Cherpie Cherpie Cupcakes

All these fresh, frosty mornings and the snow-capped Southdowns in the background, it seems that winter is in full flow here.  It has been chilly, chilly, chilly!

Inspired by a wonderful little Christmas gift and with a mini wildlife fanatic in tow, we have taken it upon ourselves to be at one with nature in our garden, this includes keeping all our feathered friends well fed during this cold snap.

We had been filling our bird bath up with stale bread each time we reached the end of a loaf.  Until my mother shared her concerns me, "you shouldn't feed bread to the birds, they get bloated".  Well we've all been there haven't we!  So knowing exactly how our feathered friends must be feeling, I looked into the diets of birds and settled on some bird friendly seed.

This Monday was playdates once more and it was a really dreary and dull day.  So as we were stuck indoors we agreed there was nothing left to do apart from bake!  But baking of a different kind, baking for birds; Cherpie Cherpie Cupcakes.  This is such an easy recipe and the girls really enjoyed the idea of feeding our feathered friends and keeping them warm.  I did have to watch they didn't lick the bowl as they usually do! 

You will need:

Bird seed
Gelatine
Boiling water
Ribbon or wool
Cupcake cases

Step 1.
Pour out the desired amount of bird seed into a mixing bowl.  We used 500 grams each. 

Step 2.
Empty two sachets of Gelatine powder into a measuring jug and add half a pint of boiling water, stir until it dissolves.  Let the water cool slightly, then little helpers can do the next bit.

Step 3.
Pour the gelatine and water mixture into the mixing bowl, stir into the bird seed mixture.

Step 4.
Lay out the cupcake cases, corresponding to how much mixture you have made. 500 grams made 6 cupcakes, with some left over.

Step 5.
Spoon out the mixture into each cupcake case, make sure each one is full of mixture.  Pack it in.

Step 6.
Get a knitting needle or pencil and poke the wool or ribbon, knotted end down into the mixture.  Fill the whole around the thread and pack it in again.

Step 7.
Leave to dry out in a cool place for 3 hours (ours went in the fridge).  Then gently remove the cupcake cases, turn upside down and leave to dry out again for a couple more hours.

Step 8.
Choose a tree and hang them up.

Step 9.
Grab a garden bench, sit back, drink hot chocolate and wait a while.  I wonder what will we spot?

Last month the RSPB launched the annual Big Garden Birdwatch.  When they ask everyone to get involved in birdwatching on a national scale!  Spend an hour in your garden or local park watching the birds on either Saturday 28, or Sunday 29 January.  All you need is a pen, some scrap paper (or, a printout of their handy bird ID sheet).   All the results are then submitted to the RSPB.  Last year 600000 people got involved.  Isn't that amazing!

We missed it this year and I was gutted, so to make up for it we will share our Cherpie Cherpie Cupcakes with our feathered friends.

Nice to see you again.
Xxx