Dearborn Bakeries Prep for Easter Crowds

Easter Sunday is quickly approaching, and local bakeries in Dearborn have been busy churning out the cakes and pastries for Christians celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ that takes place this weekend.

"We usually get busier right around the holidays," Gina Lesnock, owner of Iversen's Bakery Express on Michigan Avenue said. "There's a lot of events coming up in the spring — Easter, graduations, birthdays, etc. — and everyone wants cakes. It's good business for us."

Lesnock said some of the more popular items around Easter are the bakery's lamb and bunny cakes that range in price from $25 to $30.

She said the bakery has been filling custom orders all week and will continue to take orders through closing hours on Thursday.

"Everyone waits until the last minute, but if we have the ingredients, we can make any cake a customer asks for," she said.

The bakery will be open from 9 a.m to 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It will be closed on Sunday and Monday.

Karolina Susnja, manager of Monroe Bakery, said the Easter holiday is always a busy time for the local business.

"People have been coming in every day to order their breads, cakes, and cookies for Sunday," she said.

Some of the bakery's popular items include lamb and rabbit cakes, Easter basket cupcakes, small blessing bread loaves, handmade cannoli, Hungarian kiffles (pastry dough rolled and filled with fruit), and Angel wing cookies.

For those avoiding the sweets this weekend, the bakery also specializes in handmade bread baked in the store, beef or chicken pasties, freshly made ready to heat pizza, sandwiches, and pepperoni rolls.

"We have a little bit of everything," Susnja said. "Our bread is the No. 1 seller right now. Everyone wants a fresh loaf on their table for the holiday."

The bakery is open Monday through Saturday, from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. It's closed on Sundays.

What's your favorite pastry for Easter? Share with us in the comments section.