How to Create a Gingerbread Advent Candle

Aria's Blog
Nov 23
3 min read

There’s something deeply comforting about the gentle glow of candlelight during Advent, that quiet, golden warmth that seems to pause the world for a moment. Advent candles remind us of hope, peace, joy, and love. The four themes celebrated in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

This year, I wanted to bring that tradition to life in the most Aria’s Cakes way possible: through gingerbread. The result is a little project that combines the fragrance of Christmas spices with the soft flicker of candlelight.

A Gingerbread Advent Candle that’s both edible art and a meaningful decoration.

(You can watch my short video tutorial below to see exactly how it’s made!)

✨ The Meaning Behind the Advent Candle

The Advent candle tradition goes back hundreds of years and symbolizes the anticipation of Christmas. Each of the four candles, one lit each Sunday before Christmas, represents a theme:

Hope, the light that begins to grow in the darkness.
Peace, the calm that comes from faith and love.
Joy, the brightness of hearts as Christmas draws near.
Love, the greatest light of all, shared and eternal.

In many homes, the first candle is lit on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and another joins it each week until all are glowing together, a soft reminder that light always grows stronger.

🍪 How to Make Your Gingerbread Advent Candle

This project combines baking, building, and a touch of magic, creating a glowing centrepiece for your table or windowsill.

🧁 You’ll Need

Gingerbread dough (use your favourite recipe )
Royal icing for assembly
A heatproof glass container or jar
A tealight or LED light to go inside the glass container
Four wax candles (or LED alternatives) for the Advent weeks
A small board or cake base to build on

🏠 Step 1: Bake and Cut the Gingerbread Houses

Roll out your dough and cut several small gingerbread village houses, different shapes and rooflines make it more charming. You can use simple templates or freehand your designs. Bake and let them cool completely before assembling.

🧱 Step 2: Build Your Gingerbread Wall

Place your glass container in the centre of your cake base. Using royal icing, build a circular wall of gingerbread houses around the container, so they stand side by side like a little glowing village.

Once the icing sets, your houses will form a beautiful lantern-like structure.

🕯️ Step 3: Add the Light and Candles

Place a tealight or LED candle inside the glass container, this creates a safe, warm glow through your gingerbread village windows.

Then, position four wax candles on top of the container. Light one each Sunday of Advent, watching the soft light grow brighter week by week.

🎀 Step 4: Decorate and Personalize

You can decorate the houses before or after assembling them.

Try these ideas for a festive touch:

Pipe snow along the edges and window frames.
Dust with icing sugar for a fresh snowfall effect.
Add tiny gingerbread trees or stars around the base.
Use edible metallic paint for shimmering candlelight reflections.

💫 Step 5: Enjoy the Moment

When you light your first candle, take a quiet moment. Breathe in the scent of gingerbread, watch the flickering light dance through the sugar windows, and remember that each flame represents more than tradition, it’s a little spark of hope in your home.

🕯️ Create Together

If you’d love to try this project hands-on, book one of my Aria’s Cakes Christmas Workshops.

We build, decorate, and share the warmth of the season together, perfect for beginners, families, or anyone who wants to experience the joy of edible artistry.