How to decorate intricately shaped cake

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I've agreed to make a child's birthday cake, using a train mould. I've used this mould before and always run into difficulties with how to decorate it. The problem is that the mould itself is quite intricately shaped, so when I've tried buttercream or royal icing, it covers over the details of the cake itself. But it doesn't look great undecorated, so I want to know what else I could do. Any thoughts?

I wonder if I could dip it in something liquid that would cover it? Or any other suggestions, please?

Shave the cake, coat ymthe inside of the cake tin in chocolate, put chocolate mould over the cake, decorate that with tiny icing nozzle

I am not artistic at all, so that's what I'd do, but others will have a better idea I'm sure

Instead of coating completely in icing, perhaps use different coloured icing pens to highlight the details of the mould? You could also use sweets to decorate some parts, such as the wheels?

Use buttercream icing in various colours and small star nozzle. Pipe stars all over cake with different colours to highlight features. I've used a number of different shaped tins over the years, and this has been the most successful decoration by far. You can pipe line detail over the, stars if you like

I bet you’ll find ideas if you google or Pinterest it.

Id probably look at just picking out the details with icing, rather than icing the whole thing.

Examples of cakes I've iced with buttercream stars

I've always decorated with sweets like this.

www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/nordic-ware-procast-locomotive-pan--104568022570127474/

Another alternative is to draw around the tin and then use that as a template to cut out shapes in fondant icing to stick on top of the cake and then use sweets etc to add detail. I've used this method for quite a few cakes to good effect. Good luck!

Thanks everyone.

It's made up of 9 small cakes, so I might do a trial version where I try out some of the different techniques you've recommend on each carriage and see what works best (& is within my skill set!).

I think buttercream stars with sweets for features (wheels etc) might be the best in theory, but that will depend on whether my efforts look anywhere near as good as the poster above! I'm a good baker, but I'm not great at presentation.

If you make it out of chocolate sponge then use line piping / icing pens / cut out fondant for a wheel type spokes that would look pretty cool