A work of art or a tasty cake? Bradenton’s EuroCrave Bakery offers both in sweet desserts

James A. Jones Jr.
·3 min read

After baking out of her home since 2019, Ivona Aleppo took the big step in November of moving EuroCrave Bakery into a brick-and-mortar building at 3737 Manatee Ave. W.

The new business is one door down from a Bradenton landmark, the Shake Pit.

You could say the move was by popular demand.

“She made the cake for my baby shower and it was amazing,” said Julianna Strout, who visited the bakery this week to pick up an assortment of pastry.

“I like the custom cakes and the royal icing cookies,” Strout said.

In fact, cakes have been one of EuroCrave’s biggest draws, Aleppo said.

They are essentially works of art that taste good.

Ivona Aleppo specializes in desserts at EuroCrave Bakery, 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton. She opened the bakery Nov. 1.
Ivona Aleppo specializes in desserts at EuroCrave Bakery, 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton. She opened the bakery Nov. 1.

EuroCrave Bakery opens in Bradenton

“I do a lot of cakes for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other special events,” she said.

“I bake everything from scratch and use no preservative. I use organic eggs, organic butter and good quality flour,” Aleppo said.

Those eggs, incidentally, come from Aleppo’s chickens.

Libby McDowell, a first-time customer, accompanied Strout to EuroCrave and ordered a birthday cake. She left with a cake pop (a round ball of frosted cake on a stick), a lemon-blueberry cupcake and a vanilla ice latte.

Ivona Aleppo’s specialty cakes at EuroCrave Bakery are works of art. The bakery opened Nov. 1 at 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
Ivona Aleppo’s specialty cakes at EuroCrave Bakery are works of art. The bakery opened Nov. 1 at 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.

“We have people come in from Tampa and Sarasota for our flower cakes,” Aleppo said of her artistically designed creations.

Also popular are cakes in the shapes of letters or numbers.

Family recipes and fresh ingredients

Aleppo and her husband, Ed, are first-generation American citizens. He was born in Sicily and she was born in Brno, the Czech Republic.

Julianna Strout, left, visited EuroCrave Bakery, 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, on 4/23/2024, and left with a variety of pastries. Baker and owner Ivona Aleppo is at right.
Julianna Strout, left, visited EuroCrave Bakery, 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, on 4/23/2024, and left with a variety of pastries. Baker and owner Ivona Aleppo is at right.

Although Ed Aleppo doesn’t work in the bakery, he put down the tile and built the furniture, while Ivona painted the interior.

“I learned to bake from my mother and grandmother. We never ate fast food. A lot of my recipes are from my grandmother,” she said.

EuroCrave offers cakes, pastries, cupcakes, muffins, macarons and breads, all made fresh with no preservatives added.

Bread is not an everyday offering. Aleppo recommends calling ahead, just to make sure.

Ivona Aleppo’s specialty cakes at EuroCrave Bakery are works of art. The bakery opened Nov. 1 at 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
Ivona Aleppo’s specialty cakes at EuroCrave Bakery are works of art. The bakery opened Nov. 1 at 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.

To go along with all that pastry, EuroCrave also serves Italian coffee.

“That was my big thing — to have really good coffee,” she said.

Among the offerings are espresso, macchiato, Americano, caffee latte, cappuccino and more.

Starting Wednesday, EuroCrave will sell breakfast waffles — your choice of strawberry and ice cream, banana and Nutella, blueberry or chocolate chip — or crepes, offered in strawberry, banana or Nutella.

EuroCrave Bakery, 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, is set up to host tea parties. The bakery also offers birthday parties for children.
EuroCrave Bakery, 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, is set up to host tea parties. The bakery also offers birthday parties for children.

Also coming Wednesday are three lunch offerings: croissant tuna sandwiches, pasta fritta or quiche.

Aleppo is preparing to host EuroCrave’s first tea party. The tables are set under bright, colorful floral arrangements. Also offered at the bakery are children’s birthday parties.

EuroCrave Bakery aspecializes in desserts, including letter cakes like this one in the shape of a V.
EuroCrave Bakery aspecializes in desserts, including letter cakes like this one in the shape of a V.

What to know

▪ Name: EuroCrave Bakery

▪ Address: 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton

▪ Hours and days: Starting Wednesday, May 1, EuroCrave Bakery will open at 9 a.m. Until then, the opening is at 10 a.m. daily with closing at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 4 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday. The business is closed on Sunday and Monday

▪ Online: www.EuroCraveBakery.com

▪ Phone: (941) 224-2507

Many of the pastries at EuroCrave Bakery are based on the recipes used by Ivona Aleppo’s grandmother in the Czech Republic.
Many of the pastries at EuroCrave Bakery are based on the recipes used by Ivona Aleppo’s grandmother in the Czech Republic.
EuroCrave Bakery has a cake to make turning any age a little sweeter. The business opened Nov. 1 at 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
EuroCrave Bakery has a cake to make turning any age a little sweeter. The business opened Nov. 1 at 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
A popular offering at EuroCrave Bakery are the croissants. The bakery opened Nov. 1 at 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
A popular offering at EuroCrave Bakery are the croissants. The bakery opened Nov. 1 at 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
A variety of shortbreads are offered at EuroCrave Bakery, 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
A variety of shortbreads are offered at EuroCrave Bakery, 3737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.