I'm making a fiesta themed bday cake for my friend's 30th (it's a gift). I know I'm draping a fondant striped blanket across the top and I have a pile of chili peppers for the top.

I need something to fill in between/around the peppers. She doesn't drink so no margarita glasses. The bday dinner will be shared w/stepson & BiL so no flowers.

I have attempted a couple of chocolate sombreros--not sure yet if I like the results.

Any ideas for simple, fun, fiesta accents/filler?

My friends insists that I am NOT allowed to stress over her cake. I can't help seeing it as a chance to be creative for someone who will be appreciative of whatever they get.

Kristy

Could you make a little gecko lizard peeking out from under the pile of peppers (like they were his cave), with a few partially-eaten peppers around him?
They come in all sorts of sizes, patterns, and colors (just Google image search you'll find tons!).

What about marroca's? (Did I spell that right?)

ooooh, I like the gecko idea but I wonder if I have the skills to pull it off.

Maracas have come to mind. I had a brief brainstorm about making a burrito, taco and quesadilla out of fondant (the bday dinner is at a Mex restaurant) but I'm wondering about scale.

The cake is an 8in square. The peppers are about 2 and 3in long. If I make small maracas or food, the peppers will be giant in comparison. If I make life size food, they might not fit on the top of the cake.

hmmmmmm....

K

Brightly colored confetti and streamers, guitars, cacti. I googled "Mexican Fiesta" and got some interesting pictures, including this:


http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/9142892/2/istockphoto_9142892-mexican-party-fiesta-clip-art.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-illustration-9142892-mexican-party-fiesta-clip-art.php&usg=__l0MX4kMhscFq-j9XHW7u5cNJBTA=&h=380&w=380&sz=132&hl=en&start=61&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=zfh7d8KxOb1MgM:&tbnh=123&tbnw=123&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmexican%2Bfiesta%26start%3D60%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1

Brightly colored skull and or a cactus would be fun.

We just did a float this summer with the fiesta theme for my daughters girl scout troop, it was so much fun!! Lots of bright colors, cactus was the first thing that came to my mind with your peppers....

Thanks for the all the great ideas.

So far I have a striped blanket, bunch of peppers, a skull w/flowers for eyes, a yellow sun w/faces embossed onto it and some bright flowers. I figure the skull & other items balance out the few flowers. The cake is frosted in dark chocolate ganache so in no way is that girly.

The stepson is the one w/issues about the cake being "girly". His "lovely" grandmother got a princess cake for his combo birthday party with his younger half sister--nothing more mortifying than a pink sparkly cake for a 15YO boy.

Not sure how to make 3D catcus for the top of the cake. Thinking about using flat ones along the sides of the cake (I think I have a cutter--time to dig in the box)

I might also make a cross that looks like it is covered in bright mosaic tile.

I'll get some pics up when it's done.
Kristy

Maybe a small brightly colored mule pinata?

What about brightly colored parrots and pinatas come to mind: www.http://pinatasforsale.org

Fiesta cake is DONE! W00T!

Let's see if I can attach a pic

Edit--nope, let me get it into the gallery & post a link.

YAY! Gallery upload worked. Here it is:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1805351.html

Thanks for all the help with ideas for this cake.

Kristy