Feed the birds with this simple recipe for homemade birdseed cupcakes.
In the winter, birds benefit from a high-energy suet treat. Stacy Tornio, editor of Birds & Blooms, developed this recipe with her kids using cupcake liners to stay mess-free. They’re happy to report that the birds love it.
You will need:
1 cup shortening
2 cups chunky peanut butter
5 cups cornmeal
Assorted nuts, birdseed or dried berries
To make a bird cupcake, melt 1 cup shortening and 2 cups chunky peanut butter over low heat, then mix in 5 cups cornmeal. Fill cupcake tins and top with your choice of nuts, birdseed or dried berries. Cool in the refrigerator. To give as a gift, arrange on a plate or stack and then wrap with cellophane. Print off the recipe card below and attach it to the cellophane so your recipient can make more. Add a bow, and you have an instant gift!
Carissa says
How many cupcakes does this recipe make? Thanks!
Jackie says
What a great idea for the kid’s.
Joy Gaiser says
It says suet! I think melting suet would be better than shortening, and you could leave everything else the same.
Ellen McGrath says
I have been looking for a recipe like this. Slow cooking suet takes forever, smells and produces little product. The ingredients listed here are great and easy to prepare. I would like to read of how satisfied and successful these cupcakes turn out from anyone who has tried the recipe.
Kathy Brafford says
I made these cupcakes tonight. Really easy to make. I put dried fruit and birdseed on top that we use in our feeder. I will be giving them out as Christmas gifts to the women in my Prayer Shawl group. I have not given any to the birds yet. I hope I can keep the squirrels away. Also, I’m thinking of putting them in the freezer and thawing them as I need them.
Sandra says
Fun project for all Ages! ♡
Tina says
I made these last year. They are too crumbly and fell apart and off the branches that I hung them on.
Jim says
I’ve been using this recipe for many years.
Melt 1cup crunchy peanut butter & 1 cup lard (no substitutes).
Stir in: 2 cups quick oats, 2 cups corn meal,1 cup white flour, 1/3 cup sugar. Can make cakes, cup cakes or press into a suet log (my method).
kathy says
most any suet type food ( even in the stores) will crumble and melt and fall off the hanger once birds start eating at it…unless it is in a container or in log holes
Joy Marshall says
These make great gifts for my bird loving friends. I put them in holiday baking cups and squeeze them into a cookie tin. Friends an family love it.
Mindy says
Could you substitute coconut oil for the lard?
Jan says
Cocout oil will not allow the mixture to form into ‘cakes’ because it is far too soft. The recipe actually calls for shortening (vegetable-based fat) as opposed to lard (animal-based fat).
Anna says
Please use salt free peanut butter as the salt is not good for the birds
Jeri says
I use 2 cups bacon grease plus 4 cups cornmeal and 4 cups rolled oats. I look through my cabinets for raw nuts, for example, that may have gone stale. Grind them up in a coffee grinder and add to the mix. In the fall I have lots of ripe pears and some that may have blemishes on them (the birds don’t mind)- dice them up, throw them in. The last thing I add is a cup of bird seed. This recipe makes about 5 cakes. The birds usually eat one up in less than a day, freeze the rest!
William Tubbs says
Have been making the recipe for over 6 years using the Birdola Stacker Stand as the feeder.
Make around 16 cupcakes a week. All the birds love eating.
Janet says
Why can’t you add birdseed , etc. to the batter before it is put in the cup so there are seeds all through the cupcake.
Betsy says
We make suet cakes for our winter birds. We’ve found that using a plastic Tupperware sandwich container makes the cakes just the right size to put into a square wire suet feeder. As others have said, the cakes store well in the freezer.
Juls says
I have made a similar item, I use ground millet and buckwheat that is past code. I roll them into balls and store in freezer. I loike the cupcake paper idea too.
MiMi says
Everything I put out for the birds is overtaken by the squirrels. We are plagued with gray squirrels in MS & after 50 years of trying to outsmart them, so far I haven’t! I always hope that maybe a little of what I put out is enjoyed by the birds.