Chocolate Bacon "NOT Gingerbread" Cake House

Technically, this is not a Gingerbread House. It's a rustic looking ski lodge for Santa that is made from chocolate bacon cake with chocolate and maple frosting. It has a bacon thatch roof and the main door is made of pepperoni salami.

This crazy idea has been buzzing in my head after reading about the DON's competition from Nuffnang. It's inspired from the Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes recipe by Helen (Grab Your Fork) and Bacon Baskets recipe by Suze (Chocolatesuze).

Christmas Recipe - Chocolate Bacon "NOT Gingerbread" Cake House

Let me guide you through the constructions of this fun house:

Method

1. Bake a chocolate-bacon cake using a 18.5 x 11.5 cm loaf pan. I use the chocolate bacon cupcakes recipe from Grab Your Fork. Adjust the baking time to 40 minutes. Let it cool completely.
2. Make the maple frosting (Recipe available from HERE) and chocolate frosting (recipe available HERE).
3. Make the bacon thatch roof. Trim off all rind and fats from the bacon slices (this will prevent shrinkage and will give the roof a nice flat square shape). Cut the bacon into long thin strip (10 cm in length) and weave into a 9 x 9 cm square.
4. Place the bacon on a sheet of paper towel and cover it with another paper towel. Microwave it for 2-3 minutes or until the bacon is brown and crisp. Make 2.
5. Cut the cake loaf into two equal size pieces and trim each piece to a 9 x 9 cm square. Further trim one of the squares to a triangle. Spread a layer of chocolate frosting on the top of the square piece of cake and stack the triangle piece on top.
6. Spread chocolate frosting on all surfaces and attach the bacon roof.
7. DON's pepperoni salami has the perfect shape and texture to make the rustic main door.
8. Cut the salami as follow to make a 5 cm tall door.
9. Attach the salami door to the wall that is covered with chocolate frosting. Pipe a small dot of maple frosting and attach a silver cachous as the door knot. Attach a colourful chocolate candy on top of the salami door to reassemble the Christmas wreath.
10. I use chocolate coated liquorice to give this house a winter log cabin feel.
11. Attached the chocolate coated liquorice on all walls that has already been covered with chocolate frosting.
12. Pipe the maple frosting around the roof to decorate. Add silver cachous on maple frosting for more festive feel.
13. For the chimney, I use yogurt coated raspberry liquorice.
14. Slice the liquorice in an angle that will make it sitting well on the roof.
15. Pipe a little maple frosting on the sliced angle and attach it to the roof.
16. Pipe a little more maple frosting on the chimney and decorate it with more silver cachous.
17. Place a skiing Santa figure next to the newly completed ski lodge.