Festive Bird Cake

To make these festive treats for the visitors to your garden you will need:

• 1 cup of bird seed
• 1 standard sachet of gelatine
• 120ml of boiling water (or the amount stated in your gelatine instructions)
• Measuring jug
• Mixing bowl
• Festive shaped cutters
• Fat for greasing
• Baking tray lined with greaseproof paper or eco alternative
• Spoon
• Fork
• String cut into lengths long enough to make a loop for hanging

Method:       

1. Grease the cutters and place on the lined baking tray
2. Measure the bird seed into the mixing bowl
3. As soon as the kettle has boiled, measure out the correct amount of boiling water into a measuring jug
4. Dissolve the gelatine into the boiling water, whisking briskly with a fork
5. Pour the gelatine into the bird seed and mix well
6. Spoon the mixture into the cutters and press down until half full
7. Add string loops and then continue to add the mixture pressing down firmly until the cutter is full
8. Repeat until all cutters are filled
9. Leave to set in a cool place overnight
10. Remove bird cake from cutter and hang in your garden
11. Download the spotter sheet below and see if you can identify any visitors who come for a festive feast!

Top tips:

• Have more cutters than you think you will need prepared as the mixture starts to set relatively quickly and so it will become more difficult to work with
• This amount made 4 shapes of medium sized cutters but it will depend on the size of your cutters
• Grease the cutter thoroughly so that the bird cake slides out and keeps its festive shape
• Sprinkle the gelatine onto just boiled water so that it fully dissolves
• Any leftover mixture could be sprinkled on your lawn for birds to forage or on a bird table
• Hang near to some shelter as many species are shy and so do not like to be in the open for long
• If you don’t have bird seed try: crushed up cereals, raisins, oats, chopped nuts, breadcrumbs or a mixture!