Chocoflan Recipe

Chocoflan is also known as chocolate flan cake recipe or the impossible chocolate cake with a chocolate cake layer and flan layer that is baked together in the same tin with distinct layers. It is a magic dessert that is very delicious and indulgent.

This cake really does not disappoint. It was simple to prepare but a little tedious to bake. I must admit, I made this recipe 3 times to get it right which is now perfect to bake up. However to get here I have come up with a few points to ensure you achieve the picture perfect chocoflan in the first go.

I was so integuied when I saw this cake online a few years ago but didn’t attempt it, to be honest I was a bit daunted to make it. It seemed like it wouldn’t work and I was going to fail so I just didn’t bother. A few weeks ago I saw another video online and it pushed me to do it. The cake is so delicious, the chocolate cake layer is dark and intense in chocolate flavor but the flan is creamy, tastes like a creme carat and cheesecake in every bite. What ties this recipe together is the dulce de Leche sauce. I used it instead of caramel for a thicker sauce layer and I absolutely love this addition.

If you are new here you will not know about my love for creme caramel or any baked custard so let this be your introduction to two of my favorite desserts of all time, chocolate cake and custard. This recipe has my heart, it is a simple recipe in terms of the ingredients needed to make it but also the method of preparation is very easy. You need a large baking tin or a bundt tin to make this recipe but I have also made it in a round baking tin (which we will discuss later), for now let us understand a little about the recipe before we get into it.

What is chocoflan made of?

Chocoflan recipe is consists of two distinct layers of chocolate cake batter that is made with buttermilk, eggs, butter, white and brown sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and a flan layer that consists of eggs, condensed milk, cream cheese, evaporated milk and has a layer of caramel but this is recipe we have used dulce de Leche. During the baking process, the flan layer sinks to the bottom of the tin and the chocolate layer rises to top so when it is flipped over the chocoflan is sitting on the cake layer.

How long does chocoflan last?

As the chocolate cake is topped with flan layer it is best to store it in an air tight container in the fridge for 4 days maximum. After which the fall might go bad the chocolate cake will go dry.

What is flan cake made of?

A flan is basically a baked custard that is made with eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, vanilla and some recipes are baked with yellow box cake mix to create a white flan and layer layered dessert.

What is the English translation of chocoflan?

This recipe has been called the “Impossible Chocolate Cake” and “Mexican Chocolate Flan Cake” and the layers bake distinctly in the oven creating a sense of magic once flipped out of the tin with the caramel on top.

When was chocoflan invented?/What is the history of chocoflan?

There is no exact trace of chocoflan but it is said to have been created around mid 19th century when the French creme caramel was popularized and the mexican chocolate cake was popularized too.

How does chocoflan flip?

The baking tin is generously brushed with butter to create an even lining all over the tin, also the cake is cooled in the tin completely before flipping. These two points make the cake flip easily onto a plate/cake stand.

Where does chocoflan come from?

Enough though creme caramel is a French dessert, flan is a Spanish and Philippino dessert, chocolate cake was invented in America, this chocoflan recipe is from Mexico. It is an indulgent Mexican dessert that is made for many. Occasions like cinco de mayo.

The chocoflan ingredients you will need to make this recipe:

To make the chocoflan recipe you need to make a chocolate cake and flan. For the chocolate cake we need cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, white & brown sugar, eggs, buttermilk. For the flan layer we need eggs, condensed milk, cream cheese, evaporated milk, vanilla, salt. I have used dulce de Leche can as the caramel sauce but you can make you own homemade caramel sauce or use store bought if you like.

I have not tried this cake with a gluten free four mix so I cannot suggest you swapping the flour for it. I would recommend using cake flour or replacing 30 gm of the all purpose flour with corn flour for a lighter and more tender chocolate cake crumb (this is optional). To make homemade buttermilk I would suggest mixing equal parts of milk and heavy cream with 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar. The butter cane salted or unsalted, it is your choice, I usually use salted butter an add salt separately to my layers as well. The cocoa powder HAS to be unsweetened, you can use dutch processed or black cocoa powder as well. The eggs I have used are large if you have smaller eggs make sure in weight each egg is 50gm (without shell), so a small egg might weigh 25-30 gm – hence you would need to increase the number of eggs here. I am being particular about this as the setting agent ingredient in the flan is the eggs, if the mixture doesn’t have enough of them the custard will not set.

What equipment do you need to make this chocoflan?

To make the flan layer I have blended the ingredients in a blender until smooth, this is poured through a strainer to a smooth custard before baking. The chocolate cake batter is made in a large mixing bowl with an electric beater but you can use a stand mixer as well, fitted with a paddle attachment. The cake is baked in a 23cm bundt tin, it must be deep enough too hold the entire cake and flan mixture. We want the tin to be 3/4th of the way as the cake will rise as it bakes. And we are going to cover it with a aluminium so the flan can steam and bake simultaneously. If you don’t have a large bundt tin to bake this cake then use a 9/10 inch tin to bake this cake – it must not be a arming form tin as the caramel sauce will get liwuidby while baking and we don’t want the juice to escape. The cake in baked in a water bath in a large baking tray in the oven covered. Once baked and cold we release the edges with a knife and place a large platter on the cake tin, flip it. If the cake is not releasing, use a blow torch or arm water to help the flan and cake release from the tin.

