base similar to cookie dough?

I'm making a cake with pretty detailed 3d features and was originally was planning to use cookie dough, but pretty sure it's going to melt into gloup when it cooks. is there anything else I can use that will keep its shape when cooked? or is the only option to bake a normal cake and then cut and shape it with small pieces?

I definitely prefer normal cake to cookie dough to be honest but I won't have hours and hours free to shape it so advice needed please