Congratulations to the Winners of Our 2021 Gingerbread Competition!
The Under the Sea Gingerbread Exhibit was breathtaking in every sense. The exhibit gallery was transformed into an undersea paradise complete with buried treasure, mermaids and whales! The creativity of the structures was so spectacularly wonderful that choosing winners must have been hard for our many visitors. Tremendous thanks to all who participated and—drumroll please—the votes are all in and the winners are:
(If you’re interested in participating in next year’s competition, email programs@springfieldmuseums.org.)
First Place
An Octopus is Guardin’
The Cedrone-Arvantely Family
“Time for school, Little Fishies! Watch out for traffic as you swim to class, but fear not—! An Octopus Crossing Guard is there to make sure you make it to Marine Biology safely and on time. If only she can figure out which sign to use! The eight-legged safety-minded mollusk is made of colored fondant, and the fish and signs are gingerbread. Oceans of frosting complete the design. So come on, Little Fishies – Class starts in five minutes!”
Second Place
A Cozy Christmas
Natalie Lawson
“The best part about Christmas, for me, is being at home with family and friends next to a cozy fire.”
Special Ingredients: Gingerbread, of course, and cookies. Royal icing and candies.
Third Place
Girls on Land and Sea
Girl Scout Troop 11354
“Girl Scouts on shore watching girls do under sea exploring.”
First Place
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: The Nautilus Finds the Lost City of Atlantis
The Mackie Family
“In keeping with the Under the Sea theme, we took inspiration from Jules Verne’s classic novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and created a scene where the Nautilus submarine, passing through coral reefs, discovers The Lost City of Atlantis. Our family of four created this display.”
Special Ingredients: Gingerbread, royal icing, Swedish fish, hard candies, goldfish crackers, rice cereal treats, candy canes, candy melts, fondant and sprinkles.
Second Place
Christmas on the Farm
Maeve Haber, Aubrey Hutton, Clare Campbell & Nina Hutchins
“We all love animals and it’s Christmas time so we chose Christmas on the farm.”
Special Ingredients: Gum paste, royal icing, fondant, isomalt sugar, chocolate rocks, confections, and rice krispy treats.
Third Place
Holiday Gingerbread Mosaic Seahorse
The Newton Family
“Our holiday mosaic seahorse is made out of gingerbread and covered in frosting, sprinkles and various candies. He floats in a sea of rice crispy treats and candy. This creation was a family effort with everyone helping bake, design and decorate this beautiful lighted seahorse.”
First Place
Shiver Me Timbers
The Salva Family & Nan
“This abandoned pirate ship ended up in colder waters and has been overcome by some truly amazing creatures. True to science, the ocean and land life you see are from the geographical areas of Labrador and Newfoundland waters off the Canadian Coast. Both areas also have a history that includes pirates. Although we have not made it quite that far north we were inspired by our family trips to the Canadian Maritimes as well as the theme of ‘Under the Sea.'”
Special Ingredients: The boat, land, and treasure chest are made of ginger bread with trim from fondant and ginger clay. The boat is painted with food coloring. The sails are made with black licorice and edible paper. The ocean is made from pulled and poured sugar. The wildlife are mostly made from fondant. The treasure is made from gold sprinkles and crushed ring pops. The snow is ground coconut, sand is ground gingerbread and candy rocks are along the seashore.
Second Place
Sammy the Sea Turtle
Samantha Skiba
“This display was inspired by my favorite sea animal, the Sea Turtle.”
Special ingredients: gingerbread , royal icing, food coloring, fondant, isomalt, Rice Krispies, marshmallow and candy sprinkles.
Third Place
An Under the Sea Christmas
Tammy Richter
“This is an interpretation of what a whimsical and fun Under the Sea Christmas may look like. My grandchildren definitely inspired this display. Thank you to my husband, Steve for all his help.”
Special ingredients: We used lots of gingerbread. We also used gum paste, rice krispy treats, modeling chocolate , cinnamon sticks, and candies.
First Place
Temple of Picses
Chef Eric Hirsh, Mystic, CT
“Before the time of written history the giant gingerbread men came from outer space to what is now known as Donner Inlet, the Temple of Piscis was built. For hundreds of years fishermen came and pray to the Goddess of Fish, in hopes of good fishing. Then one day the earth shook and at the end of the day the temple was underwater and mankind forgot about the temple.
“Many years later smaller gingerbread men came to the sea and built the town at Donner Inlet on the site of the Temple of Piscis. Now the only ones using the temple are the fish who come and pray the fishermen have bad fishing.”
Special ingredients: Starting in September the dough was mixed, rolled, cut to size and froze. October started the baking and building. 14 batches of gingerbread, about 22 pounds of royal icing, 5 pounds of gum paste and candies.
Second Place
Come Join the Fun under the Sea
Rory Haff
“My inspiration is the Under the Sea theme. The round cake is decorated in royal icing to look like an aquarium and adorned with aquatic animals, plants, mermaids, and other things you might see swimming under the sea.”
Special ingredients: Gingerbread, Fondant, Gum paste, and Modeling Chocolate.
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