Birdseed Cakes

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We love watching birds and have a bird feeder that we put out each winter. I've always loved the pine cone feeders, but they are made with peanut butter and Emily is severely allergic to it. She can't even touch it or stops breathing.

I was so happy to find a recipe on this blog that uses gelatin and birdseed to make hanging ornaments for the birds.

Emily made them by putting 3 cups of birdseed in a bowl.

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Then she poured 1 cup of boiling water with 1 oz. of gelatin dissolved in it.

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We packed it into molds that I had.

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Then, she knotted ribbon and pushed the knot side down into the molds.

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All we had to do then is wait for it to gel. I left it out overnight and ended up putting it in the freezer to harden it off. It probably would have been fine without that step if the mold I used had been smaller. It just seemed a bit heavy for the ribbon.

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To take them out of the mold, dip the bottom of the mold in hot water and they come right out.

We hung them outside this afternoon and I already have seen some birds visiting.

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Comments

  1. NadineJanuary 14, 2011 at 7:18 PM

    Those turned out great! What a neat activity for the kids...we may have to make a few for our birds! :)

    Blessings!
    ~Nadine

    ReplyDelete
  2. Leah CourtneyJanuary 14, 2011 at 8:09 PM

    That's a good idea. We have also made them with fat/lard from cooking combined with birdseed. Then you freeze them in balls or molded shapes.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ElizabethdJanuary 15, 2011 at 8:23 AM

    What a brilliant idea. I have also made them with fat, and they go hard in the fridge.

    ReplyDelete

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