Hello! I am a complete novice when it comes to making cakes (and drawing for that matter!) and wondered if any kind people may be able to help me with what I need to make the attached creation. My nearly 3 year old is desperate for a giraffe cake and has been for months. I really don’t want to let her down so if anyone could be kind enough to suggest what I use to make the various bits on this cake I would SO appreciate it! Many thanks.

It can be covered/iced in buttercream or fondant as you like,  The giraffe can be made from fondant or gumpaste.  I work mostly w/fondant.  You can add some Tylose powder (Wilton's Gum Paste Mix - dry powder).  Depending on how much fondant you start with it won't take much to 'tighten' it up enough to allow it to dry well.   I usually just dip the fondant into the dry p;owder and knead it in until it feels 'tight'.  I doubt it's more than a 1/3 teaspoon to a cup of fondant.   The 'leaves' on the sides can be piped w/b'cream using tip #65 or maybe 67 or any leaf tip you might have.   The sports probably can be painted on w/food coloring - mix it w/some Vodka or lemon extract.  Don't be concerned w/Vodka for a child - the amount used it very minimal and it evaporates - quickly :)    BTW:  Your drawing isvery good!  Mucgh better than mine :)

Your drawing does look awesome!  My first thought was the same as kakeladi's, pipe most of it.  But, personally, I find it a whole lot easier to work with fondant and if you are inexperienced, you might find it easier, too.  You can find a million tutorials on YouTube on how to cover the cake with fondant.  You could cover it with white fondant, dye a little chunk a couple of different colors green to cut the leaves, dye another small chunk brown and cut out irregular spots.  The little giraffe would require Tylose added to help strengthen the fondant and aid in drying.  You could buy a small pack of  Wilton gum paste at Walmart and mix it half and half with the fondant in place of Tylose powder.  There are also tons of tutorials on making figures.  Good luck!

You've received some wonderful advice and tips. For a 3 year old, I would do the cake in buttercream and only the giraffe in fondant. You could even do the cake in buttercream and put a little plastic giraffe on top.  I promise you, 3 year olds have wonderful imaginations and are very forgiving.  

Good luck and let us see your final creation!

Cakefan gave you some good ideas   Yes a plastic giraffe would be just fine and a nice toy for years to come    I’ m a b’cream Person so that would be my first choice -Sandra is a fondant person so I understand her choice   Now it’s up to you which you think will be best for you 

Haha, kakeladi, I am really a buttercream person, but am just not good at it.  I think it is twice as hard to do a good job with buttercream, but I am FINALLY getting there!  I still can't pipe though.