Chocoflan recipe is part flan caramel custard, part chocolate cake. This twist on the classic dessert combines two favorite desserts into delicious and authentic cake recipe!
When I was in college, I waitressed at a local Mexican restaurant. There was a local lady who made the flan and brought it into the restaurant every week. And every week, the flan sold out.
The flan she made was unlike the more custard-y flan that I'd had before. It was flan de queso, which is like a combination of cheesecake and custard.
This chocoflan recipe takes that cheesecake-y flan to a whole new level with the addition of a layer of chocolate cake. The chocolate cake is a sweet, mild chocolate cake that pairs nicely with the creamy flan and the rich cajeta.
What is chocoflan?
This cake is has two layers - a chocolate cake layer and a layer of cheesecake-like flan. It's sometimes called an impossible cake because the flan layer sinks to the bottom of the cake as it bakes so that when it is inverted, the flan layer is on top of the chocolate cake layer.
Some versions call for chopped nuts, like pecans, as a garnish over the surface of the cake. Feel free to add that if you prefer.
Ingredient notes
- Cajeta: It's important to use a thicker caramel, like cajeta, so that it doesn't melt.
- Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt by ½ teaspoon.
- Kosher salt: Sea salt is a good substitute for kosher salt. If you are using table salt, use ¼ teaspoon.
- Coca cola: I don't recommend using diet cola in this cake.
- Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a buttermilk substitute.
- Cream cheese: I recommend using full-fat cream cheese.
- Evaporated milk: I recommend using regular evaporated milk.
- Sweetened condensed milk: I recommend using regular, but reduced-fat sweetened condensed milk will work.
How to make chocoflan
To make the chocolate cake
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 F. Put the oven rack in the lower middle of the oven. Grease and lightly flour a 10-15 cup bundt pan. I use a nonstick cooking spray with flour in it like Baker's Joy.
Step 2: Drizzle the bottom and sides of the bundt pan with the cajeta. Set aside.
Step 3: In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat butter and sugar together until well-combined.
Step 4: Beat in the eggs and vanilla until incorporated. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Step 5: Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until just incorporated.
Step 6: Stir in the coke and buttermilk until combined.
Step 7: Pour cake batter into prepared bundt pan.
To make the flan
Step 8: Add the cream cheese and eggs to a blender. Mix until smooth and well-combined.
Step 9: Blend in the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla until combined.
Step 10: Pour the flan mixture over the chocolate cake batter. Some of the flan may swirl into the cake batter, and that's ok.
Step 11: Cover the bundt pan tightly with aluminum foil. Place the bundt pan into a larger pan, like a roasting pan, and add 1-inch of hot water to make a water bath.
Step 12: Bake for about 90 minutes, or until a knife or inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Step 13: Uncover, and let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Cake can be served warm or chilled for a few hours and served cold.
Step 14: Invert onto a serving platter.
Step 15: Drizzle with additional cajeta just before serving, if desired.
Recipe FAQs
What is cajeta?
Cajeta is a goat milk caramel. It is similar to dulce de leche, but cajeta is made with goat milk instead of cow milk.
If you can find it, the cajeta is worth picking up. It's located near the Abuelita hot chocolate in my local grocery store. If you can't find it, substitute dulce de leche or a good caramel topping.
What if I can't find Mexican Coca-Cola?
Use regular (not diet) Coca-Cola in place of the Mexican Coca-Cola.
Storage
The cake should be covered and stored in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days.
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Chocoflan Recipe
Equipment
- Bundt Pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- ½ cup cajeta or caramel sauce plus extra for drizzling at the end
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup Mexican Coca-Cola*
- ½ cup buttermilk
Flan
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 large eggs
- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and lightly flour a 10-15 cup bundt pan. I use a nonstick spray with flour in it like Baker's Joy.
- Drizzle the bottom and sides of the bundt pan with the cajeta. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until well-combined.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla until incorporated.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir until just incorporated.
- Stir in the coke and buttermilk until combined.
- Pour cake batter into prepared pan.
- To make the flan, add the cream cheese and eggs to a blender. Mix until smooth and well-combined.
- Blend in the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla until combined.
- Pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. Some of the flan may swirl into the cake batter, and that's ok.
- Cover the bundt pan tightly with aluminum foil.
- Place the bundt pan into a larger pan, and add 1 inch of hot (not boiling) water to make a water bath.
- Bake for about 90 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.
- Uncover, and let cake cool in the pan for 1 hour.
- Cake can be served warm or chilled for a few hours and served cold.
- Drizzle with additional cajeta just before serving, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Cajeta: It's important to use a thicker caramel, like cajeta, so that it doesn't melt.
- Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt by ½ teaspoon.
- Kosher salt: Sea salt is a good substitute for kosher salt. If you are using table salt, use ¼ teaspoon.
