I need help with this cake. It's for my husbands grandpa, he's an old gruff cowboy, who doesn't want anything fancy. But, I would still like to impress all of the party-goers with a truly beautifull cake. I haven't come across any ideas that would impress and fit his personality. Thanks for your time!

Well, we would probably need to know more about his personality...

Good Point! He is an old rancher, who has lived in rural South Dakota for most of his life. I was thinking something with a Cowboy hat, or boots. Possibly using fondant rope.

How about a 2 tier cake (circles 6" and 8" or whatever sizes to fit # of people to serve).

On the top of the 6" you could make a cowboy hat out of fondant. The sides of that 6" could be cactuses, etc; and around the bottom tier you could cut out cowboy boots from fondant.

If you are to do any writing, you can shape fondant into thin rope-like strings and form letters/words from them.

You could try this one...
http://www.karascakes.com/hatcake.jpg
Directions
http://www.cakeworkscentral.com/scrapbook/cowboyhat.htm

That hat is one cRaZy cake! If you do it, please let us know how it goes!

cupcakequeen, that is a good idea. If you don't want to layer, put the hat hanging off to one side off the tops of the boots, maybe even one of the boot tops wrinkled over like they do when they get "used"...the rope dangling off the hat to the front of the boots, does that make sense?

Thanks Everyone! That hat cake is perfect You all have given me alot of great ideas. I'll post a picture when I'm done. Thanks Again.