Crushed graham crackers they sell in a box for pie crust. "See my shell" http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=tiptop57&cat=0&pos=10
Putting 'Nilla Wafers and cinnamon or regular graham crackers in the food processor makes great sand. Crush them up a little before processing for a more even sand.
If you want a little darker sand that looks like it has rocks in it, use hard chocolate chip cookies with the vanilla wafers.
Some people use brown sugar, but I find it too sweet and humidity can make it start to melt, then it just looks odd.
I would love a photo of the cake. It sounds like it's really going to be cool.
Michele
I have done a beach scened cake twice and I used brown sugar!
I've used light brown granulated sugar and no work involved.
I use the graham cracker or Nilla wafer crumbs (depending on the color I need) and I add a tiny amount of course white sugar to it -- sand always has those little shiny pieces in it! Hope that helps some and please post a picture when you're finished!! 
I liked it.. we adhered it to the cake with some piping gel.... no one seemed to mind the texture. I wouldn't see it being any more crunchy than a cookie... but I could be wrong
I am doing a cake for my husband's birthday. He is in the environmental business and I tell people he plays in dirt.
That's hysterical!! My hubby used to be a hydraulic pipe fitter and when we were going to get married my dad asked "what does this guy do?" and I responded "I don't know, he bends pipes for a living." 
I use the graham cracker or Nilla wafer crumbs (depending on the color I need) and I add a tiny amount of course white sugar to it -- sand always has those little shiny pieces in it! Hope that helps some and please post a picture when you're finished!!
Graham crackers for me. To get that sparkly look, I add some gold sanding sugar.
I use the graham cracker or Nilla wafer crumbs (depending on the color I need) and I add a tiny amount of course white sugar to it -- sand always has those little shiny pieces in it! Hope that helps some and please post a picture when you're finished!!
Graham crackers for me. To get that sparkly look, I add some gold sanding sugar.
OOOO!!! Gold sanding sugar! I like that idea! Thanks!! 
We were all there once Sweetie! Gold sanding sugar is just that, sanding sugar colored gold. CK Products makes it and I believe countrykitchensa.com sells it. I can get it locally at our neighborhood cake store. Hope that helps some!
I really should repost my tropical sunset cake. I had it up once but I couldn't stand looking at it (I don't personally like writing on cakes and one look at that you'll know why!) 
But in it I used crushed Nilla wafers and at the edge of the "shore" as it were I sprinkled coarse white sugar to look like foam. It didn't of course, but it's the thought that counts!
I use Keebler Pecan Sandies put through the food processor. The pecans give the "sand" some dimension and taste good too if someone decides to eat them. Brown sugar is great in cooking but the smell of it on a cake board makes me feel sick to my stomach.
On one of the food network challenges, they used crumbled yellow cake that they had toasted slightly, but he said you didn't have to toast it. Just crumble it up.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%