Christmas Cake House

What do you get if you cross a gingerbread house with a Christmas cake? This beauty of an iced creation, that’s what. Designed exclusively for delicious. by Bettys, the famous Harrogate bakers, it has the wow factor while being do-able.

We’ve used Chetna Makan’s amazing saffron and pistachio Christmas cake from our November issue as the base, but you can apply the decoration to a traditional cake of the same size if you prefer. Oh, and no stealing the biscuits before the cake’s ready to be cut!

”So much time and effort go into making a good Christmas cake: the soaking of the fruit, the long bake and the nurturing as you feed the baked cake with your favourite tipple. That love and attention are obvious when you taste the finished cake.  For me, though, it’s the marzipan, icing and decoration that really make a Christmas cake great. I’m the person who sneaks uneaten lumps of icing from people’s plates.

Gingerbread House Cake

The taste takes me back to baking Christmas cake with my mum – snaffling a rum-soaked cherry or a piece of marzipan, and dipping a finger into the bowl of fluffy royal icing before she gave the cake its final gilding.  My decorative design here takes a little bit of time (there are up to three days of drying) but it’s simple to achieve. And because the cake is surrounded with a gingerbread village of spiced biscuit houses, I like to think the whole thing will appeal even to those who aren’t so keen on the traditional cake within.”

1. To decorate the cake, turn it upside-down (see Jenny’s tips) and secure it to the board with a little apricot jam. Mould the marzipan into a smooth ball and lightly dust the work surface with icing sugar. Roll out the marzipan into a circle large enough to cover the top and sides of the cake, to the thickness of a pound coin. Lightly brush the sides and top of the cake with the beaten apricot jam.

2. Roll the marzipan onto the rolling pin, then unroll it onto the centre of the cake. Ensure the top is even, then encourage the sides to cascade into place. Smooth with your hands, then with a cake smoother.

Christmas Gingerbread House

Trim away the excess from the bottom edge with a knife. Smooth again, then set the cake aside for 24-48 hours for the marzipan to dry out.

3. When the marzipan has dried, make the royal icing for the cake. Put the egg whites into a large, clean, grease-free bowl with half the icing sugar. Beat lightly using an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the rest of the icing sugar by mixing on a slow speed for 1 minute, then on medium-fast for 4-5 minutes until the mixture begins to whiten and hold its shape, but is still soft enough to work with.

4. Spread the royal icing over the top and sides of the cake using a palette knife (see Jenny’s tips), levelling it smooth or making a slight swirl pattern.

Kim Joy's Snowy Christmas Cake

Pipe a line of icing around the rim of the cake in a wavy pattern using the number 2 nozzle. Leave it to dry overnight somewhere cool.

5. The next day, make the biscuits. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and line 3-4 baking sheets with non-stick baking paper. Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves into a large mixing bowl.

6. Warm the honey, sugar and butter in a heavy-based saucepan over a low heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.

Gingerbread Bundt Cake With Icing Decorated For Christmas

7. Make a well in the dry ingredients, then pour in the wet ingredients and mix until you get a firm dough. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

8. Roll the dough between 2 pieces of non-stick baking paper until 0.5cm thick, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until firm.

9. Peel back the top layer of paper and, using house biscuit cutters, cut out trees and houses – you’ll need around 7 houses and 7 trees for the cake. Transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, leaving the biscuits on the sheet to firm up. Once cool enough to handle, put the biscuits on a wire rack to cool.

Gingerbread Layer Cake With Maple Icing

10. Make the royal icing for the biscuits using the same method as for the cake (step 3), then scrape the icing into 2 piping bags, one fitted with a number 1 nozzle and the other fitted with a number 2 nozzle. Before piping, twist the bags to create tension and hold the bag between your thumb and forefinger. Use your other hand underneath to guide the bag, to prevent too much icing coming out at once.

11. Using your top hand, apply light pressure and watch the icing fall from the bag. Think of it as dropping a piece of rope, rather than drawing. Edge each house using the size 2 piping nozzle. Add extra details with the thinner nozzle for window ledges and roofs.

12. To ice the Christmas trees, draw an outline using a size 2 nozzle, then fill in the centre with more icing. Leave to dry for 2-3 hours (see Jenny’s tips and Make Ahead).

Easy Christmas Gingerbread House Recipe

13. Measure the biscuits around the edge of the cake to work out the spacing, then pipe a pea-size amount of icing on the back of each biscuit and secure them to the cake, placing them as close together as possible. Leave to dry for 1-2 hours before serving the cake.There is nothing I like better than creating beautiful and festive treats for the Holidays. Well, that’s not true. The one thing I do like better is when those holiday treats don’t break the bank! When I do my shopping at ALDI, I know I am getting the highest quality product for the best darn prices

This cake was inspired by these amazing Dark Morello Cherries I found at ALDI. They are so delicious I knew I had to use them (and the cherry juice!) in a cake. The result was nothing short of spectacular.

Food Color- red, green, yellow, black (PRO TIP: use the chocolate buttercream for your black frosting, it’s easier to tint and you can use less food color)

These Tiny Gingerbread House Cake Toppers Are Too Cute To Handle

Bake cakes and allow to cool. I chilled my cakes in the refrigerator for 12 hours before assembling the cake. (In the freezer for a couple hours should work as well)

Prepare whipped vanilla buttercream. Tint half of the buttercream red, at least 4 cups. You will also need green. For the black and yellow you need much less, so a cup a black and a few tablespoon of yellow is sufficient. The rest will remain white.

Start but cutting both 9×13 cakes in half width wise. (You should now have 4 rectangles of cake) Measuring is a good option, I just eyeballed the center. Place the first layer on cake stand. If you are able, place the cake offset. This will allow you to create a rock candy walkway in front of the house. Using some of the juice from your Dark Morello Cherries, brush a generous amount (about 2 tablespoons) on top of the cake. Outline the cake with chocolate buttercream and then fill in the center with anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 cup of cherries. Repeat this step.

Jojofuny Christmas Gingerbread House Witch House Snow House Pepper Cake House Gingerbread House Christmas Bakery Toy Decoration Christmas Tree Decoration

Now take the last layer of cake and place on cutting board. Cut this piece in half widthwise as well. You should have 2 long pieces. (if your cake seems very soft at this point, put it back in the freezer)

Set one piece on top of the assembled cake but in the center. Cover with chocolate buttercream. Place next long layer on top and press down to make sure it is secure and stable. Now take your long serrated knife and cut down, at a diagonal and starting at the center of the long piece. You will start cutting in the center and point your knife towards the outer bottom edge of that layer. Cut through the layer and let the piece fall into space below. You should now have a flat angled roof line. Repeat this on the other side.

When you are ready to decorate the cake: (sidenote: I did not measure anything on the cake, just eyeballed it. You can certainly measure for a more precise finished product.)

Christmas Baking Gingerbread Cake Project

Fill a pastry bag fitted with red buttercream. Cut off a big tip and then cover all sides with a thick coat of the buttercream. (no need to cover the roof) Using a decorating comb, carefully drag it along the sides of the cake to create the texture on the house. This works best if you have the cake on a rotating cake stand and can turn the cake as you drag the decorating comb through the frosting.

(You can stick this step if you want, but the windows and doors will be on top of the red frosting and it might not look as good.) Grab your small piece of cardstock. (I would cut 5 pieces for each window and a bigger one for the