Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 pkg. (16 oz.) pound cake mix
1 pkg. (18.5 ox.) chocolate cake mix
3/4 c. sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 c. oil
1/2 c. water
8 large or 10 small eggs
Optional: (Sarah always preferred it without the spices.)
2 tsp. grated orange peel
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 1/2 c. chopped nuts
Plenty of vanilla icing/frosting to "glue" layers together
Assorted candies, cookies, cereals, pretzels, nuts, icings, etc.
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Directions: |
Directions:BAKE THE CAKE THREE DAYS AHEAD!
Combine all ingredients in a large mixer bowl and beat at medium speed 3 minutes. Fold in nuts, if desired. Turn into 3 well-greased 8-inch square pans. Bake in a pre-heated 375º oven 45-55 minutes, until a pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 8-10 minutes, turn out on wire racks and let dry uncovered 24 hours. Wrap in foil and let cakes stand on a counter two days longer before decorating.
GINGERBREAD HOUSE CONSTRUCTION
Base: Use a 2" deep box, approximately 15 x 20", or a piece of cardboard. Cover with foil. Spread icing over the based. Put 1 c. coconut and 1 tsp. green fool coloring in a jar; shake. Sprinkle over the icing to make grass. if using a box, which makes it easier to transport, wrap the 2" rim with Christmas ribbon.
Cottage: Remove the cakes from the foil and slice layers level with a sharp knife if necessary. Place 1 cake on the cardboard and cover with icing. Cut a 2-inch chimney from the center of the second cake; then place second cake on top of the first cake, sandwich fashion, and cover with more icing. Cut the third cake in an X so that you have 4 triangles. Stand them up on top, one behind the other, with the cut edges pointing up and the 8" edges down, at right angles to make a pointed roof. Put icing in between the roof triangles, then spread icing over the entire house. Cut an angle on the 2" chimney and use toothpicks to connect it to the roof.
Ursula's Decoration Ideas -- the FUN part!
Use assorted cookies, candies, cereals, and nuts--and lots of imagination!
* Break 25 round chocolate-cream sandwich cookies apart and take out the filling. Use to make a shingle roof, starting at the BOTTOM of the roof and overlapping cookies, one upon the other, to the top.
* Use square cookies for doors and windows.
* Use 3 colors of decorator's icing (in tubes) to frame doors and windows. Also put dabs around the roof to hold candies.
* Make a fence by upstanding elongated gumdrops and linking them with toothpicks.
* Add Fruit Loops cereal, Life Savers, and M&Ms for color to the sides and front.
* Use pretzels to create driveways and sidewalks.
* Gravel a walkway with finely chopped nuts.
* Make wood piles in the yard with potato sticks.
* Make trees from small candies or lollipops stuck in gumdrops.
* Sprinkle tiny candy flowers over grass to add a garden.
* Add a puff of cotton above the chimney for smoke.
* Place a small Santa, boy and girl, and animal figurines around to create a magical world.
* When gingerbread house is completed, dust with sifted powdered sugar to simulate a light snowfall.
This cake keeps for 2-3 weeks and serves 25-30 children. Do not refrigerate or freeze. It can also be saved as a centerpiece for years if wrapped airtight in plastic for storage.
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Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: I clipped this recipe from Woman's Day magazine in 1983. Sarah was 5 years old at the time, and it was our first Homemade Gingerbread House. It is a big, heavy cake, which you'll probably get tired of eating before it's gone. Happy memories!
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This recipe for Ursula's Gingerbread House is from