Best-Ever Chocoflan

published Dec 17, 2022
christmas
Chocoflan on a platter, one slice cut out
Credit: Photo: Andrew Bui; Food Styling: Rebecca Jurkevich

Chocolate cake and caramel flan get baked together in a bundt pan to become chocoflan, an impossibly delicious hybrid dessert.

Serves10 to 12

Prep35 minutes to 40 minutes

Cook1 hour 40 minutes

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Chocoflan on a platter, one slice cut out
Credit: Photo: Andrew Bui; Food Styling: Rebecca Jurkevich

Chocolate cake and caramel flan get baked together in a Bundt pan for a delicious hybrid dessert known as chocoflan. It’s sometimes referred to as “flan impossible” or “impossible cake” because of the baking magic that happens in the oven. The chocolate cake batter and the caramel flan swap places in the pan while baking because the flan is heavier than the cake. After baking, you invert the dessert onto a plate; now the flan sits atop the chocolate cake like a golden, caramel crown; the chocolate cake benefits from the caramel, which helps to keep it moist.

Tips for Making Chocoflan

  • Use an immersion blender. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, an immersion blender will work just fine.
  • Sub in cateja or dulce de leche. If making caramel intimidates you, swap in a half-cup of cateja or dulce de leche.
  • Use a 10-cup Bundt pan. Anything bigger will yield a too thin layer of flan.
  • Plan ahead. With at least an hour bake time and up to an overnight chill time in the fridge, it’s best to plan ahead with this chocoflan. Store chocoflan in your fridge, covered, where it will keep for up to three days. 
Credit: Photo: Andrew Bui; Food Styling: Rebecca Jurkevich

Chocoflan Recipe

Chocolate cake and caramel flan get baked together in a bundt pan to become chocoflan, an impossibly delicious hybrid dessert.

Prep time 35 minutes to 40 minutes

Cook time 1 hour 40 minutes

Serves 10 to 12

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

For the chocolate cake:

  • 14 tablespoons

    unsalted butter, divided

  • 3

    large eggs

  • 1/2 cup

    whole or 2% milk

  • 1 cup

    granulated sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups

    all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup

    Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 2 teaspoons

    baking powder

  • 2 teaspoons

    vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    kosher salt

For the caramel:

  • 1 cup

    granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup

    water

For the cinnamon flan:

  • 4

    cold large eggs

  • 1 (14-ounce) can

    condensed milk

  • 1/2 cup

    heavy cream

  • 2 teaspoons

    vanilla extract

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons

    all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    ground cinnamon

  • Cooking spray

Instructions

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Start the cake:

  1. Place 12 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer). Place the remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a 10-cup bundt pan. Place 3 large eggs and 1/2 cup whole or 2% milk on the counter. Let everything sit until room temperature.

  2. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease the bundt pan with the butter, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies of the pan. Measure out 1 cup granulated sugar. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar into the bundt pan and shake and tap to evenly coat; add the remaining sugar to the bowl of butter.

  3. Place 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder, and 2 teaspoons baking powder in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

  4. Bring about 10 cups water to a boil in a tea kettle or small pot, then turn off the heat (keep the water covered). Meanwhile, make the caramel, finish the cake batter, and make the flan layer.

Make the caramel:

  1. Place 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring with a fork, until the sugar dissolves. Continue to boil, swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until a light amber brown caramel forms (the mixture should be about 360ºF), 8 to 16 minutes. Carefully pour the caramel into the bundt pan.

Finish the cake:

  1. Beat the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the room temperature eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

  2. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat on the lowest speed until just combined. Add 1/2 of the milk and beat on the lowest speed until just combined. Repeat beating in half of the remaining flour, then the remaining milk. Finish beating in the remaining flour.

  3. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and stir with a flexible spatula to make sure all the flour is incorporated. Dollop the cake batter over the caramel in the bundt pan and spread into an even layer.

Make the flan:

  1. Place 4 cold large eggs in a blender and blend on low speed until broken up, about 10 seconds. Add 1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

  2. Hold a large spoon over the cake pan and slowly pour the flan mixture onto the spoon over the cake batter (this will help keep the batters separate).

  3. Coat a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Place spray-side down over the bundt pan and tightly cover. Place the bundt pan into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place the baking dish on the oven rack. Pour enough hot water into the baking dish to go about halfway up the sides to create a water bath.

  4. Bake until a tester inserted into the cake layer (which will have switched places with the flan during baking) comes out mostly free of crumbs, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

  5. Remove the bundt pan from the baking dish and place on a wire rack. Uncover and let cool for 1 hour.

  6. Run a thin knife around the chocoflan and around the center column. Invert a serving platter or large dinner plate over the bundt pan. Carefully but confidently invert the dinner plate and bundt pan in one motion; remove the bundt pan. Refrigerate until chilled through, at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Cut into slices and serve.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.