Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Pinterest Subscribe

Sweetopia

By

Gingerbread House Royal Icing {Video} & KitchenAid 7-Quart Mixer {Giveaway!}

pink-gingerbread-house

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).

Classic Royal Icing Made with Egg Whites Sweetopia

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

Don’t miss out!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Oh man, I’d kill for a kitchenAid mixer! It might take up every bit of counter space in my tiny one-room apartment (yay Japan?) but it’d be totally worth it. Fingers crossed. Maybe then I’ll be able to really try some of the amazing recipes on here!

  2. OMG! I can’t even think of anything else to say other than OMG! The things I could do with one mixer . . . but two!?! I could conquer the world one cake, cookie, brownie at a time! OMG! While I never win these things . . . this would be an awesome way to break that cycle!!! Please random GODS are you listening . . .????

  4. My wife Tonya told me to enter this giveaway. I usually don’t look at her cooking sites but I have to say that I am a fan of this one . . . oh yeah, and the great mixers are an added bonus too!

  5. Would LOVE to win a new Kitchen-Aid….mine won’t last much longer~ Cookie-Away my sweet friends!

  6. A shiny red Kitchen Aid 7-quart mixer would look so nice under my tree. Then, it would find a wonderful home on my counter.

  7. I would love to win the mixer so I can finally fullfill my dream of being able to bake and become a baker.

  9. When can I move in? Those GB houses are just too cute. I already have this Kitchenaid mixer in another colour, so I won’t be greedy. I would like one of those GB houses, however!!!

  15. So cute!!! I want to play too….. my favorite is the pastel colors, so beautiful! I hope you have a very happy holiday with lots of cookies. (P.S. I love the red mixer)

  16. What great tips! I haven’t been sifting my icing sugar and was wondering how to get those little chunks out that block up my piping bag! This mixer would really make my life so much easier! I am really taxing mine with all the cookie dough I make!! Thanks for all your wonderful tips and beautiful work!!

  17. Oh, would I ever love to win this beauty. I replaced my broken Kitchen Aid with a Cuisinart a couple years ago. It’s a great machine, but oh how I miss my Kitchen Aid!

  18. Love your blog and love the dollhouse idea – thanks for sharing. Would love to be entered into the competition. I have never owned a freestanding mixer and would love to upgrade from my handheld!

  21. I would love to win one…and pass on my smaller one to my daughter who’s getting married in March!

  25. I am not even worried about what color of this beautiful KitchenAid mixer that you would send me if I won! Please pick my lucky entry!!!

  26. I would love to win this wonderful mixer!!! I love everything kitchenaid!! I think i would pick the silver and black 🙂

  30. Loved your photos! The houses are amazing – what a treat for any little (or big) girl! 🙂 And the Kitchen Aid – Brilliant! I’d love to have one. Thanks for sharing.

  31. I would love to win one, this was my only wish for christmas, and unfortunately I won ‘t be getting it. So it would be amazing to win one. Thanks for the giveaway!!!

  33. What an amazing site! There are so many great photos & how-to’s! I’m floored! I just found you via a friend on FB! I would love to win one of the Kitchen-aid’s! Lord knows it sure would help me increase throughput in my baking business!

  34. If I had two KA mixers, I’d be so thrilled to be able to give one to my sweet sister. She’s always been so amazingly generous with me and has helped through so much. Don’t know what I’d do without her! Thanks for the giveaway. 🙂

  36. I love you blog, I´m a follower from the first days.
    Love your work and this GIVEAWAY, hope I can win it!!
    Thank you !
    Gabi

  39. I am a newlywed and I absolutely love to bake! This KitchenAid would be such nice addition to my little kitchen. I am really excited to start traditions with my husband and with my future children. I can definitely picture baking cookies and gingerbread houses with my family and this KitchenAid would be such a big part of my memories. I am so happy to have the chance to be part of this give away! Fingers crossed! 😉

  42. My kitchen aid mixer allowed me to start a bakery business 3 years ago…400/cakes a week later { with a commercial mixer} it still is my go to mixer for creating new recipes. Incredible product… thank you, I Would love to win!

  43. I love this new KitchenAid stand mixer. I am known
    To make hundreds of cookies and cupcakes at a time and
    this mixer would certainly make the baking process
    quicker.
    Love your gingerbread houses!

  44. Hi!
    I LOVE your blog- you are so talented- it really is amazing!!!! I have read sweetopia for sometime, but have never left a comment yet. I guess this is as good a time as any- a new kitchenaid mixer would make for a very merry christmas! Wishing you a happy holiday season!!!

  46. Tis the season for joy and the peace of His Love for us. While we work hard all year to try and be His good children, there is definitely time to enjoy some little “me, myself, and I” moments! For me, it’s locking myself in the kitchen and being a baking fool. My best friend in the kitchen is my KitchenAid and we’re going on a 20 year loving friendship. But even my KitchenAid could use some fresh company, as she is getting tired at times. A nice bright and shiny red “friend” would be the perfect choice for me and “her”! God bless!

  47. After making whoopie pies this weekend, I learned that my hand mixer just doesn’t cut it for some desserts. I NEED a Kitchen Aid Mixer!! And…I LOVE this blog post. Such cute houses and I love the minatures! 🙂

  49. I would love to win a kitchen aid mixer, as an avid amateur baker it would be amazing to get everything done in a faster amount of time.

    You’re an amazing baker and those gingerbread houses are amazing. Deff have to try them myself next year!!!

    I HOPE I WIN!!!!

Stay up to date

Subscribe to get all the latest.

Footer

Post of the Month

Join me for an online class, including how-to videos, PDF guides & recipes.Shop Digital Downloads
+

Sweetopia's Free Subscription Options

RSS Post Updates

Whenever a new post is published on Sweetopia, you can get notified by email updates. This email is just a short excerpt of the latest post with a link if you'd like to read further.

You can sign up for both the Newsletter and Post Updates if you like. Once you sign up you will recieve an email asking for confirmation of your subscription. You can unsubscribe from this service at any time.

Sweetopia Newsletter

Subscribe to Sweetopia's free Newsletter for more tips, tricks, Sweet of the Week & other updates. You can sign up for both the Newsletter and blog updates if you like.

Once you sign up you will recieve an email asking for confirmation of your subscription. You can unsubscribe from this service at any time.