Chocoflan combines both flan and cake in the same dessert. It is a delicious dessert with a top layer of flan and a moist caramel-drenched chocolate cake at the bottom. You get the best of two words in every bite, creamy flan, and moist chocolate cake that just melts in the mouth!
Chocoflan Recipe
Let me tell you the story behind my version of Choco Flan. It’s the perfect mix of two delicious layers, creamy flan on top of rich chocolate cake. Traditionally, both layers are baked together, but to make things simpler, I came up with a recipe where you bake the flan first and then add the cake on top. So, it’s a double-baked dessert that’s easier than it sounds!
This take on the classic Mexican dessert is ideal for special occasions or family gatherings.
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⭐Reasons To Love This Chocoflan
- Minimal Ingredients: Despite its impressive appearance, chocoflan requires relatively few ingredients, many of which you may already have in your pantry.
- Texture Contrast: Chocoflan offers a delightful textural experience with the moist, dense chocolate cake layer contrasting with the smooth, creamy flan layer.
- Make-Ahead: Chocoflan is a fantastic dessert for busy hosts because you can prepare it in advance.
- Perfect for Celebrations: Whether it's a birthday, anniversary, or any other special occasion, chocoflan is the perfect celebratory dessert.
🧾Chocoflan Ingredients
Here is a list of everything you need:
Ingredients for the Caramel:
- Sugar: I use regular granulated sugar to make the caramel. It melts into a golden syrup that adds a rich, sweet flavor and shiny finish.
- Water: A little water helps dissolve the sugar and makes sure it caramelizes evenly without burning.
For the Flan:
- Cream Cheese: Full-fat cream cheese gives the flan a creamy texture and slight tang. You can also use mascarpone if you prefer.
- Condensed Milk: Adds sweetness and gives the flan a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Double Cream: I love using double cream for extra lightness and creaminess in the flan.
- Eggs: Fresh, room-temperature eggs help bind everything together and give the flan its soft texture.
For the Cake:
- Eggs: Fresh, room-temperature eggs help mix everything together so the cake turns out soft.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cake and helps create a moist, tender crumb.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour as the base of the cake. It gives structure and holds everything together.
- Cocoa Powder: Adds a rich, chocolatey flavor and color to the cake.
- Unsalted Butter: Melted butter adds moisture and richness, creating a soft, tender cake.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏻🍳How to Make Chocoflan
These step-by-step instructions and photos will help you to visualize how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for a printable version of this recipe.
How to Make Caramel:
1. In a small saucepan, mix sugar and cold water. Heat it gently over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. Let the mixture simmer until it turns golden brown. Then, remove it from the heat.
2. Carefully pour the caramel into the mold, making sure it spreads evenly. Swirl the mold gently to coat the bottom and sides with the caramel sauce. Let it cool and harden for a bit before continuing.
How to Make Flan:
1. In a big mixing bowl, mix together cream cheese and condensed milk. Use an electric hand mixer on medium-low speed to blend the ingredients for about 30 seconds until they're soft and smooth.
2. Gently mix the double cream into the mixture and whip at a medium-low speed for about 10 seconds until it's fully combined.
3. Add the eggs to the mixture and beat vigorously at a medium-high speed for another 10 to 15 seconds until everything is mixed well together.
4. Carefully pour the flan mixture into the mold that's coated with caramel.
5. Place the mold in a large baking tray, pour hot water around it, and bake in a preheated oven at 140°C (280°F) with the fan on for 30 minutes.
6. Take it out of the oven.
How to Make the Cake:
1. In a big mixing bowl, mix eggs and sugar together, then beat at a medium-low speed for about 4 minutes until the mixture forms stiff peaks.
2. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the egg mixture, then gently fold them in until everything is well mixed together.
3. Mix the melted butter into the egg-chocolate mixture, gently folding until everything is completely combined.
4. Carefully pour the cake mixture over the flan blend.
5. Put the mold back into a large baking tray filled with hot water, then bake in a preheated oven at 140°C (280°F) with the fan on for 40 minutes.
6. Remove the tray from the oven, lift the mold from the water bath carefully, let it cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or better yet, overnight.
7. Place a plate on top of the chocoflan, gently flip it over, and carefully remove the mold.
8. Slice the chocoflan and serve it.
📖Variations
- Add Spices: For extra flavor, you can add different spices like cardamon, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, etc.
- Add Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the overall flavor, making the chocolate taste even more pronounced.
- Add Lemon: Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the sugar and water to make a rich caramel sauce.
- Add Instant Coffee Powder: For extra flavor, add 1.5 teaspoon of instant coffee powder to the chocolate cake batter.
💭Tips for Recipe Success
Baking at Bain-Marie Method: Indirect heat helps the chocoflan bake evenly, maintains its moist texture, and prevents the cake from drying out. You need to place the filled Bundt pan inside a larger baking dish and pour hot water into the outer dish, coming halfway up the sides of the Bundt pan.
Slice with a Sharp Knife: For clean and neat slices, you need to use a sharp knife to cut through the chocoflan. Wipe the knife clean between each slice to ensure that you maintain the distinct layers of chocolate cake and flan.
❓Commonly Asked Questions
Chocoflan is a decadent dessert that combines layers of rich chocolate cake with creamy caramel flan in a single, indulgent treat.
Flan typically lasts in the fridge for about 3 to 5 days when stored properly in an airtight container or tightly covered with plastic wrap.
If you insert a toothpick in the center, it comes out clean.
🍫More Chocolate Recipes!
Love this Chocoflan? You’ll also enjoy these chocolate recipes:
🍰More Dessert Recipes!
Here are more of my favorite dessert recipes! Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Chocoflan
Ingredients
For the Caramel
- 180 g Sugar
- 90 ml Water
For the Flan:
- 250 g Cream Cheese
- 250 g Condensed Milk
- 250 g Double Cream
- 6 Eggs
For the Cake:
- 5 Eggs
- 150 g Sugar
- 120 g Flour
- 30 g Cocoa Powder
- 150 g Unsalted Butter
Instructions
How to Make Caramel
- In a small pan, add sugar and cold water, and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved, continue to cook until the mixture turns into a golden-brown syrup, then remove it from the heat.
- Carefully pour the caramel into the mold, and give it a slight swirl so the caramel sauce coats the bottom and sides of the mold. Set it aside, let it cool down and harden.
How to Make Flan
- In a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese and condensed milk, and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium-low speed for around 30 seconds until soft.
- Add the double cream and beat on medium-low speed for around 10 seconds, until thoroughly combined.
- Add the eggs and beat on medium-high for another 10 to 15 seconds to combine.
- Pour the flan mixture into the caramel-coated mold.
- Place the mold in a large baking tray, pour hot water, and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes @ 140c (280 F) with the fan.
- Remove from the oven.
How to Make Cake
- In a large mixing bowl, add eggs and sugar, and beat on medium-low speed for around 4 minutes, until a stiff peak is achieved.
- Sieve the flour and cocoa powder and carefully fold it into the egg mixture until everything is fully combined.
- Add the melted butter and carefully fold it into the egg-chocolate mixture until everything is fully combined.
- Pour the cake mixture over the flan mixture.
- Place the mold back in a large baking tray with hot water, and bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes @ 140c (280 F) with the fan.
- Remove the tray from the oven, lift the mold out of the water bath, and let it cool to room temperature.
- Once it's cooled, refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Place a platter on top of the Chocoflan, flip it over, and carefully lift off the mold.
- Slice the Chocoflan and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
John says
Choco flan is such a unique dessert! I love the contrast of textures and the combination of flavors. Definitely worth giving this recipe a try.