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I use the wilton oval pans that came in the wilton class set. You could use any oval or round pans that give you the size and shape cake that you want.

Start by rolling out a mixture of 1/2 fondant and 1/2 gumpaste to 3/16" to 1/4" thick. Cut this to form the brim of the cake. I use an actual cowboy hat and lay the mixture over the rim of the inverted hat and let it dry that way to get a good shape. If using a felt hat make sure to cover the hat with plastic wrap before laying the fondant on it to keep from picking up fuzzies. You can also cut the fondant out and lay it flat on a surface and use rolled up towels to shape the sides of the brim if you don't have a hat to use. You will need to do this a couple days in advance to allow time for the fondant to dry completely so it will hold it's shape.

Ok, I have used two cakes and I have used three cakes. On the two hat style I stacked and filled the two cakes and used a roll of fondant to create the shape of the top of the hat. Simply roll the fondant like a sausage and arrange on the top of the hat before covering with fondant. When using the three cake method, stack and fill the layers and carve the top cake to form the shape of the hat before covering with fondant. For the cake pictured on Cakecentral I used the three cake method. I cut the top cake at an angle to give it slope and then I carved a "V" into it to give it the "dip". Now, cover the cake with fondant and place on the brim. The band around the hat will cover your seam where the hat meets the brim.