1 fat : 1 peanut butter : 3 dry
Suet cake recipe calculator
Tell it how many cakes you want; it tells you how much fat, peanut butter, cornmeal, and oats to use. Standard cake size — fits every store-bought cage.
Rendered fat or lard
Peanut butter
Cornmeal
Quick oats
How to make it
- Melt. Fat and peanut butter together over low heat — just warm enough to combine.
- Mix. Stir in the cornmeal and oats until it forms a thick, even dough.
- Mold. Press into saved suet trays or any container about an inch deep.
- Chill. Fridge until firm; freeze the extras — they keep for months.
Plain fats only: no salted or seasoned drippings, no bacon grease, nothing rancid. And in warm weather, shift the ratio to 1 : 1 : 4–5 (more cornmeal and flour) for a no-melt dough that holds shape into the 80s.
Suet recipe questions, answered
What fat should I use for suet cakes?
Rendered beef suet (kidney fat) is the classic; plain lard works just as well and is easier to find. Never use salted, seasoned, or heavily used cooking fats — and skip bacon grease, whose salt and nitrites birds don't need.
Can I use peanut butter safely?
Yes — plain peanut butter (no xylitol; standard brands are fine) adds protein and calories, and blending it 1:1 with fat plus dry ingredients removes any stickiness concern. Crunchy or smooth both work.
How do I make no-melt suet for warm weather?
Raise the dry share: use 1 part fat, 1 part peanut butter, and 4–5 parts dry mix (weighted toward cornmeal and flour), and your cakes will hold shape into the 80s°F. It's the same trick commercial 'no-melt dough' uses.
How long do homemade suet cakes keep?
Months in the freezer — make a big batch and store the extras in a freezer bag with parchment between cakes. In the feeder, replace a cake within a week or two in cool weather, sooner if it softens or darkens.
What can I mix in for variety?
A handful per batch of sunflower hearts, chopped unsalted peanuts, or dried fruit is plenty. Skip bread, table scraps, and anything salted — and skip seed-heavy mixes in bear country, where less scent is better.
What do I use as a mold?
Anything the size of a commercial cake (about 4.5 × 4.5 × 1.25 inches): an empty suet-cake tray saved from the store, a sandwich container, or a lined loaf pan cut into blocks after chilling.
Now — when should the cakes go out? Suet timing runs on temperature, and every state is different.
Suet dates by stateFeederDates › Suet › Cake recipe