This is what I worked on today for my son's 3rd birthday!
This is not quite as over the top as I usually like to make my cakes (since I didn't really sculpt or paint anything of great detail and used plastic figurines). But, it also took me significantly less time too XD About 4 hours excluding cake cooling time.
I stacked and sculpted the cake to resemble a volcano and added some of his little plastic dinosaurs and trees. drizzled with colored frosting for lava. Unfortunately, I was trying to take it a step farther trying to make some sugar work to add as exploding lava from the top but the recipe and humidity forced me to scrap the attempt.
He LOVED it when he got home from daycare. Even got to blow out the candle 3 times but we aren't cutting it until tomorrow when we have his party. Had a little leftover batter and made some cupcakes, so he still got something today for his actual birthday.

It also features chocolate fudge cake, chocolate frosting, orange cream frosting and cotton candy frosting ^_^