Emerald mum Cassie Watene takes out ACADA cake award for Cas’ Cakery

A self-taught cake maker has made a name for herself in the cake industry after launching her regional business in 2018.

Cassie Watene, pictured with her husband Jared, recently won the ACADA Australasian Rising Star of the Year Award.

An Emerald mum of four has turned a new-found passion into a career, and was recently recognised for her self-taught talent at the national cake Oscars.

Cassie Watene started her cake making journey with simple Woolworths mud cake hacks for her children before launching her own business in 2018 when her cakes began getting interest from friends and other community members.

Since then the Emerald mum has been booked out with cakes and has built a community of more than 174,000 followers through her Instagram page - sharing her skills, tips and tricks along the way.

“I was a little frustrated at the lack of free tutorials around,” Mrs Watene said about when she first started.

“So I decided to start videoing the piping and putting it on Instagram, and it just snowballed.”

A recent wedding cake by Emerald cake maker Cassie Watene.

She is now an affiliate for a range of industry businesses, including Colour Mill, Caking It Up, Lollipop Cake Supplies, Loyal Bakeware and another coming up with an Australian sprinkle company.

“There are so many different things you can do with cakes and you can just keep reinventing yourself and getting better and better,” Mrs Watene said.

“I love that you can turn some butter and flour and eggs into artwork and you get to be part of the most important parts of people's lives.”

Mrs Watene is now known as an award-winning cake maker, recently taking out the Rising Star Award at the Australian Cake Artists & Decorators Association cake Oscars at Brisbane on Saturday, May 15.

Cassie and Jared Watene at the ACADA Australasian cake awards.

“I was shocked,” she said.

“When we went to the awards night, my category was first up, which was great because I had crazy butterflies.

“They called out my name and I was in total shock.

“Being a mum from a rural town and everything I went through to get there, I was incredibly proud of what I have achieved.

“I feel like if I can do it, it sets a precedent for so many others, ‘if she can do it, I can do it’.”

The Australasian awards were designed to recognise people across the industry based on their talent and passion.

Rockhampton councillor Drew Wickerson was also recognised at the awards for his cake creations, taking home the ACADA Australasian Statement Cake Artist of the Year award.

ACADA Australasian Statement Cake Artist of the Year winner Drew Wickerson.

Mrs Watene taught her first decorating classes at the weekend-long event, with people travelling from Melbourne and other areas across Australia just to attend her class.

“One girl flew up from Melbourne just to go to my class and I was nearly crying when she told me,” she said.

“There were all these amazing people that came to support me and learn from me.

“And just meeting all the people I talk to within the industry was amazing.”

Mrs Watene said it was great to see awards being handed out to others who also came from small, regional communities.

“I think a lot of people think if they’re in a rural town they’re limited but I feel like you're not, it just depends on the limitations you put on yourself,” she said.

“You could literally be anywhere in the world, it’s what you put into it as to what you can make it.

“I don’t have qualifications. I finished high school at 16 and never felt successful because I wasn’t qualified in anything.

“But success is what you make it, know one can tell you whether you are or aren’t successful.

“If you put your heart and mind to something you can achieve whatever it is you want to achieve.”

ACADA Australasian Rising Star of the Year Award winner Cassie Watene (second from the right).

Mrs Watene said she wouldn’t have made it that far without the support and backing of her husband Jared and the Emerald community.

“Emerald has been such a supportive and amazing community to do this in,” she said.

“If it wasn’t for them ordering cakes and giving me creative freedom I would not have developed a style and none of this would have flowed on.”

To follow her journey visit Cas’ Cakery on Facebook or Cas_cakery on Instagram.

Originally published as Emerald mum Cassie Watene takes out ACADA cake award for Cas’ Cakery