Wilton Celebrates 85 Years Of Making Cake Decorating Easy

WOODRIDGE, Ill., Oct. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Wilton Enterprises, the leader in cake decorating inspiration, instruction and products, is celebrating 85 years of making it easy to create amazing cakes and charming sweet treats. The Wilton story began in 1929 with one man's passion and talent for making confectionery art, and resulted in a method of dessert decorating that today has benefited millions of people.

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"Wilton's history started with Dewey McKinley Wilton, a man from modest beginnings who turned his talent for confectionery art into an opportunity to teach people a simple way to decorate beautifully," says Eric Erwin, Chief Marketing Officer at Wilton. "The Wilton Method classes began out of Dewey's home 85 years ago, then expanded to department stores and retail locations across the country, and now anyone can learn in the comfort of their own homes."

For the first time, Wilton is delivering The Wilton Method of baking and decorating classes via Craftsy – an online community of two million 'makers' -  to further the company's commitment to reaching everyone, everywhere. Baking and cake decorating enthusiasts can now access Wilton classes on any computer or mobile device, following along at their own pace with the ability to review material as many times as necessary. During the classes, students can ask the instructor questions, upload photos, participate in discussions and access supporting materials.

Over the past eight decades, the Wilton Method of Cake Decorating has transformed how America decorates. The method is based on techniques from European pastry chefs, but with a simplified approach that blends efficiency and creativity so gorgeous cake and dessert making is available to everyone. Wilton has a rich history of teaching Americans how to create amazing desserts.

• 1920's & 1930's: Dewey McKinley Wilton founded the Wilton School of Cake Decorating, traveling across the country to teach chefs, caterers and bakers new confectionery and decorating techniques.
• 1940's: As World War II Veterans, including Dewey's son Norman, returned home without jobs, the Wilton family opened The Wilton School of Cake Decorating out of their home to teach decorating skills to Veterans.
  • By 1948, there were more than 250,000 male bakery workers in the US, up from approximately 70,000 in 1940.
• 1950's: With the rise of the traditional American Homemaker, the Wilton family, now Wilton Enterprises, launched their initial product catalog that offered cake decorating tools to the masses for the first time. Buttercream became the favored decorating medium replacing jams, fruits and cardboard cutouts of the 40's.
• 1970's: Shopping malls became a permanent fixture in American life, and Wilton started offering demonstrations in kiosks. The popularity resulted in classes being taught in retail stores across the country.
• 1980's & 1990's: The Wilton School of Cake Decorating continued to grow and moved locations to accommodate more students, as well as offer international classes. The Wilton website launched, making the company's tools, instruction and inspiration available to a mass audience.
• 2000's – Present: The Wilton Method of Cake Decorating is offered in more than 3,000 retail stores in the U.S. and Canada, as well as hundreds of stores internationally. More than 400,000 people learn The Wilton Method each year. Connecting with Wilton is easier than ever with social channels, Wilton Cake Ideas & More App and now with the Craftsy relationship, even more interested in 'making' will be able to learn.

Find out more about the Wilton story in the 2014 Wilton Yearbook of Cake Decorating. The yearbook includes a special editorial feature: The Wilton Story, 85 Years of Making Decorating Easy. Wilton looks back at its heritage with nostalgic photos and fascinating insights from some of the people who helped the company grow into the leading food crafting company in the industry. Find out more about the Craftsy online classes at www.wilton.com/craftsy or visit www.wilton.com/classes to learn about Wilton in-store classes.

About Wilton
Wilton Enterprises, founded in 1929, helps consumers in more than 100 countries create, decorate and celebrate, by making the memorable and the beautiful fun and easy. Wilton is the global leader in cake decorating and bakeware products, plus offers sweet treat making, party and wedding products. Headquartered in Woodridge, IL, Wilton creates world class inspiration and creative content, effective instruction and education, and innovative products that insure the consumer's success. More information can be found at www.wilton.com. Wilton believes "We make it easy...you make it amazing!™"

SOURCE Wilton Enterprises