Almonds on xmas cake.dou put them on straight away

or halfway though the cooking?

I have only ever put almonds or glace cherries on before I put the cake in the oven as you would have to work quickly due to loss of heat, and there's a chance of burning your fingers (so I'm a wuss).I have read about using egg white to stick then on after, but I've never done it.

Thanks furr that i'll put them on before.

if you want to decorate your cake with nuts noddy after cooking then when cold mix up apricot jam and if you use it brandy ( i don't use the brandy just the jam and my cake still keeps lovely) warm through and then brush the mix over the top of the cake.then put on your nuts in whatever pattern you like on the top of the cake and brush on the mix again to glaze it - it will keep fine like this for weeks.i always do a nut topping cos our crew don't really like the iceing much.i use a mix of almonds, brasil, walnuts, peacans and hazlenuts.if you are doing like a dundee cake type topping then yep gently press the almonds into the top of the uncooked cake mix in whatever pattern you like, brush with egg white - i just keep the shells from the eggs that i have used cos there is always a bit of egg white left in them - and brush all over the top of the cake, making sure to brush the almonds well.then bake and yum,yum she comes out looking real good!!have fun!!