'Decorating' an un-iced Christmas cake

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

Won't be making the cake for a while but prompted by another thread..... my family prefer the cake to be un-iced, which is a shame but then again saves me some work!
Usually I put either nuts or Glace fruits on the top, then wrap a pretty ribbon round the sides.
Any other ideas please?

Can you still buy those Christmas decorations that stick into the cake- thinking back to 80's full on Christmas scene

Oh Id love some of those. My mums got lost in a move.

Marzipan fruits?

Midnight rambling but if you like the look of a decorated cake.

Turn the tin upside down, after removing the cake. Decorate the tin with hard royal icing and when dry place over the cake. Remove to cut slices and replace.

Cake always looks brill, people have what they like to eat and the cake is kept covered between eatings.

You could even cover the tin in foil before adding the icing. The tin could be removed and just the hard icing cover used to cover the cake. It 'may' even last more than one year.

@MadauntofA

Can you still buy those Christmas decorations that stick into the cake- thinking back to 80's full on Christmas scene

I think I have some of those somewhere, hadn't really thought of using the same decorations as an iced cake. Definitely an option, thanks!

@ZarasHouse

Marzipan fruits?

Yes that is a great idea! I am going to have too many options to choose from now!

@RealityExistsInTheHumanMind

Midnight rambling but if you like the look of a decorated cake.

Turn the tin upside down, after removing the cake. Decorate the tin with hard royal icing and when dry place over the cake. Remove to cut slices and replace.

Cake always looks brill, people have what they like to eat and the cake is kept covered between eatings.

You could even cover the tin in foil before adding the icing. The tin could be removed and just the hard icing cover used to cover the cake. It 'may' even last more than one year.

What a brilliant idea!

If they like marzipan, cut a design from a sheet of marzipan then lightly brown it for colour (with a blowtorch or under the grill, watching so it doesn't catch)

@ShaunaTheSheep

If they like marzipan, cut a design from a sheet of marzipan then lightly brown it for colour (with a blowtorch or under the grill, watching so it doesn't catch)

That's a fantastic idea. Unfortunately one family member doesn't like marzipan - I love it - hence the marzipan fruit idea is perfect as easy to remove. But with so many good ideas on here, I'm now considering making a square cake, cutting into 4 and decorating in different ways (on iced, one blowtorched marzipan; on etc etc.

I decorate mine with whole almonds, arrange them in a circle pattern over the cake, they completely cover it. Cook with the almonds on. Looks traditional and lovely.

I also have the 70s style robin, tree, deer and holly leaves from my youth

Yes I often use nuts and they look lovely. I have for various decorations which I've used over the years when I used to ice the cake - it hadn't even crossed my mind to use them on an undecorated cake!

'Un-iced cake" that should have been

I was going to suggest Delia’s glacé fruit topping recipe, but I see that’s already what you do!