Duff Goldman's Cake Shop Made A Mind-Blowing 'Gingerbread City'

Making gingerbread houses is an age-old holiday tradition that dates as far back as the 1800s, according to The Guardian, though anybody that's ever tried to put one together will probably tell you that creating one of the candy-coated pieces of Christmas decor is a lot harder than it sounds. No matter how creative you are, the vision you have for the treat in your head never seems to come to life, leaving you with a pile of gloopy, frosting-coated candy and broken gingerbread pieces that might be better suited for the trash than your mouth.

You could always seek out the advice of experts if it's your lifelong dream to put together an Instagram-worthy gingerbread abode, which one writer at Lifehacker actually did in 2018. Their research found that the biggest mistake we're making with gingerbread houses is not planning them out far enough ahead. However, considering how hectic the holiday season is, we think we may speak for more than a few people when we say, "ain't nobody got time for that." Perhaps, for your own sanity, it may be better to just sit back and observe the work of professionals like the team at Duff Goldman's Charm City Cakes. The Maryland-based bakery was commissioned this year by Baltimore's Four Seasons Hotel to create a "gingerbread city," which they unveiled in an Instagram post this week, and the final results have fans seriously impressed.

"If you can imagine it, @charmcitycakes can make it," writes Duff Goldman in his Instagram bio, and the baker's business – which you may recognize as the subject of Food Network's "Ace of Cakes" – certainly validated his claim. In an Instagram post this week, the bakery revealed the "gingerbread city" it created for Baltimore's Four Seasons Hotel, proving that even gingerbread is no match for the team. Their creation features a number of notable landmarks found in Baltimore and the surrounding area, like the Washington Monument and the National Aquarium (via Instagram), each of which was re-created using layers of gingerbread, icing, and candy. The result? A "whimsical," 120-pound confection that is blowing Instagram's mind.

"This is incredible!" Instagram user @herecomestheguide commented on Charm City Cakes' post. "Coolest gingerbread house I've ever seen," another declared. "Wow! Duff ... your staff has always amazed me with their creations but this is definitely above and beyond! Such wonderful talent and imagination ... congratulations on this masterpiece," Instagram user @beahive1 wrote, while @rachelmulherin said they were "blown away by the detail."

In a follow-up Instagram post, Charm City Cakes offered a closer look at what went into creating the masterpiece, which was decorated with candies like Twizzlers, mints, and Sweet Tart Ropes. Those who want an even better look can visit the masterpiece in person at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, where the installation is displayed in the lobby.