6 batches of my gingerbread recipe…
4 batches or 4 kg of royal icing…
and goodness knows how much candy later…
is what it took to make the 7 simple and whimsical gingerbread houses & gingerbread dollhouse facade I had planned to make this year.
I’m so happy I just managed to get them all done!
They’re why I haven’t posted in a while, but I wouldn’t have managed to even make them as fast as I did without my new, 7-quart bowl-lift KitchenAid mixer.
Sigh. It is a thing of beauty.
Not only is it pretty to look at, it’s pretty powerful too. It had no problem mixing the 6 batches of gingerbread I mentioned earlier. Amount-wise, with this mixer, I only had to make the dough twice! (3 batches at a time). For the royal icing, I only had to make 2 double-batches and still have leftover icing which I’ll use for decorated cookies.
To show you how I made the icing in my new mixer, I finally made another video – here’s a how-to on making royal icing for your gingerbread houses:
{Video} How to Make Royal Icing for Gingerbread Houses
Click here if you can’t see the video.
If you’d like to make royal icing for your gingerbread house(s), and would like printable recipes, I’ve included a single and double batch recipe here for you, as well as a classic royal icing recipe made with egg-whites especially for those of you who can’t find meringue powder. The first two recipes listed here are adapted from cakecentral.com’s user Antonia74. The recipe made with egg whites is adapted from the author of Gingerbread for All Seasons, Teresa Layman.
You can find a template for a gingerbread house and a video on how I put the house together, HERE.
I bought most of my candy at Old Thyme Confections HERE.
Royal Icing Recipe for Gingerbread Houses (One or Two Batches)
Click here for the Printable Recipe
Royal Icing Recipe Made with Egg-Whites
Click here for the Printable Recipe THE PRINTABLE RECIPE HAS A TYPO! IT SHOULD SAY 1 KILOGRAM (KG) ICING SUGAR, NOT 1 pound (lb).
A quick note about royal icing – if you’d like more information on how to store it, how long it lasts etc., please click here and for a video on find royal icing consistency for decorating cookies, please click here.
It was completely worth the one hour’s drive to Toronto to buy the mixer (I had to drive there to get one as it’s a new model and the residential model is exclusively available to Williams-Sonoma right now. The NSF commercial mixer is more readily available. You can find it on Amazon here), as the amount of icing I went through for the houses and the facade was really something!
You might be wondering by now what a ” gingerbread dollhouse facade” is. In fact, I didn’t know what to call it, so I just kind of made the name up. I know you’re not supposed to play with your food, but I couldn’t resist making a little gingerbread “house” that our H-banana could play with this Christmas. Truth be told I had wanted to make an all edible interior too, but time-wise, that was just not going to happen. I can’t wait to see how she reacts.
And another confession, I’m not sure who’s going to enjoy her gift more, her or I. Lol. I think I’ve fallen in love with miniatures.
I mean, really. Those little cookies are barely 1 cm long.
And oh my goodness, a little sieve and whisk! I want to try sifting flour with it! (No, haven’t done it yet… stress the yet).
By the way, there’s a tiny version of something in the ‘gingerbread dollhouse facade’ that I’ll possibly be giving you for Christmas – except it will be adult size. Can you guess what it is? Chances are, if you’ve read the title of this post, you already know 😉 .
You got it!
Ultimate 7-Quart KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway!
To celebrate the Holiday season and help you with your Christmas baking, I am hosting a giveaway for TWO 7-quart Ultimate KitchenAid Mixers!
You’ll be able to chose from the following available colours:
I am so excited and thankful that KitchenAid is sponsoring this giveaway for you! Good luck!
Here’s how to enter:
You have at least five chances of winning – each option below gives you one chance, and you’re about to see how there are even more possibilities.
Either use Facebook or your name and email to enter the contest below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The contest is not running on Facebook and although I appreciate your comments on my Facebook page, those comments will not be entered into the draw. Again, you must leave your comments here.
*
Announcing the Winner of the *TWO* 7-Quart KitchenAid Mixers!
First of all, thank you to all of you who entered; I was delighted and touched by your sweet, funny and passionate responses.
I really WISH I could give away as many mixers as there were entries; you dedicated bakers and sweet-tooths deserve it!
There is one winning comment number though, and it is:
Congratulations!!
The winner is Nicole Irwin Cross, entry #16,754!
Please contact me with the best way to reach you so that you can claim your prizes.
Thank you to ALL of you how entered! Blessings to you this holiday season!
xo,
Marian
Wendy Hare says
Your gingerbread houses are so beautiful. I would love to win this awesome mixer :).
Liz says
All I want for Christmas is a KitchenAid Mixer!:)
Rdawg says
I want to win this mixer!
Melissa Schweitzer says
Those houses are soooo cute!!!
Angie says
My four year old decorated our gingerbread house…let’s just say, yours looks a bit more put together 😉 Love your site and the give-away.
Sherry Thrush says
After blowing out my Kitchenaid last week on sugar cookies, I ordered a new mixer-kitchenaid–telling my daughter of how I was still going to get my mixer fixed she asked for my old one, what a gift to give to her to get her started into baking.
So pic me, pic me-my daughter would love it and so would I, we could bake together!
Stephanie Robinson says
I want to win this mixer!
