At Karina’s Bakery, our goal is to make every life milestone, celebration and event, big or small, an unforgettable experience through a delicious sweet treat.
Whether your preference is cupcakes, fruit strips, a small cake, or a 3 Leches cake - our custom order process helps you make your wildest imagination come to reality. We also understand that your pup is a part of your family too, which is why we also offer all-natural healthy dog cupcakes and cakes!
welcome to karinas bakery
Life moves fast -
That's why we focus on celebrating your key moments!
What started as a home bakery providing delicious, authentic Mexican desserts to family and neighbors quickly grew beyond my dad’s home kitchen. After word got out, he outfitted our family’s garage with commercial baking equipment — but the success of this small, word-of-mouth bakery soon faced another challenge: staying within the village’s zoning codes.
My father was faced with a difficult decision, leave his stable day job to open his own business and pursue his true passion: baking.
In 1999, Karina’s Bakery opened its first location in a small strip mall in our hometown of Mundelein, IL. So many great memories were made here, with nearly every family member pitching in at some point. But before we could celebrate 20 years in that space, we once again outgrew it, both in size and in the need for updated equipment.
We knew we had to find a new location, with one priority in mind: staying in the community that supported us from the very beginning. We found an unlikely but perfect new home in a vacant bank building, just a few hundred yards down the street. This move allowed us to more than double our staff and fulfill more orders. All without sacrificing the original quality and heart of our Mexican recipes!
Behind the bakery - A family legacy
Bringing Happiness Since 1999!
Daughter of Rafael, our founder, I’ve had the joy of working alongside my dad in our family bakery for many years now. What started as a part-time job at 14 quickly became a true passion for creating beautiful, custom cakes — a passion rooted in tradition but always evolving with creativity.
While I once dreamed of becoming a 5th grade teacher, life had other sweet plans. The more time I spent in the bakery, the more I fell in love with cake decorating. Before I knew it, people were asking specifically for “Karina” cakes — and I knew I’d found my place.
Today, I’m proud to carry on our Mexican bakery’s legacy — known for our pan dulce, tres leches cakes, and custom desserts that look just as good as they taste. And in a fun twist of fate, I still get to teach — now through cake decorating classes I truly love.
Meet Karina of Karina's Bakery
Hi, I'm Karina.
Can baking be genetic? I’d like to think so!
Great cafe & bakery! We’ve had several custom cakes made by Karina and they’ve all been exceptional!!! Our guests always love the flavors and beautiful designs. The bakery all smells amazing and we enjoy baked goods and tamales!!! A true GEM in Mundelein!”
Hands down the best spot for authentic Mexican bread! Their pan dulce is always fresh, soft, & packed with flavor. Honestly it’s even better than a lot of the bread I've had in Mexico. Every bite takes me back to the best memories of home. You can taste the love & tradition in every concha,empanada, and bolillo.
The staff is very friendly, it was easy to place our special order, Karina did an amazing job decorating my daughter's birthday cake. Thank you Karina, your hard world and dedication is appreciated.
So impressed with Karina’s Bakery! They were very helpful when placing the order for a surprise birthday party cake & when I picked up the cake I was blown away! They did such a great job! It was not only beautiful but also delicious. Our guests literally couldn't stop asking where I got it. Well done!
I've been going to this place with my parents since I was young. Their bread is always good & fresh every day. Their new location now includes a cafe option where you can sit down and drink coffee. Also their turkey croissant sandwich is good.
©Karina's Bakery 2025 | All Rights Reserved | design by Femme Collective®
