7 Astounding, Award-Winning Gingerbread Houses

Rebecca Russell, of Wedding Cake Toppers and Gingerbread, created her Swiss-chalet-style Bear House in less than a week using a variety of techniques and tools. In addition to traditional baking tools, Russell also used utility knives to cut roof shingles before baking to give the overall piece a more rustic appearance. Wood rasps and X-Acto knives were used to shave away distortion that takes place during baking. Russell uses a sturdy foam base and recommends protecting gingerbread houses from humidity by placing them in plastic bags and cardboard boxes when not on display.