White Witch Cake

You might have seen my post about the Narnia cooking competition launched by Harper Collins (see Are you a Narnia cooking star? for all the details, terms and conditions).
This is my own creation, a cake inspired by Narnia.

White Witch Cake
Ingredients:

2 large eggs
2 bananas
200g self-raising powder
1 tsp baking powder
200g golden caster sugar
50g butter, unsalted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2tsp cinnamon
2tbsp ground almonds

For the icing
2 tbps cream cheese, low fat
50g icing sugar
30g butter, unsalted
1 tbsp brandy

For the decorations
3 tbsp Dr Oetker Apricot glaze
Dr Oetker Ready to Roll White Icing
Dr Oetker Soft Silver Pearls
Queen Writing Icing
Ready-made merigues (small size)
1tsp of softened butter

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
Grease the sandwich tins and line with the baking parchment (or use the cake release spray, then you don't need the parchment paper)
2. In a big mixing bowl sift the flour with the baking powder.
3. Mash the ripe bananas with the fork and whisk together with the sugar.
Whisk the egg yolks until the mixture is pale and creamy. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff. Add the eggs to the big bowl with the flour and ground almonds and mix well, adding cinnamon and vanilla extract too. Fold the egg whites in the mixture, using a large wooden spatula.
4. Spoon the mixture into the sandwich tin and smooth the top with the spoon.
5. Bake the cake for about 35-40 minutes or until it feels firm. Using a wooden skewer, check that the cake is done.
6. Leave the cake out for about 10 minutes, then carefully move to the wire cooling rack and leave there until completely cool. Carefully cut into two layers using a thin long knife.
7. Prepare the icing by mixing the cream cheese with the icing sugar in the bowl, then add the softened butter and the brandy, mix until it is smooth and shiny. If the icing is too thick, add another spoonful of brandy.
8. Spread the icing on top of the first layer and sandwich the two layers together.
9. Using a knife, spread the Apricot glaze over the top and sides of the cake.
10. Roll out the Ready to roll icing on a non-stick board to 5mm thickness. Drape the icing over the cake carefully. Use the rolling pin as a support tool to move the icing onto the cake without tearing it. Gently smooth the icing across the top of the cake, using your hands. Be careful not to leave the fingerprints, so don't press to hard. Smooth the icing down towards the base of the cake and trim any excess at the base with the knife.
11. Leave the cake for a day before decorating.
12. Using the writing icing, carefully draw your design. Add the silver pearls at the end.
13. Press each meringue in the softened butter, slightly, just to make it easy for the meringues to hold onto the sides of the cake.