I agree that fondant is a life saver, but it took me a couple tries to master so I suggest a combo of yellow and orange food coloring. This worked for me for a lion (complete with a twizzler pull n' peel mane!!). First birthdays are stressfull. My mom planned a lot more of my son's, but his second birthday... that one brought the house down and it was all me. Good luck!! P.S. Maybe make him a little mini cake or his own cupcake (if you order it from a bakery they call them smash cakes) so that you can let him "eat" his own cake with out ruining the masterful giraffe creation!