Gingerbread for Thanksgiving

In The Gingerbread Book by Alan D. Bragdon (available at my local library) lies a pattern that is perfect for a Gingerbread Turkey Centerpiece for Thanksgiving.

For those of you not quite ready to embrace the CHRISTMAS spirit (BECAUSE THANKSGIVING IS A HOLIDAY THAT COMES FIRST!) this might be a wonderful gingerbread/craft option to tackle.

I made the turkey in 2012.  I think I was sick and bored out of my mind at home, so I decided to craft (and I washed my hands a lot and didn't hack on the gingerbread).

I loved this little turkey.  The pattern is smaller, so it's not a huge project.   It's not intimidating either, so it's a nice place to start if you're new to gingerbread.

It's also a great way to use up some Halloween Candy...if you don't want to eat it all for some reason...

Here's what I made:

I had extra gingerbread dough, so I made the pumpkin cookies.

I also didn't really have a base in mind that was small enough for this turkey (like I said, I just got this idea while home on a sick day) so you can see I only covered part of it with ground animal crackers left over from our 2012 Halloween House.  You're supposed to be looking at the turkey anyway :-)

Happy (early) Thanksgiving!

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.

Baking More than Gingerbread

I've seriously wanted to make this post since...like...May.  Here we are, 4 weeks away from my due date, and I'm just now getting around to making the "baby announcement" in gingerbread.

I've been busy making cakes!

At this point, I made the carriage to bring in to school.  Every year, my third graders get excited that I'm the "gingerbread teacher" who brings in treats around Halloween and Christmas.  I'll be on maternity leave for both of those holidays, so I thought I'd do this instead!

If you haven't guessed, we're having a girl.

I got the idea from:

I made some modifications, since I'm making it for 8-9 year-olds.  I did not make the marzipan baby, and instead, added more icing and candy decorations.  I'm also going to pour more candy inside the carriage for my kids to devour.  

I respect that, to my students, the fun is all the sugar, not the tasty gingerbread pieces underneath.

I will say, however, that I had extra gingerbread pieces (extra supports etc. I baked off) and they taste AMAZING.  Especially good dipped in coffee!  (or decaf.  whatever)

As aforementioned, (oooh fancy word!) I gladly spent my summer fulfilling cake and cupcake orders.  An unexpected side-effect to this was that I got rusty making gingerbread!  I'm sure it didn't help that I did not have my other two Gingerbuilders with me to help...or the traditional wine to encourage creative thinking...but I definitely hit a few hiccups making this carriage, and I thought I'd share them with you, so you could learn from my mistakes.

1.  When rolling cutting and baking your pieces, remember

roll out your pieces and bake them on parchment paper!  I forgot this the first time I rolled the dough, warped pieces pulling them from the counter with a spatula, and had to try again.  Duh!

2.  What To Do if you Break a Piece

I know I know.  Megan wasn't there.  But it still happened.  Twice actually.  On 2 different pieces.  Like I said, I was out of practice!

Don't panic.  Just remember, most mistakes can be covered or fixed with icing.  :-)

I iced my pieces back together and used a support just to make sure it would hold.

All that mess is on the inside.  No way you can tell when I put it all together.

3.  Storing Royal Icing

I found this lovely site FULL of great info on royal icing.  Check it out: Sweetopia

This project took me several days to complete.  I did it alone, and pieces needed to dry before I could continue the project.  For these reasons, I stored my royal icing in the fridge in piping bags.  

The icing loosened/separated after 1-2 days.  I didn't want to re whip it because it was already in the bags.  This made for fun challenged.  I had to decorate everything flat so the icing wouldn't run everywhere.

  

Then let it dry, and flip the carriage to work on another part.

In the end, I made a new batch and whipped it fresh.  Being lazy doesn't pay off.  I was worried about matching color, but I think I did okay.

I went back over some of the sloppier parts with the newer icing.  

Meh.  This wasn't a competition piece.  It's for third-graders!  Who are going to love it.

The first of many Labors of Love for our Little Girl.

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!