Melanie De Leon — El Dulce Gato Bakery

Meet the baker!

My name is Melanie De Leon. I am a Senior IMM Major with minors in Graphic Design and Marketing. My senior thesis project is making a baking business I made it a challenge for myself and through this project, I explored social media management, marketing strategies, baking production, product photography, and full brand development (graphic design + illustration).

From building a visual identity to curating a delicious cupcake menu!

What is my inspiration?

Inspired by my fathers Guatemalan family lineage nickname “Gato” for my grandmothers green eyes and my love for cats I came up with El Dulce Gato (The sweet cat). When it come’s to the baking I’ve loved baking since I was a child and it has become a love language for me. People no matter where they are from or who they are come together and bond over tasty treats and I love to make that happen! It

A Journey Through My Pastry Creations!

Fall Themed Cupcakes

Custom order #1

Ghostly couple cupcakes

Custom Order #2

Dia de Los Muertos Cupcakes

Gatito Bites

Holiday Cupcakes

Flavor: Vanilla w/buttercream frosting topped w/fall themed sprinkles and edible rice paper leaf

Flavor: Chocolate w/Peanut butter icing topped w/ fall sprinkles

Flavor: Churro w/ cream cheese frosting topped w/ female or male ghost

Flavor: Tres leches w/whipped cream frosting topped w/soccer cupcake toppers

Flavor: Tres Leches w/whipped cream topped w/sprinkles, DDLM topper and cinnamon

Flavor: Cheesecake bites w/whipped cream and rainbow sprinkle

These are the cupcakes I made for the arters market. Vanilla, Cereal & Milk, Tres Leches and Chocolate Vegan ones!

Ghosty Cupcakes

Flavor: Churro flavor cupcakes w/ cream cheese frosting and cinnamon sugar mixture w/ ghost toppers

Horror Cupcakes

Halloween Cupcakes

Flavor: Red Velvet cupcake w/ cream cheese frosting topped w/eye ball sprinkles and red food coloring

Flavor: Vanilla w/buttercream icing topped w/ marshmallow pumpkin or eyeball

Graphic Design

Main Graphic Design was done in Adobe Illustrator. I created my own character named Mango! Inspired by my favorite palm pal plush. I created these business cards and had them made into physical copies. I have a very simple design approach when it comes to making characters and below are my different variations of Mango the cat.

I sketched Mango out on my ipad and transferred over to adobe illustrator to complete the design! I use these three variations throughout my project. I primarly use the one with icing swirl on top but the chef one is used for my flyers I make and post on my instagram story! In general, I used him for the logo, business cards, graphic flyers etc. during this project.

My logo includes rainbow sprinkles, my character with the swirl on top and a pink background. I wanted to make it obvious that it was for a sweet treat! That this logo makes you think of dessert when you see it!

I took various marketing classes at TCNJ and a core concept I learned and implemented in my design is people love free things! So I added the buy 9 get your 10th free! Making it attainable to the consumers but also to benefit the business owner (me) . It excites the consumer to see the word “free” and they buy more of your products! In this case sweet treats!