Chances are that by now you know what “Chocoflan” means. There is a high probability that you love it, too. Chocoflan is one of the most beloved desserts in Mexico and has become increasingly popular in other places of the globe, especially in the USA. Now we are bringing together the best of two worlds, of two textures and two flavors: Carrot Cake-Flan.
If you read us regularly, and I really hope you do, you might remember that we have two other recipes that follow the same principles of the basic Mexican Chocoflan. Namely, that you combine in the same baking pan two vastly different batters. And that some mysterious “sleight of hand” happens in the oven during the 100 minutes of bain-marie. Although it all has a perfectly logical and scientific explanation, what comes out of the oven is nothing short of sorcery.
The chemistry and physics that do the trick are simple: the baking soda, baking powder and the pinch of salt added to the cake batter do their acidity trick, making the cake batter fluffier. Then factor in the four airy egg whites folded into the cake batter, et voilà! The cake will rise above the denser flan mix like magic!
But the real superpower of the Carrot Cake-Flan is in its taste. Not only the textures are enticingly contrasting, but the actual flavor of the sponge cake, the custardy creaminess of the flan and the rich decadence of the topping are simply irresistible. It is hard to believe that a small bite of this dessert can pack such a powerful punch!
“The Best of two Worlds” doesn’t even begin to cover it. But this is one of those things that you definitely have to try, if you never have before. See firsthand how the magic happens when flan and cake switch positions in the oven. You will start with the cake at the bottom. At some point during steaming, though, it will rise to the top of the baking pan. And that works just fine for us. The cake will be at the bottom. It will support the flan, when we invert the whole thing onto a serving platter.
These are two other great cake-flans to try and love: Peanut Butter Chocoflan. This one’s great for any occasion and season. Or this Pumpkin Spice Magic Cake-Flan, ideal from early Fall and all the way to Thanksgiving!
Carrot Cake-Flan
Ingredients
- For the flan caramel:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- For the cake:
- 1 cup shredded carrots about 3 carrots
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 units eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 – 1 tsp nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 egg whites at room temperature
- For the flan:
- 1-12 oz. can evaporated milk
- 1-14 oz. cup sweetened, condensed milk
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 5 units eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- For the frosting:
- 1 package cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup icing sugar
- green and orange food coloring
- For garnish:
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
- Make the caramel: In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt sugar without stirring until it turns into liquid caramel. Immediately pour the caramel into a large (14 cup) Bundt cake pan and twirl it around the walls of the pan. Let the caramel cool down. It will turn solid.
- Make the cake: In the blender process carrots, sugar, eggs and oil for 3 – 5 minutes until smooth. In a medium bowl, using a fork, mix well the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- With a mixer whisk egg whites until they are firm and they have doubled in size They should be firm enough that when you invert the bowl they won't fall off it (4 – 5 minutes on the Medium setting of the mixer).
- In a large bowl, pour the carrot mix processed in the blender. Start adding the flour mix gradually to the carrot mix, and stir until everything is well combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold egg whites into the carrot cake batter very carefully. The point is to integrate them, but just so that the batter will be airy and fluffy and it rises to the top of the baking pan while baking. Remember, do not overmix. Spoon the batter into the Bundt cake baking pan, on top of the caramel.
- Make the flan: In a blender, combine evaporated milk, condensed milk, whole milk, eggs and vanilla extract and process until smooth.
- Carefully spoon the flan mixture on top of the cake batter.
- Cover the Bundt baking pan with foil, place it in a larger baking pan and add boiling water to the larger pan up to 2" high. Water should not get into the Bundt baking pan.
- Bake for 1 hour 25 to 1 hour 40 minutes (depending on your oven) at 350 °F.
- Take the cake-flan out of the oven and let it cool down somewhat. Carefully run a sharp knife along the Bundt pan walls, between the cake and pan wall. While still warm, carefully invert cake-flan unto a cake stand or serving platter and let the cake-flan cool off completely.
- Make the frosting: In one bowl manually mix the softened cream cheese, vanilla extract and icing sugar until smooth. In another bowl, using the mixer, whip the whipping cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form (about 4 minutes). Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mix. Set aside a bit of the frosting to color it with green food coloring and another bit of frosting to be colored with orange food coloring.
- Pipe 3 or 4 rosettes on top of the flan with the uncolored frosting. Pipe as many carrots as rosettes on top of the rosettes. Garnish top of flan with chopped pecans. Enjoy!
Notes
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