The limoncello cake in particular, made with limoncello liqueur, caused a stir among customers, said owner Cher Martin. Based on their requests, the restaurant now sells whole cakes to the public, baked from scratch by her father-in-law, Gary Martin Sr.

"It's almost like a little bakery business is taking off," she said.

The large cakes, which include versions made with orange and hazelnut liqueurs, serve 18 to 22 people and cost $50.

Across town, bakeries are evolving beyond last year's cupcake craze, coming up with new products to please customers' palates.

At Frosted Cakery in the Tower District, new products include deep-fried cake pops -- bite-size cake on a stick -- and deep-fried mini cupcakes.

Another late-to-Fresno trend is coming: The French macaron.

Not to be confused with the familiar coconut macaroon, this crispy cookie made with almond flour, often in bright colors, is selling well at Frosted Cakery, said co-owner Beverly Gable.

Desserts at weddings and special events are gaining popularity.

Creme de la Cake, a bakery at Bullard and West avenues, just started offering the next version of the candy buffet that has been trendy at weddings for years.

Now it's a dessert bar featuring candy and mini desserts such as lemon tartlets and chocolate-covered Rice Krispie treats -- all of it done up in wedding colors, including the sprinkles on the desserts.

And the pie trend that swept the country in 2011 may finally hit Fresno this year.

Shackelford, from Trelio, said the restaurant will probably start serving individual pies.

Boysenberries and other fruit grown here make the Valley an ideal place to jump on the trend, he said.

More expensive

Diners should be prepared to pay more for their meals as restaurants struggle to manage rising costs, said Ferdinandi of Me-n-Ed's. Many suppliers have hiked up the cost of meat, cheese, milk and other products.

Restaurants already have cut costs everywhere they can, he said. Price increases will be very slight as they don't want to drive the customers away, he said.

North India Bar & Grill in Clovis raised many of its entree prices by a dollar because of the rising cost of paneer, an Indian cheese, for example.

"But we're trying to give something extra on those plates to compensate, like extra vegetables or mashed potatoes or rice to keep the customer happy," said Pardeep Sidhu, a manager.

The restaurants are hoping that the changes they make will keep customers coming back for more, because that's what will keep them in business, said Ferdinandi.

"It's very important to a business to not rest on one's laurels," he said. "It's important to earn the customer's business each and every time they're in your restaurant."