Saying "Thank You" Gingerbuilders Style

Babies are a great reason to celebrate.  And bake, apparently!  Check out some of the awesome decorations and baked goods provided by MY FRIENDS in preparation for Little Girl.

Wow!  Celebrations bring out the creativity in all of us!

If you read my last post you know I've been doing some baking of my own to share the joy.

I also wanted to come up with a way to show my love and gratitude toward my friends and family.  

My work threw me a shower a week or so ago.  Many signed the card and gave us an AMAZING gift card, in addition to other gifts!  

My friends have spent much time and money planning parties in Baby Girl's honor.  They have been so happy to do it!

I am so grateful when I think about the kindness and generosity of those around me.  How could I even begin to show my appreciation?

Thank you cards are definitely the traditional way to go.  I have certainly written my share in the last month.

But for some, it just didn't feel like enough.

Some of my friends are so crafty.  They've crocheted and quilted and made things for me and Baby Girl.

What could I offer?

I can bake!

I made these cake pops to bring in to school.  What elementary staff doesn't speak the language of desserts?!  This, coupled with an email and a few Photoshop-made thank-you notes should do the trick!

And for any who took the time (and money!) to plan or contribute for a party, I made these:

I wrapped them in tissue paper and paired them with a hand-written note.

Both sets of grandparents will also get these cookies to show our love and appreciation. :-)  Of course, these will not be as cute as the real bundle they are waiting on!

I hope my friends know how much I love them.

How-to Use Raspberry Filling in a Cake (without it running everywhere)

I'll Give you a hint.  This:

 is a bad idea.


Look closely at the picture.  Too much filling, no border, no nothing.  Oops I forgot that.  Easily fixed:

Meh.  Sorta.

In the end, I had to take out some of that amazing filling.  (and add it to another part of the cake!)

Here's how you fill a cake:

1. apply your crumb coat!  After you slice a cake in half, put a thin later of icing on the inside of the cake.  Then refrigerate the cake or let it sit so that the icing hardens a little.  This will keep your cake from absorbing all of that yummy filling.
2. Pipe a THICK border of icing around the outside of your cake.  (see second photo above)  You really want it to go in about 1/4 inch-1 inch (depending on the size of the cake.)  You may even spread some icing on with a spatula.  Make it way more than the picture shows :-)
3. Again, let this icing set up and crust a little.
4. Spread your filling within the icing border.  You want to err on the side of thin.  Raspberry filling (specifically, but any liquid filling) has lots of flavor.  You don't want to overwhelm the cake with filling.  Also, you don't want it bust past your icing dam because you've put on too much.
5. Now you should be good to go.  Slap (by which I mean GENTLY LAY) the other half of the cake on and begin your overall icing.  Again, remember the crumb coat, then the pretty icing layer on top of that.  
6. DON'T PRESS DOWN TOO HARD.  Squishing a cake makes it not pretty and will make any filling ooze out the sides. 

Breaking in a Kitchen

A move does a busy Gingerbuilder make!

This Gingerbuilder sold her house in December and closed and moved to a new (and beautiful!) home in February.  Think back to the many snowy, icy weekends from this hard Ohio winter.  Yep, that's when we moved.

and it sleeted.

but the other Gingerbuilders came and helped!  and we had wine.

Erin's caption: Who moves in an ICE STORM?!












So I hope they forgive me.


Anyway, needless to say, moving everything we owned takes some time to unpack and organize...(still not completely there...)

I'm sorry to say this took away from our gingerbread time.  Although we still found time to decorate an Easter House, so we are now back on track!


I did keep my baking tools in use by helping a friend decorate cupcakes for her daughter's birthday party.

I also broke in my oven making 2 cakes for friends.

Actually, I broke in my oven by baking brownies...I had to learn the hot spots after all!  My husband and I ate those.  (the sacrifices we make...)

THEN I made some cakes!

First, a Tommy Bahama Pina Colada Cake for a surprise birthday gift!

Then, a TARDIS cake for a birthday!!

I have a Nursing School graduation cake to make in May, as well as treats for a college graduation and bridal shower.  Be sure to stay tuned!

