Chrysalys Crafts: Bird Food Cake Project

BIRD Food Cake

Birds need extra food in winter and this is a great way of providing them with a special treat and using up your leftovers. Ideal gifts for bird loving friends.

Materials
(enough for 2 cakes)
2 small squares of stiff card (2cm x 2cm)
2 empty yoghurt pots (200g size)
string

Ingredients
250g lard or unsalted butter
A mixture of whatever is available of the following, enough to fill the two yoghurt pots to the brim
wild bird seed
cake crumbs
dried fruit
stale breadcrumbs
crushed biscuits
breakfast cereal
chopped nuts

Cut 2 lengths of string about 4 times the depth of the yoghurt pots.
Pierce a hole in the centre of one of the card squares. Fold a length of string in half and thread it through the hole. Tie the ends of the string together and pull the card down onto the knot.
Repeat with the other string and card.
Place these into each pot so that the card squares sit on the bottom of the yoghurt pots.
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then fill the pots with this mixture, keeping the card at the bottom, and the string in the middle.
Put the lard into a pan and heat gently until just melted (if too hot it will distort the yoghurt pots)
Pour the melted lard over the dry ingredients (keep topping the pots up as the lard slowly seeps through to the bottom.
When all the dry ingredients are completely covered, let the pots cool, then place in a fridge or freezer to set.
When completely set, ease the bird cakes out of the containers and hang them up outside. The best position is near overhanging branches, so the birds can first perch nearby and lookout for danger; and out of the reach of predators such as cats.