From a Home Kitchen to the World Stage: Rajnandani’s Homemade Cakes Is Nominated for WCAA 2027, Dubai
Some dreams start in a big studio with a team of twenty. Others start in a home kitchen, with one baker, one oven and a lot of stubborn belief.
This one is the second kind. Rajnandani Shetiya, founder of Rajnandani’s Homemade Cakes, has been named an Official Nominee at the World Cake Artistry Awards (WCAA) 2027, which will be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 7–8 June 2027.
For a self-taught home baker, that is a big moment, and it is worth explaining why.
What Are the World Cake Artistry Awards?
The World Cake Artistry Awards is an international awards platform built around one idea: cake artistry is a real art form, and it deserves professional standards, fair judging and a global stage.
The awards were founded by cake artist and educator Mujuthaba Abdulla. The first edition took place in February 2026 at Kurumba Maldives and drew cake artists from 38 countries. More than 800 entries came in across around 60 categories. An international panel of judges narrowed them down to 240 finalists.
In 2027 the awards move to Dubai, a city that loves ambitious design, with country ambassadors helping to bring artists, pastry chefs, brands and creative communities together from around the world.
Why This Matters for a Home Baker
Most people picture award-winning cake artists in professional studios with large teams and expensive equipment. A home baker usually has none of that. She has her own kitchen, her own schedule, her own clients and her own ideas.
Entering an international awards platform takes courage for that reason. A home baker has to:
Choose her best work and be honest about what really represents her skill
Document her process, from the first sketch to the final finish
Tell her story clearly enough for judges in other countries to understand it
Put her work next to artists from around the world and let it stand on its own merit
Being nominated and verified already says something. It means the work was seen and taken seriously beyond one’s own city, community and social media circle. It tells every home baker watching that a small kitchen is no reason to think small.
Meet Rajnandani
Rajnandani’s Homemade Cakes began in 2020 with a simple promise: Fresh, handcrafted cakes that are 100% eggless and pure vegetarian, More sponge and less cream, so every family can celebrate without compromise.
She is entirely self-taught. Through practice, patience and constant experimenting, she built a style around customised themes and meaningful celebration cakes. Her approach starts with the person, not the picture. She listens to a client’s idea or story first, and then turns it into a design.
Since 2020 that approach has grown into:
1,600+ orders from happy customers
A 4.9★ rating from 300+ Google reviews
Around 1,200 cake photographs and about 750 videos documenting her work
Her range is wide, from minimalist bento cakes with heartfelt messages to hand-modelled fondant figures and multi-tier designer creations.
The Work Speaks for Itself
A few of her creations show what “every cake has a story” really means.
Gauri’s Journey of Life cake Waghnakh Rajnandani wearing the Waghnakh Rajnandani With Bhootam Bhayyam Team
Gauri’s Journey of Life cake
This one cake celebrates a whole life: travel, education and a love of cooking. It brings together six countries, 21 hand-modelled fondant figures and 45 hours of work, with miniature landmarks and architectural details sculpted by hand.
The edible Waghnakh
Inspired by the Marathi film Raja Shivaji, this is a recreation of the iconic tiger-claw weapon of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, made entirely of fondant, with gold-shimmer detailing, hand-sculpted claws and finger rings set with a gemstone and a pearl. It is designed to be worn. The video of its making has been watched by almost a million people.
Bhootam Bhayyam film-promotion cake
A horror-themed cake made for a Marathi film, with a textured green finish, handmade fondant doors and foliage, and a fondant coin hidden inside as a nod to the film’s story.
Hello India
A three-tier milestone cake celebrating a baby girl’s homecoming from the USA to India, with 14 landmarks and symbols from both countries, a clear middle tier showing a flight route across the world map, and a tiny auto-rickshaw to finish.
Each of these is more than a cake. It is a story, told in sugar.
What Clients Say
Behind every design is a person who trusted her with an important moment. A few of their words:
“Rajnandani has the exceptional skill and ability to turn your cake design ideas into reality flawlessly. She is such a sweet and a warm person.” - Vaishnavi
“The design was exactly the same as the reference I shared… The detailing was so good and neat.” - Tejas
“It honestly tasted like a premium bakery cake, and everyone loved it.” - Darshan
“A wonderful experience… I had a smooth experience coordinating with her. Rajnandani is very talented.” - Aishwarya
The same themes come up again and again: creativity, careful detailing, reliable delivery, great taste and a warm, easy-to-talk-to baker.
Storytelling That Travels
Rajnandani also shares her craft online. Her reel of the Waghnakh has passed 980,000 views, and her Bhootam Bhayyam reel has crossed 498,000. With around 750 videos made, her page has become a window into how a cake goes from idea to finished piece.
For a baker with a following of about 4,000, those numbers prove one thing: good storytelling travels much further than a follower count.
What Comes Next
Between now and June 2027, Rajnandani will keep doing what she has always done: listening to clients, sketching ideas and putting hours of care into every cake. Dubai is the next chapter, but the heart of the work stays in her home kitchen.
If you have ever thought “I’m just a home baker,” let this be a reminder that home is a very good place to start.
Follow the Journey
Follow Rajnandani’s Homemade Cakes on Instagram: @rajnandani_cakes
Order a custom cake: Order via WhatsApp
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