- Coca cola: If you can't find Mexican Coca-Cola, substitute regular Coca-Cola. I don't recommend using diet cola in this cake.
- Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a buttermilk substitute.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
Adapted from The Homesick Texan Cookbook. Originally published 5/1/2017.
Melany
Ive been looking for a recipe for impossible cake and decided to try yours because of the Coca Cola jaja and it is an amazing impossible cake! I wouldn’t change anything!
Chocolate cake is moist, soft, and just the right amount of sweetness! And the flan is creamy and delicious!! I would give a 10 star!!
Thank you!
Kate
Thank you so much!!
Christine Saro
Hi. I would like to make this as a small sheet cake so I can cut it into small squares as there will be other desserts. Is it possible to make in a rectangle pan instead of a bundt? I assume I should double the recipe? Thank You
Kate
Hi! Unfortunately, I haven't tried to make it that way, so I'm not sure how this would work in a rectangular pan.
Sharon Isaac
I love the cake! Do I need to store it in the refrigerator or is room temperature OK? How long will the cake be good?
Also, can you freeze part of the cake for later use?
Kate
Thank you! I store the cake in the fridge. I've found that it keeps for 3-4 days. I haven't tried to freeze it to say for certain how it would work out. If you try freezing it, I'd love to hear how it works out!
Stephani
So on the recipe list it says baking soda but on the video it says baking powder. So which one would be the correct one?
Kate
Thanks for letting me know about that! The recipe is correct, and the bp in the video is a mistake.
Jen
can I make it a day ahead?
Kate
That should be fine. I would just wait to drizzle the cajeta until you're ready to serve it.
Jen
Thanks - it's in the oven now!
Jenny
If I make it a day ahead and store it in the fridge, should it be served chilled or room temperature? How long should I leave it out of the fridge before serving?
Kate
Hi! I serve it chilled. You can serve it straight out the fridge, or you can set it out for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Gail
I’m so confused! I see you put the cake in first but when you take it out the cake is on the bottom??
Kate
This cake is sometimes called a magic cake for that reason. As it bakes, the flan layer sinks (and will be on top when you invert it). Hope that helps! =)
Blanca
Hello it looks delicious. it would be a problem if i let it chill more than an hour in the pan? For example al night?
Kate
Hi! Unfortunately, I'm not sure whether it would work to let it chill overnight in the pan. I do know that it holds well chilled in the fridge out of the pan.
Chantal Martinez
What size is the bundt pan? How many cups to hold?
Kate
I use a 12-cup bundt pan.
Eva Villa
This recipe was amazing!! I absolutely loved it, I’m Mexican myself & it’s some of the best I’ve ever had. I had some Cajeta my grandmother brought me from Mexico & omg it was amazing! I will definitely be making this again!
Kate
Thank you! I'm so glad that you liked it! I think the cajeta really makes it. =) Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Diana
So I substitute butter milk for a cup or milk and a teaspoon of vinegar like google said to do and the cake won’t harden.
Kate
Did you use 1 cup of buttermilk in the recipe?
Tatiana
Can you make more than one at a time?
Kate
I'm not sure! I don't have enough room in my oven to bake more than one at a time, so I've never tried it out.
Jazmin
Yes, you can bake two at a time. I always do. I like to take advantage of the oven already being in use.
Kate
Thank you!
Mrs. Greenwood
Fabulous recipe!! Thank you for sharing. My family and friends loved it!
Kate
Thank you so much! I'm glad it was a hit. =) Thank you for taking the time to come back to comment!
Jackie
Is unsalted butter ok?
Kate
Absolutely! You can just sub unsalted butter and add a pinch or two more salt.
John
Hello, I have made chocoflan a few times but I notice that the chocolate cake is ready before the flan is set. So I end up taking it out of the oven and continue cooking it (au bain marie) on top of the stove until the flan is set. Why is this? Whatever; everyone loves it. By the way: I make them in ramekins, maybe that has an effect on the results?
Kate
That might be the cause! I haven't tried to make it in ramekins, though I'm definitely intrigued by the idea! Have you tried to make it in a bundt pan?
Sab
Is there an alternative to the coca cola?
Kate
Hi! Can you give me a little more info about what the issue with coca cola is? Then I may be able to suggest an alternative. Thanks!
mary
yes, buttermilk
Eunice
I blended the glam in my mixer but when I poured into the chocolate cake it still had tiny chunks. Is it going to affect the cake
Kate
I'm not sure! If it just had a few small pieces, it may be ok. For the flan, though, it's best to have it as smooth and well-combined as possible.
Sarah
Fantastic recipe! I made this for an early cinco de mayo party and it was the first thing gone.
Kate
Thank you! Glad everyone enjoyed it! =)
Rob
This was delicious! Big hit with the family
Kate
Thank you! I'm so glad you and your family liked it!