Sask. 15-year-old enters gingerbread house in international baking contest

A Saskatoon teenager is hoping to take the cake in an international baking competition, after spending nearly 100 hours building an elaborate gingerbread home.

Fifteen-year-old Bailey Mardell found her passion for baking at a young age.

“I’ve always been helping out in the kitchen. Since my parents farm for a living, it’s quite common that we’re making big meals with desserts,” Mardell said.

While the teen made an impressive house last year, she decided to take it up a notch this year.

(Courtesy: Lou-Ellen Mardell)

She started looking for inspiration online in August, and then she began the drafting process in October.

“The biggest challenge when making this gingerbread house is getting creative with the planning because it’s going from 2D to 3D,” she said.

Mardell’s mother Lou-Ellen said the teen balanced being a full-time student, competitive dance, and the baking project.

“She figured out a way to fit things into her schedule,” Lou-Ellen said.

She said Mardell sometimes had late nights or early mornings before school.

“A few mornings, I must say, when she was in the baking process I heard the oven go off at about 6am,” Lou-Ellen said.

Mardell said during the process she came across the ‘Greatest Baker’ contest, where people from around the world can vote on their favourite baker every 24 hours.

The winner will be featured in a Bake From Scratch magazine, take home $10,000, and a chance to meet “Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro — someone Mardell has looked up to for years.

“It’s something I have watched since I was really young. On YouTube, I would watch every single Cake Boss video there was,” she said.

Mardell said if she wins, she plans to replace her mom’s 22-year-old kitchen stand mixer.

“It’s been well loved,” she said.

“It’s getting tired, and I would just love something that can keep up with all my projects.”

Mardell is currently sitting in first place in her group. You can vote for her here.

(Stacey Hein / CTV News)