Wylene says
I would looove to win one of those mixers! I love to bade but still use my little Hamilton hand mixer my mom got me in college, LOL!
Raleigh says
You’re houses are adorable!
Liz says
Just in time. My hand mixer just bit the dust. Fingers crossed 🙂
Louise says
Pick me, pick me!! I <3 Kitchen Aid mixers.
Liz says
I tweeted the giveaway.
Elizabeth says
always wanted one of these I LOVE to bake
Lana says
I would love to win one of those! Thanks for the giveaway!
Deborah Centanni says
I would love to win this mixer… I bake all the time and I love trying new recipes! Thank you!
mandie miller says
i want this mixer soooooo bad!!! someone has to win it, right?! 🙂
maryc says
Outstanding post – I really loved this one. I need that mixer – royal icing just killed my stand mixer today!
Marie Vega says
The pink gingerbread house was just precious! You’ve inspired me to try making something different from the traditional gingerbread house!!
Liz says
i like both Kitchenaid and Sweetopia on fb.
Rebecca Selinger says
I would love love love to win this mixer!!! (in white:)
Courtney (C&C Cakery) says
I have always always wanted a candy apple red kitchenaid. I still can’t believe I’m mixing up all my swiss buttercreams by hand. (Oh please oh please oh please!)
Annie says
Absolutely LOVE the gingerbread houses! So many and they are each amazing!!!
Maria Delgado says
I love this blog. 🙂
Carla L. Omalley says
My girls and I would just love a Kitchen Aid mixer. That red one is just gorgeous!
Lynn says
Santa baby, I’ve been a real good girl and all I want for Christmas is that beautiful KitchenAid and to have a real-life sized version of your gingerbread house! 🙂
Casey says
Awesome giveaway! 7 QT. sounds huge!!!…yet handy 🙂
Lesley rogers says
I would love to win! I make many batches of homemade marshmallow this time of year!
Stacey says
@ Stacey:
Did yiou use lusterdust on the pink gum balls? I am assuming that is what the bigger round ornamental items are on the pink gingerbread house or are they some other sort of candy ?? I would love to know. I would love to recreate this on smaller scale and give to my surgeon and also ad a pink ribbon on the front door. I would love to find out if you have the time. maybe I will ask on fb so you can find the qquestion easier. Just thought of that. Thanks in advance.
Bonnie says
I’ve heard Kitchenaid has the best mixers–very sturdy! Dawn’s Divine Delights told me about this awesome giveaway!
Christy says
Sigh. A kitchen aid mixer is my dream kitchen tool.
The gingerbread house is gorgeous inside and out!
Leanne Colyer says
Just discovered your awesome website, and fantastic give away, the kitchen aid every girls dream machine 🙂 fingers crossed.
Michelle says
Red is my favorite color! Oh man – thanks for the chance!
Danielle says
so adorable! is the gingerbread house for your daughter going to last long enough for her to play with it?
Frances Schofield says
@ Wendy Hare:
Love the houses!
Just retired from teaching Home Economics and would love to have one of these mixers to spend time enjoying fun things like this!
Natasha B. says
Hi Marian,
I made a decision a few weeks ago that I was going to learn to bake – yes I am 26 and don’t even know how to make cookies! I started looking for baking and cooking blogs, and came across Sweetopia. Since then, I have been coming back daily to check out all the wonderful recipes and videos. I also made a list of essential tools and ingredients I would need to start my baking journey, and a Kitchenaid Electric Mixer is the last thing on the list I need (also the most expensive). It would definitely be a Merry Christmas if I won this Kitchenaid Mixer so I can learn to bake with Sweetopia! 🙂
Todd says
I’d love how excited my girlfriend would be while baking things for me to eat.
Snoopy says
I would absolutely LOVE to win this amazing mixer!!! Thank you so much for the chance.
Hugs,
Snoopy 😀
Tiffany says
I love the minatures too! And the candy apple red mixer! Yum!
Love this site!
sara says
I entered the giveaway above, but just wanted to say, WOW what an amazing gingerbread house! That is gorgeous!! 🙂
Teri Hecker says
I love your website. Your work is so cool. I’d love to win the mixer and thanks for all the great information.
Ashley says
I would love a kitchen aid mixer– it would make baking so much easier!
Saywerd says
All of your gingerbread houses are just adorable! I would love to win one of those awesome mixers:)
Peggy Does Cake says
Oh me me me! I want to win! xx
shirley says
I would so Love to win this Mixer! I love to make cakes and this is my dream machine!
Layla says
Having one of these has been a dream of mine since I bought my condo….oh how I would love to win a candy apple red one….it will also match my red couches!!
Marie Roe says
I would love to win this mixer! SOOOO beautiful. 🙂
Lisa Chinn says
Those gingerbread houses are awesome. Annette Steward directed me to your site for the mixer giveaway but I can see I will be back for the recipes and tips 🙂
janet lillo bandola says
I love your website, it’s very helpful to us hopeful cakers. Keep up the good work! Your giveaway will be a dream come true.
Bethany says
Loved the informative video. Have been wondering why people sometimes us cream of tartar and now I know why. Can’t wait to get started on my gingerbread house. A new Ultimate KitchenAid mixer certainly would make it easier 😉
Denise says
All I can say is WANTS versa NEEDS and I NEED a mixer PLEASE Thank you and Merry Chrismas