Homemade Suet Cakes for Birds

Suet gives backyard birds the energy they need on cold days. Melt plain suet or lard, mix in oats, cornmeal and seeds, and set in square containers that fit a standard suet cage.

Use suet in cool weather. In summer, fat goes rancid quickly.

Why your bird will love this

• Fits standard suet cages
• Costs less than store cakes
• Woodpeckers and chickadees love it

Ingredient notes

• Rendered beef suet or lard Safe

  Gives wild birds energy in cold weather. Use no-melt recipes in warm months.

• Crunchy natural peanut butter, unsalted Caution

  Unsalted and fresh only. Moldy peanuts can carry aflatoxin.

• Rolled oats Safe

  Rolled oats in suet cakes and bread.

• Cornmeal Safe

  Used in suet cakes and birdie bread.

• Black oil sunflower seeds

  Wild bird favorite.

See every ingredient in the safety guide

How to make Homemade Suet Cakes for Birds

Homemade Suet Cakes for Birds takes about 2 hours 25 minutes from start to finish and makes 4 suet cakes. It is an easy recipe. You will need a suet cage and square containers. Read through every step once before you start, and set out all the ingredients so nothing is missed.

Ingredients and why they are here

You need 5 ingredients. Each one is checked against the ingredient safety guide for birds.

• 2 cups rendered beef suet or lard: Gives wild birds energy in cold weather. Use no-melt recipes in warm months.
• 1 cup crunchy natural peanut butter, unsalted: Unsalted and fresh only. Moldy peanuts can carry aflatoxin.
• 2 cups rolled oats: Rolled oats in suet cakes and bread.
• 1 cup cornmeal: Used in suet cakes and birdie bread.
• 1 cup black oil sunflower seeds: Wild bird favorite.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Melt the suet and peanut butter over low heat. Allow about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the oats, cornmeal and seeds.
3. Press into square containers lined with parchment.
4. Chill until firm. Allow about 2 hours.
5. Pop out and place one cake in a suet cage.

Tips for success

• Use empty suet cake trays as molds so cakes fit the cage perfectly.
• Choose unsalted peanut butter with no sweeteners.
• Hang near cover so birds can retreat from hawks.

How to store it

Let everything cool completely before you pack it away, since trapped steam causes sogginess and mold. Keep it in the fridge for up to 4 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Wrap cakes in parchment and freeze. If anything smells off or shows mold, throw it out.

How much to serve

One cake at a time in a suet cage; replace when empty.

Why birds love it

Fits standard suet cages. Costs less than store cakes. Woodpeckers and chickadees love it.

Feeding tips for birds

Birds are sensitive to toxins, so keep avocado, salt, chocolate, onion and caffeine well away from their food. Wash feeders and dishes often to prevent mold and bacteria. For wild birds, place feeders where you can see them but near cover so birds can escape from predators. For pet birds, introduce new foods next to familiar ones and be patient.

Make it ahead

To save time, measure and prep the ingredients the day before and keep them covered in the fridge. Label containers with the recipe name and date so you always know what to use first. Most of the work in this recipe is hands-off, so it fits easily around a busy week.

What to watch for

For pet birds, changes in droppings, fluffed-up feathers, or sitting on the cage floor are warning signs that need an avian vet. For wild birds, clean feeders every few days and take them down for two weeks if you see sick birds, so disease does not spread.

Safety notes

Peanuts: Unsalted and fresh only. Moldy peanuts can carry aflatoxin. Never add onion, garlic, chocolate, grapes, raisins, xylitol or salt, and check the safety guide before trying a new ingredient with your bird. This recipe is general information, not veterinary advice.

Frequently asked questions

Can I feed suet in summer?

Use "no-melt" recipes with more flour and less fat, or stop in hot weather.

Which birds eat suet?

Woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, wrens and many more.

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