Crossword Genius

Fish cakes flipping green, with dessert being yellow (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

cowardice

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'fish cakes flipping green' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'dessert being yellow' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'dessert' could be 'ice' (ice is a kind of dessert) and 'ice' is found within the answer.
'being' could be 'coward' (coward is a kind of being) and 'coward' is found in the answer.
No letters remain.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

'with' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for cowardice that I've seen before include "Spineless character" , "Quality of chicken" , "Lack of courage, pusillanimity" , "not bravery, either" , "Spinelessness" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
Want a hint initially instead of a full solution? Install my app