Dulce de Leche Chocoflan

Published Jan. 6, 2021

Dulce de Leche Chocoflan
Julia Gartland for The New York Times (Photography and Styling)
Total Time
2½ hours, plus cooling
Rating
4(1,678)
Comments
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Also known as el pastel imposible (the impossible cake), chocoflan is a baking wonder, its layers of chocolate cake batter and dulce de leche flan swapping places in the oven and coming out as a tiered two-desserts-in-one showstopper. This Mexican staple is often served at birthday parties and other celebrations, but comes together easily enough to enjoy as a sweet treat at home. —Genevieve Ko

Featured in: A Kitchen Resolution Worth Making: Follow the Recipe Exactly

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Ingredients

Yield:12 servings (one 10-inch cake)

    For the Flan

    • 1(13-ounce/380-gram) can dulce de leche (1½ cups)
    • 1(12-ounce/355-milliliter) can evaporated milk
    • 4ounces/115 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
    • teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • teaspoon kosher salt
    • 5large eggs

    For the Chocolate Cake

    • 1⅓cups/160 grams all-purpose flour
    • 1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
    • ½cup/50 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1teaspoon baking soda
    • ½teaspoon baking powder
    • ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½teaspoon kosher salt
    • 6tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
    • ½cup/120 milliliters brewed coffee
    • ½cup/120 milliliters buttermilk
    • 1large egg
    • 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • Nonstick cooking spray
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

425 calories; 19 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 55 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 40 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 382 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Make the flan: In a blender, combine the dulce de leche, evaporated milk, cream cheese, vanilla extract and salt, and blend until smooth, 20 to 30 seconds. Pour in the eggs and blend for another 10 seconds until smooth.

  3. Step 3

    Make the chocolate cake: Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt directly into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on the lowest setting until just combined, then add the butter and continue mixing on low speed until the mixture resembles wet sand. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.

  4. Step 4

    In a liquid measuring cup, combine the coffee, buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract, then slowly pour it into the flour-butter mixture with the mixer running on low. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat the mixture on high for 1 full minute.

  5. Step 5

    Liberally coat a 10-cup Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray. Add the cake batter, smoothing the top with an offset spatula or spoon. Carefully ladle in the flan mixture so you disturb the cake batter as little as possible. Transfer the Bundt pan to a roasting pan or baking dish large enough to fit the Bundt pan. Grease a piece of foil and place it onto the Bundt pan, greased side down, folding it over the edges to loosely seal it. Transfer to the oven. Pour enough water into the roasting pan or baking dish to come up 2 to 3 inches (tap water is fine).

  6. Step 6

    Bake until a skewer inserted in the cake part comes out with few to no crumbs, 1½ to 2 hours.

  7. Step 7

    Carefully remove the Bundt pan from the roasting pan and uncover. Transfer to a rack and let cool to room temperature. Once fully cooled, cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 2 hours.

  8. Step 8

    Once you’re ready to serve, carefully run a knife around any edges that are still sticking, then invert onto a serving platter, gently shaking it up and down if it’s being difficult. (If it was greased properly, you shouldn’t have any major issues.) The chocoflan can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,678 user ratings
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Comments

I made this less than a week ago and my partner and I have already finished it between ourselves. Excellent recipe and final product. I could not find dulce de leche at any nearby grocery store so I made my own from sweetened condensed milk, cooked in a water bath in the oven at a low temp for 2 hours. The cans cook down in volume so to have enough dulce de leche for this you need to start with two cans of sweetened condensed milk.

I have always used Rick Bayless’s Chocoflan recipe. He uses goat’s milk caramel and a round pan. I think the dulce de leche is sweeter. Easier to remove from a round pan as well...

I made it today with hand mixer and one large mixing bowl. I first made the cake in the mixing bowl following directions as written. Then I put the cake in my greased bundt pan (I have an eight cup bundt pan, it worked fine). Then I rinsed the mixing bowl out with hot water and also rinsed the mixer beaters in hot water. I put room temperature cream cheese (that's important) and all the other ingredients except for the eggs in the mixing bowl and mixed on low, then I added the eggs as directed.

This recipe reminds me of one from Nadia Exept she called it magic cake.

Made this tonight. I am a loyal NYTimes recipe tester. Tasted great but was not as moist as i expected. Baked 1hr 35min and chilled overnight. Layers were stunning. Gave 1/2 to neighbors.

When I baked this, some of the chocolate cake adhered to my pan a bit (I think I did not grease enough) but once I got it un-moulded from the pan and cut inside it still had that "wow" effect. Pure magic!

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Credits

Adapted from “Chicano Eats” by Esteban Castillo (Harper Design, 2020)

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