I saw this beautiful cake today http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2097003/ while I was looking for ideas for my daughter's birthday cake. The technique is the second tier is called billowing and when I search 'billow' here on cake central, several forum posts come up, but all of them say 'error ,not found'. On YouTube the technique is not listed at all. I would like to practice before I do her cake (it's her 25th, and a big party is planned). Can any one please post a link to a tutorial or video please?
It's pretty easy...I don't have a link to a tutorial but I can tell you how to do it. Just cut squares of fondant...I think the cutter I used was 2"x2". Fold the edges over on the sides two sides opposite of each other (the top and bottom), just a little bit. Then on the other sides, pleat the fondant and pinch it together. Brush the pinched edges with a little bit of gum glue and attach them to your fondant-covered cake. Do that all the way around the cake. On the next row up, start with the pinched ends above the middle of one of the billows below. Just keep going in rows around the cake until it's covered, then go back and add dots or whatever decorations you'd like over the pinched ends.
Try this one.
http://thejoyofcake.shutterfly.com/tutorials
It's cake_architect's blog.
There's going to be tutorial in the next issue of Cake Central Magazine from the person who invented it. Of course, that may not be published for another 3 years...
Yes, that was the original idea, but the author can't show the tutorial until the magazine is published. So Susan Trianos is still waiting for that. Meanwhile, cake_architect figured it out. And that's the only tutorial we have.
There's still that note on Susan Triano's website.
http://www.susantrianoscakes.com/category/cake-tutorials/
Oh, and to the OP, you can check out her beautiful wedding cake there, too.
I want to try this on a square cake. How yo think it would look?
Any sugguestions?
I just got finished with billowing on a dummy cake using dabear's cake as my guide. I used a quilting board and pastry cutter to get my 2x2 squares (don't have 2x2 cutter). I used water to attach the squares. I haven't posted my pic yet but am really pleased with it. I found putting the dots on more difficult lol
It's pretty easy...I don't have a link to a tutorial but I can tell you how to do it. Just cut squares of fondant...I think the cutter I used was 2"x2". Fold the edges over on the sides two sides opposite of each other (the top and bottom), just a little bit. Then on the other sides, pleat the fondant and pinch it together. Brush the pinched edges with a little bit of gum glue and attach them to your fondant-covered cake. Do that all the way around the cake. On the next row up, start with the pinched ends above the middle of one of the billows below. Just keep going in rows around the cake until it's covered, then go back and add dots or whatever decorations you'd like over the pinched ends.
Thank you so much! I've been admiring this technique for a while now.
To me it looks almost like a technique that's done on fabric called "ruching".
So wonderful all the things you can do with fondant!
There's a pic of ruching here.
http://www.laurabeedesigns.com/Ruched-Silk-Clutch-pr-14-c-6.html
My Mother and Grand Mother used to do that "billowing" in the 60's but with one continued strip of fondant not squares.. When i saw the pics of that cake, it reminded me of the pics of my Parents wedding cake. My Grand Mother made their cake and used that style on the lower layer to match the bodice on my Moms wedding gown. It wasnt called billowing then.
I love when old traditions came back in style.
There's going to be tutorial in the next issue of Cake Central Magazine from the person who invented it. Of course, that may not be published for another 3 years...
How stinking cute is that?! Let me know how it turns out for you
For the billowing technique on my cake in my photo gallery, I just used a square cookie cutter gathered at the edges. Very easy to do and looks great!
For those waiting on Susan Trianos DVD on the billowing technique, it is now available for sale. You can go to her website and order it..yea. Ordered mine and waiting on the mail to deliver it, can't wait!
I did a cake on Friday night using the billowing on the middle tier and really love how it looks. It was time consuming for me because the cake was so tall, but the clients loved, loved it. I posted photos of the cake last night to my cake photos. This will definitely be my favorite technique
For the billowing technique on my cake in my photo gallery, I just used a square cookie cutter gathered at the edges. Very easy to do and looks great!
I am looking for your profile picture cake in your gallery and can't find it! I want to see it up close and add it to my favorites!!!
I just posted a picture of my cake from this past weekend where I did the billowing - I LOVE the way it turned out, and it was much easier than I expected!
Where did you post your pic? I do not see one in your gallery with "billowing" and I didn't see one in your blog.
I just bought Susan's DVD from Jennifer Dontz! It should be arriving sometime next week. Thanks Susan! I'm looking forward to it! 
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