HCC Baking and Pastry Arts students show off creativity in first gingerbread house competition

Dec 11, 2018

There are gingerbread houses, and then there are winning gingerbread houses.

Lauren Rivera, 25, a first-year student in the HCC Baking and Pastry Arts program, knows a bit about both.

Lauren's two-story, gabled gingerbread house - Cottace Dream - won first place in the first Jingle & Mingle Student Gingerbread Student Competition, which took place Wednesday, December 5, at NEO Cafe at 3100 Main. She received a $300 cash prize and the admiration of scores of her peers, instructors and the public.

"I am thrilled. I loved doing all the sugar work, especially in making the windows of the house," says Lauren, who comes to HCC Central from the Aldine area. "I started out going to the University of Texas, but I didn't finish. I knew I always loved baking, so I learned about HCC's program from a friend. I love it. Eventually, I'd like to own my own bakery."

Bakery and Pastry Arts instructor Katherine Rangel came up with the contest idea. There were 21 houses in the contest, created by students over a period of days and weeks. Nearly 200 visitors cast votes with a silver jingle bell dropped into a glass next to the gingerbread house of their choice. Here are the final results:

First Place - $300 - Lauren Rivera
Second Place - $200 - Michelle Nielsen
Third Place - $100 - Andreina Cova
Honorable Mention #1 - Stephanie Hernandez & Jessica Coronado
Honorable Mention #2 - Miranda Loveless
Honorable Mention #3 Tied - Belkys Landaeta, Marybel Cordero, Joana Piciorus, Andrea Amarante
Honroable Metion #3 Tied - Jennifer Cisneros & Kerry Johnson