Add some seasonal cheer to your garden by making birdseed cakes using your favorite holiday shapes.

Making birdseed ornaments is super easy and a great family activity. Not only do these charming seed cakes add cheer to your outdoor space, but they also serve to feed the hungry birds getting ready for warmer weather. All you need is a bit of birdseed, some gelatin, and a little water.

Only 3 Simple Ingredients

To make birdseed cakes in general, all you need is birdseed, gelatin, and water.

Any type of outdoor birdseed will do, but some mixtures are formulated to attract different types of birds. So, if you want to feed a specific bird family, check the label on what you’re getting. I use the general seed mixture so I can feed the maximum variety of birds.

For those birds who forage on the ground, they’ll still be able to partake in your seed cake creations because the birds feeding on them will knock some seed to the ground as they peck

Gelatin, the unflavored kind and absolutely not Jell-O, is the “glue” that holds the birdseed together. If you’re vegan, you can use an equal amount of agar agar. The birds won’t mind!

Adding water to activate the gelatin is the only other ingredient you’ll need for the basic birdseed cake.

Easily Customizable

You can embellish this basic recipe with other wild bird-friendly goodies like:

• crushed, unsalted peanuts
• shelled sunflower seeds
• tiny bits of dried fruit

Do an internet search to find what birds in your region like most!

What Not To Add

There are many things that shouldn’t be fed to wild birds, and here’s a short list.

• Milk products: Birds can’t digest it.
• Bread: Bread holds no nutritional value for birds. They like it and will probably stuff themselves on it, but it won’t keep them healthy.
• Rice: Uncooked rice expands in a bird’s stomach, which can cause tearing and even death.

This is not an exhaustive list, so if you’re unsure, do a little online research.

Assembling the Birdseed Cakes

For this recipe, I used large, 1″ deep metal cookie cutters, but you can use any type of mold. Just make sure you spray them with olive oil or a non-stick cooking spray, as the birdseed mixture will stick.

1. Spray the molds with non-stick spray.
2. Add the packet of unflavored gelatin and 2 tablespoons of water to a medium bowl. Let it sit for 1 minute to “bloom.”
3. Pour the 1/3 cup of boiling water into the gelatin and stir until it’s completely dissolved.
4. Add in the birdseed and mix until well-coated.
5. Lay your molds on a lined cookie sheet. Spoon the birdseed mixture into the molds and press down to compact the seed. The mixture will be sticky!
6. Using a straw or chopstick, poke a hole in the mold where the string will go.
7. Refrigerate molds overnight.
8. In the morning, gently remove the birdseed from the molds. Lace the string or ribbon through to hang outside.
9. Sit back and watch your feathery friends enjoy your creation!

Store any extra in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. They will get moldy if you don’t, and then you’ll have to throw them away.

While these birdseed cakes won’t melt in the hot sun, they may begin to disintegrate with a lot of rainfall.

This birdseed cake recipe is simple yet versatile. You can use nearly anything as a mold.