Swimming-pool Slab Cake

Remove chilled cake from packaging and arrange pieces side by side on a serving board to form a 17x27cm rectangle.

Place frosting in a bowl and tint pale blue with food colouring. Reserve 1/2 cup frosting. Spread top of cake with remaining frosting. Using reserved frosting, attach 2 wafers to each short side and 3 wafers to each long side. Gently press to secure.

Cut 3 x 1.5cm-thick slices from 1 banana to form part of the starting blocks. Cut remaining banana in half lengthways, then cut into 7mm-thick slices. (See tip.)

Using the picture as a guide, arrange banana halves and raspberries alternately in 3 rows, approx 4cm apart, to form pool lanes and gently press to secure. Cut remaining wafers into 4 x 2x4cm rectangles to form starting blocks. Using the picture as a guide, at one short end of cake, place a reserved banana piece in the centre of each lane. Top with a wafer rectangle to form starting blocks. Gently press to secure.

Cut each pretzel into 2 rounded pieces to form arms and 2 straight pieces to form legs. Using the picture as a guide, arrange 1 blueberry to form a head. Add pretzel arms and legs in each lane to form swimmers.

Trim 2 yellow paper straws to form 2 x 12cm-long lengths. Using a metal skewer, make a hole in each straw 1.5cm in from one end. Thread a 20cm length of unwaxed kitchen string through straws. Allow 15cm between straws, then tie 4 knots at each end to secure. Trim string ends if needed. Using the picture as a guide, press straws approximately 4cm in from one short end of cake. Cut a slit in the remaining blueberries, then carefully insert slit over string to form pool flags. Serve.