Sweet Liberty!

A gingerbread replica of the Statue of Liberty, standing at 2.5 feet tall and weighing over 20 pounds, snagged one of the five “Best Boro Spirit Awards” at this year’s “Gingerbread NYC: Great Borough Bake Off” exhibition, held at the Museum of the City of New York.

Both professional and amateur bakers from around New York City participated in the contest on Monday, with the stipulation that every part, except for the base, had to be edible.

The creators of the gingerbread statue are Cesar Aldrete and Ricky Rotundi, winners of Season 36 of The Amazing Race and a real-life couple, who faced the challenge of keeping Lady Liberty’s arms upright.

“Honestly, it was tough to get her arms to stay up,” Aldrete, who works as a chef and food stylist, remarked. “I baked the gingerbread sticks a bit longer, which made it trickier.”

This year’s theme for the 4th Annual Gingerbread NYC Contest was “Iconic New York,” encompassing any notable building, landmark, or symbol tied to the city.

The duo also created a pedestal made from 4 pounds of Rice Krispie treats, adorned with 50 gingerbread figures.

“We wanted it to reflect diversity, so when people look at it, they might think, ‘Oh, that looks like me,'” Rotundi, a kindergarten teacher from the Upper East Side, shared. “It’s about more than just the statue; people come from everywhere to see it.”

All the gingerbread was made by the couple in their Washington Heights home, which took around three weeks to complete. “We rolled and cut everything by hand,” Rotundi added.

Among the 21 entries, other notable landmarks included the Chrysler Building, the Hotel Chelsea, and the Christopher Street Stonewall subway station, all on display at the East Harlem Museum until January 19th.

One particularly impressive gingerbread creation called “Cawfee and a Bagel” won two awards: “Most Realistic” and “Good Enough to Eat.”