Impossible Chocolate Flan Cake is easy to make and sure to wow the crowd. A luscious combination of caramel, chocolate cake, and (leche) flan, it's the ultimate baked treat!
Hello, once again! I am Sanna, and I am here to share another fantastic recipe with you.
If you love a moist chocolate cake and a creamy flan, you are in luck. I am going to show you how to make a stunning Impossible flan cake that combines these two dessert favorites in one delectable treat!
What is magic chocoflan
The cake is made up of three components and baked in a bundt pan. The layering starts with the dulce de leche, followed by the chocolate batter and, finally, the flan. As it bakes, the cake rises to the top, and the custard sinks to the bottom.
Once the cake is released from the pan and inverted the cake on the serving platter, you'll find that the chocolate and flan layer have magically switched places! You get a gorgeous cake with a luscious caramel glaze sitting on top.
How to make
Chocolate cake layer
- To prevent lumps in the batter, make sure that the milk and eggs are at room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until thick and fluffy.
- Add the egg and continue to beat.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and add half of the mixture into the mixing bowl.
- Add half of the milk. Beat the mixture until the dry ingredients are just moistened.
- Add the remaining half of the dry mixture and the milk and beat just until the ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix as it will result in a dense cake.
Flan layer
- In a mixing bowl, combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until well incorporated.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the mixture into a spouted container.
Assembling layers
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Grease a 12-cup bundt pan with softened butter and add the dulce de leche, swirling to cover the bottom of the bundt pan.
- Spoon the chocolate batter on top of the dulce de leche, making sure to fill the pan evenly. Using an angled spatula, smoothen the top.
- Carefully pour the flan mixture over the chocolate batter.
- Cover the bundt pan with aluminum foil, securing the edges.
Baking the cake
- Set the bundt pan on a roasting pan and place inside the oven. Carefully pour about two inches of hot water into the roasting pan to create steam inside the oven as the cake bakes.
- In a 350 F oven, bake the cake for about 60 minutes without opening the oven door to keep the steam from escaping.
- After 60 minutes, check the cake by inserting a skewer in the middle. The cake is ready if the skewer comes out with some soft chocolate cake crumbs.
- Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool completely on the roasting pan.
- To release the cake, gently shake the roasting pan from side to side to loosen the cake.
- Invert a cake serving plate over the bundt pan and carefully turn it over. Gently lift the bundt pan from the plate, releasing the cake.
- Serve the flan cake right away or refrigerate to chill completely.
And here you have it, layers of decadence in one ultimate treat. Caramel, flan, and chocolate in every slice!
I hope you try this chocoflan for your next baking project. You can also check out my black forest swiss roll and floating island dessert recipes. Happy baking!
Ingredients
- 1 ounce butter, softened (for greasing the pan)
- ยผ cup dulce de leche (homemade or store-bought)
For the Chocolate Cake
- ยพ cup sugar
- 5 ounces unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 ยพ cup flour
- ยพ teaspoon baking powder
- ยพ teaspoon baking soda
- ยฝ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 ยผ cup milk, room temperature
For the Flan
- 1 can (14 ounces) condensed milk
- 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
- 4 eggs
- ยฝ tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
Making the Chocolate Cake Layer
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar using an electric mixer until thick and fluffy.
- Add the egg and continue to beat.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add half of the dry ingredient mixture into the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Add half of the milk.
- Beat the mixture until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Add the remaining half of the dry mixture and of the milk. Beat just until the ingredients are incorporated.
Making the Leche Flan Layer
- In a mixing bowl, combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until well incorporated.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the mixture into a spouted container.
Baking the Chocoflan
- Grease a 12-cup bundt pan with softened butter.
- Add the dulce de leche, swirling to cover the bottom of the bundt pan. Set aside.
- Spoon the chocolate batter into the bundt pan on top of the dulce de leche, making sure to fill the pan evenly. Using an angled spatula, smoothen the top.
- Carefully pour the flan mixture into the bundt pan over the chocolate batter.
- Cover the bundt pan with aluminum foil, securing the edges.
- Set the bundt pan on a roasting pan and place it inside the oven. Carefully pour about two inches of hot water into the roasting pan.
- In a 350 F oven, bake the cake for about 60 minutes without opening the oven door to keep the steam from escaping. After 60 minutes, check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out with some soft chocolate cake crumbs, the cake is ready.
- Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool completely on the roasting pan. To release the cake, gently shake the roasting pan from side to side to loosen the cake.
- Invert a serving plate over the bundt pan and carefully turn it over. Gently lift the bundt pan from the plate, releasing the cake.
- Serve the flan cake right away or refrigerate to completely chill.
Video
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Annie says
The process of making and baking is straight forward and easy and the finished product came out perfect.
I had my doubts when I saw that there are two raising agents in the recipe, the baking powder AND baking soda as there are no acidic ingredient as well, ie. buttermilk, vinegar, etc.
Sadly the said baking soda is also the ingredient that ruined the cake for me as this is ALL I taste in the chocolate part of the cake.
I will definitely omit that if I ever bake this cake again.
I would have also elevated the chocolate a bit more with something like coffee to enhance the chocolate flavour. This is not my favourite cake but it is not bad either. Recipe needs some tweaking.
Ann & Gerald Gawith says
It has been sometime since anyone commented on this. What happened to those that tried making it as cupcakes?
Laura says
Hi, thanks for posting. I follow the directions exactly but every time I make chocoflan the flan gets overcooked and has bubbles. How can I avoid this? Thanks!
JC says
How did the flan get on top of the chocolate cake when the cake was released from the pan, if it was poured under the chocolate cake batter? I need enlightenment before I make this ๐๐ป๐คฃ
jane says
If I make this recipe 24 hrs in advance and keep the cake in the fridge, can I un-mould it successsfully just before I serve it OR should I un-mould it after I cool it the day before? Also, should I both spray the pan with spray oil and then butter it to ensure it un-moulds well? Am thinking of using a bundt pan.
Nina Espiritu says
Quick question- per the instructions, the choc batter should go after the dulce leche, but the after pic showed that the flan was on top of the cake? It should be the batter right?
Josephine says
Can I use the normal pan instead of Bundt pan?
Nicole says
Can the impossible cake be made with boxed cake mix? And can I use yellow or white cake mix?