Reversed Impossible Chocolate Flan

Name: Reversed Impossible Chocolate Flan
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Cuisine: southern
Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray; 1 1/2 cups/185 grams all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon/3 grams kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon/3 grams baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon/2 grams baking powder; 3/4 cup/177 milliliters unsweetened coconut milk; 1 tablespoon/15 milliliters distilled white vinegar or coconut vinegar; 1 teaspoon/5 milliliters coconut extract (optional); 1 teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract; 1 stick/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature; 3/4 cup/150 grams sugar; 1 large egg; 1 14-ounce can/414 milliliters sweetened condensed milk; 1 12-ounce can/355 milliliters evaporated milk; 1/2 cup/37 grams Dutch-process cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract; 4 large eggs

Recipe from Ben Mims

Adapted by Melissa Clark

Reversed Impossible Chocolate Flan — Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Total Time: 1 hour, plus 2 hours' cooling
Rating: 4(953)
Comments: Read comments

In this magical recipe by Ben Mims from his cookbook "Sweet & Southern," vanilla cake and chocolate custard are layered into a Bundt pan before baking. In the oven, the two switch places, with the heavier custard sinking while the cake rises to the surface. Once unmolded, you end up with a tender band of cake on the bottom and creamy, wobbly flan on top. Inspired by chocoflan, it’s rich, soft, deeply fudgy and a hit at dinner parties. —Melissa Clark

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Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 servings

For the Cake Batter

Nonstick cooking spray
1½cups/185 grams all-purpose flour
½teaspoon/3 grams kosher salt
½teaspoon/3 grams baking soda
½teaspoon/2 grams baking powder
¾cup/177 milliliters unsweetened coconut milk
1tablespoon/15 milliliters distilled white vinegar or coconut vinegar
1teaspoon/5 milliliters coconut extract (optional)
1teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract
1stick/113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾cup/150 grams sugar
1large egg

For the Custard

114-ounce can/414 milliliters sweetened condensed milk
112-ounce can/355 milliliters evaporated milk
½cup/37 grams Dutch-process cocoa powder
1teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract
4large eggs

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Make the Batter
1. Step 1
  Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 degrees. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with cooking spray.
2. Step 2
  In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk together coconut milk, vinegar and extracts.
3. Step 3
  Using an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in egg. Beat in flour mixture and then coconut milk mixture until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.
Make the Custard
1. Step 4
  Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Hold a soup spoon upside down over the cake batter in pan and gently pour custard over the back of the spoon so it lands gently on cake batter without disturbing it.
2. Step 5
  Set Bundt pan in a large roasting pan and place in oven on the center rack. Pour enough very hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of Bundt pan. As cake bakes, custard will sink to bottom of pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer Bundt pan to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 2 hours.
3. Step 6
  To serve, place a plate or platter upside down over the Bundt pan and invert.

Ratings

4 out of 5

953 user ratings

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Comments

Patrick7 years ago

The first time I made this cake, it turned out beautifully - and what a "show-stopper." Everyone loved it, including myself, but I felt that the cake part was a bit bland even though I added the coconut extract. The second time, I substituted 1/2 teaspoon of pure almond extract in place of the coconut extract, and the result was fantastic, much more flavorful. I might just add a couple more drops of the almond extract next time, but probably not another 1/2 tsp. Might be too strong.

Olive Oyl7 years ago

I ended up making it as written, with the coconut milk - and it really goes unnoticed except for a certain richness. At first, I thought the textures were iffy, but found I liked it a lot when cool, cold and even just a few minutes out of the freezer. So, despite my previous comment, I'll be enthusiastically making it again.

Susan7 years ago

Though I'm an experienced cook, and followed the recipe exactly, this was a horrid dessert which I embarrassingly served. I threw most of it in the trash. The flan part was too firm, not flavorful, and somewhat rubbery as others have reported. The cake was dense, heavy, and also lacking in flavor. I should have been wary of a recipe that relies on the custard sinking through the cake batter to reach it's destination. Something major was lost in the transition.

Dale Farran6 months ago

I have made this cake/flan twice and it came out stunning to look at each time -- very impressive at a dinner party. BUT each time the cake section has been dry and not very tasty. The flan is OK and with enough whipped cream people might nor notice the cake. Has anyone figured our how to make the cake layer more moist?

Susan9 months ago

This dessert looks spectacular BUT is dreadful to eat! The fall tastes like chocolate jello and the cake has little flavor.

elisa10 months ago

My husband hates chocolate. What other flavour(s) could work in the flan for this recipe

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