How to make this chocoflan?

Preheat the oven to 160℃ with fan or 180℃ without fan. Line a 23cm bundt tin by brushing it with soft butter generously – making sure to get all the edges and the bottom. Layer the dulce de Leche sauce at the bottom and spread it evenly. To make the flan layer add the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth, set aside to allow the mixture to release any extra air bubbles. To make the chocolate cake mixture we start by creaming the butter with the castor and brown sugar using an electric beater or you can do this in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat this until pale and creamy. Add the eggs and beat well. In another bowl stir the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. If there are any lumps, sift them together until smooth. Mixing on low speed add 1/3rd of the buttermilk followed busy 1/3rd of the dry ingredients. Do this twice more until all the buttermilk and ry ingredients are incorporated. I like finishing the batter with a rubber spatula to ensure all the ingredients are mixed in well.

Let us assemble the cake by layering the chocolate cake batter at the bottom, smooth it out with the rubber spatula or the back of a spoon. Gently pour over the flan mixture, do this very slowly, you can also ladle it into the tin or pour it over a spoon. I like pour it through a strainer to catch any egg bits. Loosely cover the tin with a layer of parchment paper and then aluminum foil. Place the tin in a larger baking tray and pour boiling hot water into the large tray, the water should come up around 2-4cm. Transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. I would suggest checking the cake after 1 hour, a tooth pick inserted into the cake should come out clean, if not, cover it again and bake further. When I baked this in my larger oven it took 1 hour to bake however when I baked it in my smaller oven it took 1 hour 20 minutes as the aluminium foil and parchment paper covering the tin was not allowing the cake to rise and bake hence it took longer. Let the cake cool completely in the tin before flipping. Once cooled, place a large plate over the tin and flip the cake confidently, you should hear a thud which means the cake has released from he tin and landed on the plate. Keeping the cake covered, allow it to chill in the fridge overnight for the best results before cutting. The next day, remove the tin and top with more dulce de Leche sauce, slice and serve.

Serving & storing this chocoflan?

Chocoflan pairs deliciously with black coffee but you can serve it with tea as well. It is a dessert no doubt and works well to feed a crowd easily. I would suggest making this recipe to parties or occasions as it is definitely as celebratory cake. Also, you can always serve it with more caramel sauce/ dulce de Leche sauce. The leftovers can be sliced and stored in air tight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days. I would not suggest storing it any longer as the flan will not be the same and the chocolate cake will dry out. This cake cannot be stored in the freezer.

Frequently asked questions about Chocoflan:

Why is my chocoflan not cooking?

The heat is not getting evenly distributed. Hence bake it in a smaller tin or make sure the oven is preheated long enough, atlas 15 minutes before baking.

How to know if chocoflan is ready?

When you poke the chocolate cake with a butter knife it should come out clean or a few chocolate crumbs is fine.

Why did my chocoflan crack?

The heat was a little high with enabled the custard to crack. Also it could’ve gotten stuck to the tin and wasn’t removed from the pan easily. This could be related to better greasing with butter in the first step.

Can you leave flan overnight?

It is best leave the flan in the fridge overnight to set and chill. It tastes way better the next day flavor wise and texturally.

How to get chocoflan out of the pan?

Once the chocoflan is baked, let it cool in the pan completely and the edges should release as it cools down. However you can use a butter knife or offset spatula to run around the edges a little to help release any air pockets. Alternatively you can use abloom torch to heat. The edges of the tin to help release the cake or place it in a water bath filled with hot water to help it release. Once you flip the cake give it a little coax by shaking the tin gently.

Can I put hot chocoflan in the fridge?

I prefer allowing the chocoflan to cool down room temperature, flipping it and then chilling it in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours but for best results, overnight. You could directly place the chocoflan in the fridge and flip it the next day however I feel it is easier to flip it on the same day after it has cooled down and then chilling it.

Pro Tips to make the perfect Chocoflan recipe:

Grease the bundt tin with soft butter well – this will help the cake release easily once baked.
Do not over mix the chocolate cake batter as it will become tough/dense once baked.
If the batter looks like it is a lot for the tin you have, bake it in two tins (keep in mind when you bake half the cake in a pan it will bake faster hence check it after 30 minutes).
Once you have layered the tin with the caramel, chocolate cake batter and flan mixture, it needs to go in the oven, you cannot leave it sitting out hence preheat the oven ahead.
Pour the custard into the tin over the chocolate cake batter gently through a strainer/ladle it into the tin as well.
Loosely cover the tin with parchment and aluminum foil to help the cake and flan steam tile baking.
Bake the cake in a water bath to keep the heat consistent in the oven to help the custard bake evenly.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin completely before trying to flip it.
Gently release the edges of the cake before trying too flip it.
Once flipped, keep the tin on top of the cake and place in the fridge to set for the best results.

Now that we have covered how to make this mexican dessert aka Chocoflan recipe, you can have a look at the video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more baking recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.