GINGERBREAD HOUSE AND M&Ms!!!

For Nathan's first birthday in America, he wanted a gingerbread house. But because he is new to this country, and had never made a gingerbread house yet, he didn't understand they are actually hollow! But he talked about gingerbread houses all year, screamed every time he saw a picture of one, and so that's what he wanted for his birthday.

And that's just what he got! Here is the tray of candy ready for cake construction times:

The back of the gingerbread house:

Yes! Under all of this candy and icing and graham crackers is a delicious fudgey chocolate cake! When it was time to cut the cake, I was a little unsure how to proceed, but basically I popped off giant sections of roof and put them on a plate (they quickly disappeared, btw), and then the graham crackers by this time were soft and could be cut right along with the rest of the cake.

When Mary Pearl turned 3, she was in love with M&Ms. ORANGE M&Ms, of course, and so for her I made a double M&M cake... which is perfect for her anyway, since her initials are M.M.!