AND I have a gingerbread surprise in the works!  Planning! Planning!

Summer is just around the corner.  You can be sure that our kitchen will get lots of use!

and not just from me!  Gingerbuilder husbands too :-D

These pictures and more can be viewed on our Instagram account.  Follow Gingerbuilders!  

Please be sure to leave comments of encouragement or questions.  We are excited to talk to you!

and contact us for any dessert designs you desire!  (I love alliteration.)

Graduating with a Certificate in Pretty Things

Megan mentioned the Wilton decorating classes we were taking in this post.

Our final class was a time to use what we'd learned to decorate a cake.  Unfortunately, Megan couldn't attend this last class, but she still learned all of the techniques through the previous classes.

Erin and I celebrated our graduation after class.  The part of Megan was played by Ketchup...

Here's the cake I made for a friend:

The Wilton Classes have given Gingerbuilders time to refine our molding, fondant, and gumpaste skills.  We practiced playing with our food so that we would be better designers and decorators in our business.




I have reviewed icing skills, learned some real fun royal icing flowers, learned to work with butter cream icing, (the fat in it is usually an enemy in the gingerbread world) and bake regular cakes (that I don't usually
make because I don't like cake.  I know.  I'm CRAZY.)



I have gotten better at mixing, squeezing, dollop-ing, shaping--you name it!



I love edible art!





Gingerbread Houses are being designed for year-round sales.  Cookies and treats to follow.

Meanwhile, if you want to use Gingerbuilders' mad skills to create a cake for your special occasion, please contact us.

I am currently working on another baby bump cake for a shower.  An anniversary cake, birthday cake, and bridal shower cake are on the calendar.  I also make yummy cupcakes.

Our fun and passion goes into all of our baked creations.









Please follow us and check back often to see what else we are cooking up!

Building An Original

The GingerBuilders have been slowly putting together a small "menu" of baked goods besides gingerbread houses that we'd like to start selling, so we've all been trying various recipes trying to find treats that will fit snuggly into our repertoire. There is a cookie recipe that I loved that I had tried a few years ago.

It's a delicious cookie, but I wanted to make it better. After adjusting some (ok most) of the ingredients

and some (ok ALL) of the quantities

 and a few mishaps... I think I finally have an original recipe that we can call our own! 

Good things are happening in our kitchens every day! Start tuned to see more!

We like making pretty things!

I started my professional training in pretty things this month with a Wilton Cake Decorating Class at Michael's (they offer these all over the country if you, too, would like to learn to make pretty things). This is a fondant class. The other two GingerBuilders have already taken a few Wilton cake decorating classes, but this was my first endeavor. I know we've joked about modesty being our best quality, and this is another fine example. I made the prettiest bow ever!

We got a late start due to the crazy Midwest Winter, so we were playing catch-up. We learned to make a Calla Lily and the bases for a few flowers at the first class.
 I was surprised that after following a few steps, and having a little patience, I made a bow! This happens when we make gingerbread houses, too. We'll be working and working and working non-stop, feeling like we're getting no where. Then, we'll look up, and the house is done (or almost done) and it feels like magic. The bow came together the same way.

I was so proud of my bow I made a chocolate cake to put it on :-)

This was not my prettiest cake ever, but the chocolate buttercream frosting over the devil's food cake was delicious. It's a vicious cycle, baking and creating pretty things, but someone has to do it.

In our next class, we tackled some trickier flowers and added leaves. As our regular readers know, I break stuff. Our pretty flowers start as little balls of gum paste/fondant on a piece of spaghetti. This is all well and good until "someone" keeps breaking the spaghetti.

Never the less, I persevered and created more pretty things! I love making pretty things! I sound like such a girl when I say this. I feel like you all need to watch me swear at the TV during a football game to let you know how un-girly-girl I am.
For your viewing pleasure (I hope!):

Please remember to subscribe to keep up to date on all our fun GingerBuilder adventures. (My Denver Broncos made it to the Super bowl, maybe I will post a video of me swearing at the TV)
Have a wonderful week!
~Megan