at Creative Mom blog, www.creativemom3.blogspot.com
wow, so awesome! love the idea and the site and hadn't heard about til now!!
i freaking LOVE the martha stewart baking handbook. i've had it for 4 years and reach for it often. the cover is torn and covered in all sorts of baked good experiments. i love the photography and most of the recipes are awesome...
i still haven't tackled the croissants yet but really want to!!
xo
I have to say that I use the internet the most. I do love Martha's Cupcake cookbook and Colette Peters' Cakes to Dream On.