I made this cake several years ago and might improve on the "beach" element if I were to do it again, and perhaps Alex the Lion's mane, but am still very proud of it. I thank the mother who ordered it for the idea of the crates, which enabled me to hide the giraffe instead of trying to figure out how to have him standing with his long neck! The cake is a basic devil's food, with chocolate ganache and covered in fondant. The crates are also pieces of cake. The figures are fondant with gum tex.