I love this recipe — it merges a rich chocolate cake, a creamy flan, and a layer of caramel in one magical dessert. The texture, the flavour, and the way it looks when you slice into it make it one of my favourite treats.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I like this recipe because each bite gives a perfect balance of flavours and textures: the deep, moist chocolate cake underneath, the smooth and custardy flan layer, and a sweet caramel topping that ties everything together. It looks impressive when served — a dessert that feels special, but is surprisingly manageable to make.
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of Ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
For the caramel:
200 g granulated sugar
For the flan:
4 large eggs
120 g cream cheese (full fat)
380 g sweetened condensed milk
360 ml evaporated milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the chocolate cake layer:
50 g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant coffee
80 ml hot water
120 g unsalted butter, softened
100 ml vegetable oil (or other flavourless oil)
120 g granulated sugar
120 g soft light brown sugar
4 large eggs
120 ml buttermilk
200 g plain (all-purpose) flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons white vinegar
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Grease a 9-inch Bundt pan and set it aside.
Make the caramel layer: Put the 200 g sugar in a pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar completely melts and turns a deep amber color. Pour the hot caramel into the Bundt pan, tilt to coat the bottom (and slightly up the sides), then set aside to let it harden.
Prepare the flan mixture: In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, cream cheese, condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Blend until smooth, then pour the mixture through a fine sieve (I like to sieve twice for extra smoothness). Pour the flan mixture over the set caramel in the pan.
First bake — flan layer: Cover the Bundt pan with tin foil. Place it inside a larger roasting pan (for a water bath). Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the Bundt pan. Carefully move everything into the oven and bake for around 40 minutes.
Make the cake batter while flan bakes: In a bowl, whisk cocoa powder and instant coffee with hot water until smooth. Let cool slightly. Add softened butter, oil, both sugars; beat until smooth. Mix in two of the eggs, then add the remaining eggs and buttermilk; mix until combined. Add flour and mix gently. In a small separate bowl, pour vinegar over baking soda (it will bubble), then stir this into the batter.
Second bake — add cake layer: After the flan has baked, remove the pan from oven. You’ll notice the flan is still jiggly — that’s correct. Carefully pour the chocolate cake batter over the flan (it’s okay if they mix a bit). Return the pan to the oven (without foil) and bake for about 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake layer comes out clean.
Cool and chill: Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate — ideally overnight — to allow the flan to set properly and the caramel to soften.
Unmold and serve: The next day, invert the Bundt pan onto a serving plate to release the cake. If it sticks, gently warm the sides of the pan (for example by placing it in a bowl of warm water) before flipping. Then slice and enjoy.
Servings and Timing
This recipe yields a 9-inch (≈ 23 cm) Bundt cake — typically serving about 10–12 slices depending on how thick you cut them. Prep time: ~ 30 minutes (excluding baking) Bake time: ~ 1 hour 30 minutes total (two baking stages) Chilling time: Minimum 3 hours, preferably overnight
Variations
I sometimes skip the instant coffee if I want a pure chocolate flavour.
I have experimented with a simpler chocolate cake mix instead of homemade batter (for convenience) — it works but homemade gives better texture.
Cream cheese in the flan gives extra richness; but you can omit it for a lighter custard.
Instead of soft light brown sugar, I’ve tried dark brown sugar for deeper flavor — results in a slightly richer cake.
Storage/Reheating
I store leftover chocoflan covered in the fridge — it keeps well for up to 3–4 days. If it’s very cold, I let slices sit at room temperature for ~10 min before serving so flavors come alive. Reheating in a low-temperature oven (about 150 °C / 300 °F) for 5–10 minutes works too if I want it slightly warm.
FAQs
How do the cake and flan layers separate during baking?
Because the flan mixture is denser than the cake batter, and the cake batter rises during baking (thanks to the baking soda/vinegar leavening), they swap places — the denser flan sinks down, and the lighter cake rises up. That’s why when I flip the cake after chilling, the flan ends up on top and the chocolate cake underneath.
Can I skip the cream cheese in the flan?
Yes — the cream cheese adds richness and a slightly tangy depth, but you can omit it for a more classic flan texture. The result will be a bit lighter and milkier, but still delicious.
Do I have to bake in a water bath (bain-marie)?
I highly recommend it. The water bath ensures gentle and even heat, which helps prevent the flan from curdling and keeps it smooth and creamy. Without it, the flan might overcook or crack.
What if my flan layer isn’t set after the first bake?
That’s okay — the flan is supposed to still be a little jiggly after the first bake. It will finish cooking during the second bake under the cake batter.
How important is the chilling overnight step?
Very important. Chilling lets the flan firm up properly and allows the caramel to soften and infuse the layers. If you skip chilling, the cake may fall apart or the layers may not hold well when you unmold.
Conclusion
Making chocoflan always feels a bit magical — combining three dessert layers into one show-stopping cake. I love how it brings together a moist chocolate cake, a creamy flan, and caramel in one dessert that looks impressive yet is totally achievable at home. If I want a dessert that feels special but doesn’t require pastry-chef skills, this chocoflan recipe is the one I reach for.
Chocoflan is a magical, layered dessert combining moist chocolate cake, smooth vanilla flan, and a rich caramel glaze — all baked together in one Bundt pan and chilled to perfection.
Ingredients
For the caramel:
200 g granulated sugar
For the flan:
4 large eggs
120 g cream cheese (full fat)
380 g sweetened condensed milk
360 ml evaporated milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the chocolate cake:
50 g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant coffee
80 ml hot water
120 g unsalted butter, softened
100 ml vegetable oil
120 g granulated sugar
120 g soft light brown sugar
4 large eggs
120 ml buttermilk
200 g all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons white vinegar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 9-inch Bundt pan.
Make the caramel: Melt 200 g sugar in a pan over medium heat, stirring until amber-colored. Pour into Bundt pan and tilt to coat bottom and sides slightly. Let harden.
Prepare flan: Blend eggs, cream cheese, condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Sieve twice if desired for extra creaminess. Pour over set caramel.
First bake: Cover Bundt pan with foil. Place in roasting pan filled halfway with boiling water. Bake 40 minutes.
Make chocolate cake batter: Mix cocoa and coffee with hot water; let cool. Beat in butter, oil, sugars. Mix in eggs and buttermilk. Add flour and mix gently. Stir in vinegar+baking soda mixture.
Second bake: Remove flan from oven. Carefully pour chocolate batter over flan. Bake uncovered 50–60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool to room temperature. Chill at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
To serve, gently warm Bundt pan sides if needed and invert onto plate. Slice and enjoy.
