Intensive: The Secrets of Great Layer Cakes with Bronwen Wyatt

NOTE: iphone and ipad users, CLICK HERE to register for class.

What's on the Menu:
-Olive Oil Layer Cake
-Chiffon Cake
-Stone Fruit Compote
-Lemon Curd
-Crème Diplomat
-Swiss Meringue Buttercream ...and more!

A layer cake is not just a recipe—it's a system. Every component has a role, and understanding how those roles interact is what separates a good result from a great one. Join returning teacher and pastry chef Bronwen Wyatt for a three-part Intensive that treats the layer cake as a vehicle for learning: two distinct cakes, two unique assembly methods and a full roster of fillings and frostings that will become reliable tools in your baking repertoire. By the end of the series, you'll have built two finished cakes and, most importantly, developed the judgment to plan and execute your own inventions.

This Intensive takes place over the course of three sessions spaced one week apart. Can't make it to all the sessions in real time? You should still sign up! We record all livestream events and send the recording to registered attendees immediately after each session.

In the first session, we focus on the cakes themselves. Before anything goes into a bowl, Bronwen will walk through the fundamental differences between oil-based and butter-based cakes, including what each demands from the baker and what each delivers on the plate. We'll bake both a sturdy olive oil cake and a delicate chiffon cake, delineating their similarities and differences as we get into the nitty gritty of each and every ingredient down to the salt. After baking, both of those cakes go into the freezer, a trick that professional bakers use to simplify the logistics of multi-step layer cake construction.

In the second session, our attention turns to the versatile components that give a layer cake its character. Bronwen will explain her approach to building balance: why pairing something acidic with something creamy always works, what her biggest pet peeve is in cake flavors and more. We'll make stone fruit compote, lemon curd, crème diplomat and Swiss meringue buttercream. As we prepare them, we'll discuss which components can be made ahead and frozen, which should be made close to assembly and when a cake soak is worth adding to the equation.

In our final session, the cakes and components come out of the fridge and the freezer and the artistic work begins. The olive oil cake gets stacked, crumb-coated and decorated. The chiffon takes a different path: assembled and layered directly in a pan, then unmolded—a technique with its own logic and its own rewards. Bronwen will walk through decoration strategies that are both approachable and intentional, leaving you with two completed cakes and a clear framework for tackling any layer cake project that comes your way.

About Bronwen:
Bronwen Wyatt is a pastry chef and owner of Bayou Saint Cake. Known for her whimsical layer cakes garnished with edible flowers, Bronwen is constantly inspired by the Louisiana seasons, using local produce to create inventive, contemporary sweets. She lives with her wife and two cats in a 100-year old house in New Orleans

Thank you to the 2026 Annual Sponsors of the Cooking School, who make our livestream events possible:

• Wulf’s Fish and Savenor’s Market. Together, Wulf’s and Savenor’s provide premium seafood and gourmet meat to chefs and home cooks across the country. Use code MILKSTREET for 20% off orders from Wulf’s (t.ly/REVSO) and Savenor’s (t.ly/CRwjA).

Our multi-session Intensives are capped at just 25 attendees and are distinct from our livestream Classes. As such, they are NOT included with Insider membership.

Want to give this class as a gift? You can purchase gift cards here.

Immediately after registering, you will get a confirmation email that contains the Zoom meeting log-in information. One week prior to the class (or within 48 hours, if you register less than one week in advance), you will receive instructions on how to prepare ingredients and equipment in order to cook along with us.

After class, you will receive a recording of the event, as well as a packet with recipes and resources that we discuss during the event. If you have any questions about this class, please don't hesitate to get in touch via cookingschool@177milkstreet.com.

This event has limited spots, and you must register in advance via Eventbrite. One sign-up covers one device. Closed Captioning is available for this event.

Payments for Milk Street livestream workshops are non-refundable. If you find yourself unable to attend, you may transfer the ticket to someone else, but we are unable to refund fees and all payments are final.

Bonus: All attendees of this class will receive a one-time 20% off coupon to the Milk Street Store after class.