cake artist beatriz muller crafts gingerbread replica of the new york city skyline

award-winning gingerbread artist beatriz muller has partnered with williams sonoma and streeteasy to build gingerbread city, a handcrafted, scaled replica of new york city. on display throughout the holiday season at the williams sonoma columbus circle, the edible cityscape features five iconic new york buildings: the empire state building, one world trade center, the chrysler building, the woolworth building, and the statue of liberty. 

all images © nico schinco

muller spent about two months constructing gingerbread city, for which she used more than 200 pounds (91 kg) of real gingerbread, 60 pounds (27 kg) of royal icing, and 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of pastillage posts and beams. created in collaboration with williams sonoma and streeteasy®, the structure stands more than six feet tall (1.8 m) with all iconic NY buildings crafted with measurements completely to scale.

the award-winning gingerbread architect spent many hours referencing images of the classic new york city landscape, placing in the middle of the structure buildings such as the time warner center, two apartment buildings, and one townhouse. a subway, sugar taxis, and gum paste people are featured prominently in gingerbread city, while muller took it a step further with details like a new york building under construction, garbage bags on the sidewalks, kids playing in central park, and tourists taking pictures. there are also details special to new york city during the holidays, such as a person selling christmas trees and santas wandering the sidewalks, as well as streets covered with icing sugar to represent snow and slush, and trees are made with dried dill and rosemary herbs.

‘most gingerbread artists would not dare making structures like this using real gingerbread cookies,’ notes muller while describing her construction process. ‘a lot of the structures you see in north america are made with construction gingerbread or alternative doughs that have some gingerbread spices or gingerbread flour. they are technically edible but are no different than building with cardboard or wood — you have to use carpenter’s tools and big sanders to work and shape these doughs. the only tools I use to work the gingerbread cookies are a small x-acto knife and a ruler. I have mastered the skills of making gingerbread structures using real edible gingerbread cookies, and I am very proud of that. I am a strong believer that edible art should be exactly that: edible.’

project info:

name: gingerbread city

artist: beatriz muller

in partnership with: williams sonoma, a member of the williams- sonoma, inc. (nyse: wsm) portfolio of brands, and streeteasy® (a member of zillow group, nyse: zg)

location: columbus circle williams sonoma, new york city