Martha Stewart's Clever Bird Feeder Hack Uses A Common Baking Staple

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As a person who knows exactly how to feather a nest with crafts that are equal parts practical and charming, it's no surprise Martha Stewart has figured out a way to use a simple kitchen item to attract dozens of birds to her yard. On an episode of "Martha," the domestic goddess used simple bundt pans to transform a humble mixture into tasty molded seed cakes that are the perfect addition to a bird-friendly garden. To make them, Stewart combined a mixture of bird seed, peanuts, and dried cranberries, added rendered suet, packed the mix tightly into a bundt pan, and froze it until hard.

Seed and suet cakes provide something traditional bird feeders often don't. Packed with fats that birds rely on for energy, especially in the winter, molded seed cakes offer concentrated nutrition. Bundt pans create a large, wreath-shaped cake that can accommodate bigger or clinging birds that have trouble accessing narrow feeders. "I feed a lot of birds," Stewart said during her show, and if you attempt this clever hack yourself, woodpeckers, cardinals, and even bluebirds are potential visitors.

Along with a bundt pan or two (including miniature ones like the Wilton Non-Stick Mini Fluted Cake Pans from Amazon, which are ideal if you want to give small suet cakes as gifts), you'll need a large mixing bowl for combining your seed mix. Because suet is on the sticky side, it's also a good idea to have a pair of latex or rubber gloves. For a decorative element, you can place some fresh cranberries on the bottom of the pan before you fill it up, as Stewart did. Last but not least, you'll want something to hang your wreath. Stewart used thick gold ribbon, but inexpensive twine would also do the trick.

Although you can just wing it with your recipe, getting the suet right is crucial. Martha Stewart used suet that she, of course, rendered herself. Traditional suet is beef fat that's melted slowly before being strained to remove impurities. You can render your own or use store-bought to make your cakes.

Providing food is one of the foolproof ways to attract birds to your yard and garden, and Stewart's mixture also included bird seed, peanuts, and dried cranberries. She said the seed is really what birds are after. However, some homemade bird suet recipes call for the addition of rolled oats, raisins, or even dried mealworms to increase the nutritional value. No matter what dry ingredients you include, once they're mixed thoroughly, add melted suet and stir until everything is evenly coated. Since the goal is a texture that packs firmly into your bundt pan, don't overdo it on the suet because a soggy cake simply won't hold its shape. Once your bundt pan is filled, put it in the fridge or freezer until it hardens.

Keeping these suet wreaths cool is just as important as making them from high-quality ingredients, as it will prevent them from spoiling quickly. It's also best to hang them during cooler months, when the suet will stay solid and birds benefit from the extra calories. In warmer weather, melted suet can drip onto the ground, making a giant mess. Worse, it will stick to birds, which can interfere with their naturally insulating feathers and lead to life-threatening conditions. To avoid the risk to both your patio and perching friends, hang your suet wreaths in partial shade, away from heavy foot traffic, and high enough to deter curious squirrels.