Cake can initially gratify bird (7)
I believe the answer is:
bunting
'bird' is the definition.
(bunting is a kind of bird)
'cake can initially gratify' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
'cake' could be 'bun' (I've seen this before) and 'bun' is found within the answer.
'can' could be 'tin' (synonyms) and 'tin' is located in the answer.
A single letter 'g' remains which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bunting that I've seen before include "hunter's baby" , "Flags etc" , "Little bird" , "Flags and decorations; bird" , "Flags; finch-like bird" .)