[Grammar] burnt cakes even though they were burnt

[Oceanlike]

1) The famished children ate all the burnt cakes even though they were burnt.

2) The famished children ate all the burnt cakes even though the cakes were burnt.

Can I use 'they' to replace 'burnt cakes' instead of (2) where 'the cakes' are repeated?

(1) sounds incorrect, as if the children were burnt. I don't know.

Thank you!

 

[emsr2d2]

Not only is there no reason to repeat "the pies", there is no reason to repeat "burnt".

The famished children ate all the pies even though they were burnt.

 

[Barb_D]

With the like button temporarily disabled, I'll add a post to say that I agree completely. (If you care, in American English, we'd used "burned" not "burnt.")