Flan Cake (Flancocho)
This easy flan cake (flancocho) combines two amazing desserts in one. Tender cake topped with a smooth layer of cream cheese flan and a caramel sauce all bakes together like magic. Plus, it starts with a cake mix so you can have this cake and eat it too, in no time at all!
One of my all-time favorite desserts is Puerto Rican flan de queso. It's a baked custard made with cream cheese so it has a thick cheese cake-like texture and it's swimming in a pool of sugar caramel sauce. It's amazing and if you've never tried, I highly recommend!
My second favorite Puerto Rican dessert would have to be flancocho, or flan cake. In Puerto Rico, bizcocho is the Spanish word for cake. Whenever I go to a party and someone walks in with flancocho, they are my new best friend (either that or whoever brought the Puerto Rican Rice)!
So this dessert is a layer of cake topped with a layer of flan. Of course, there's drippy caramel sauce involved as well. Now you don't have to choose between cake or flan - you get the best of both worlds!
This recipe is for easy flan cake since it uses a convenient box mix. You can also change up the flavors - chocolate or pineapple are delicious options. Or you can make the Paris Hilton funfetti flan cake and leave out the cream cheese.
How to Make Flan Cake
Let's talk about the details to make sure your cake turns out amazing. Firstly, this cake is usually baked in a Bundt pan, but other shapes can be used as well.
You'll need to use a large 12-cup Bundt pan or tube pan. If using a tube pan, make sure it is not the kind with a removable bottom or it will leak out everywhere.
If you're like me and only have a small 10-cup pan, that's perfectly ok. However, all of the cake batter won't fit in the pan.
Just make the extra batter into cupcakes so it doesn't go to waste. You'll have something to snack on while the flan cake cools and sets up!
This easy flan cake is also called "magic cake" because the layers separate while baking. The flan always ends up on the bottom of the pan (top of cake when flipped).
Some people add the flan to the pan first, others add the cake mix first. It will turn out either way. I add the cake batter last, that way I don't overfill my pan. About 85-90% full is perfect.
The cake is then baked in a water bath to ensure a smooth and creamy flan. Allow to cool completely, and then refrigerate before removing cake from the pan. Overnight is best, but allow at least 4 hours.
Your guests will be delighted when you flip it over onto a platter and all the caramel runs down. Meanwhile, you'll see me first in line to get a slice!
Pin this to your Puerto Rican food board!
Flan Cake (Flancocho)
This flan cake features a layer of silky flan on top of a cake base - two desserts in one! A box mix speeds up the process.
Ingredients
For the Flan:
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 14 ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 12 ounce can Evaporated Milk
- 3 large Eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
For the Cake:
- 1 box vanilla or yellow cake mix
- Ingredients listed on the Box
Instructions
- Preheat to oven 350°F. Set a kettle of water to boil for a water bath. Grease a large 12-cup Bundt or tube pan and place inside a larger baking pan such as a roasting pan. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt sugar until completely dissolved. Watch carefully so it does not burn. You may swirl the pan to stir. Remove from heat when it becomes amber or dark golden in color.
- Immediately pour the melted sugar into the bottom of the cake pan, working quickly before it hardens. Set aside.
- In a blender, combine cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Pour into pan over caramel sauce.
- In a large bowl with a mixer, prepare cake mix according to the package instructions. Carefully pour over flan until pan is ¾ full (extra batter can be used for cupcakes). DO NOT stir the flan and cake batter together.
- Pour hot water into large baking dish so that water comes halfway up the sides of the Bundt pan. Bake for 60-75 minutes, checking for doneness after 1 hour. A toothpick inserted near center should come out clean.
- Remove cake from water bath and cool on wire rack. For best results, refrigerate overnight before unmolding. Place a serving plate over cake and then flip plate and cake together, right side up. Remove cake pan and serve. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 400Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 390mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 0gSugar: 54gProtein: 8g
Nutritional information provided is an estimate only. Please consult the labels of ingredients you use for more accurate results.
I've made this twice, both times the sugar layer at the bottom turned hard like creamed brulee. Has anyone tried using brown sugar of white for the caramel?
@Kenna thats normal after you melt the sugar and put it in the pan it will harden rather quickly. During that time you should do the rest of the recipe. You pour the flan mixture on top of the hardened caramel. The baking will remelt the hardened sugar and it will become caramel once again. When you flip it over after refrigerating it should be melted.
@Kenna, try adding a 1/2 cup of water to the melted sugar and and cook a bit longer. Should help with the crystallized sugar
Thank you so much for this recipe! It was truly amazing! I wish I can post a picture. I added sliced strawberries on top and sprinkled shredded coconut all over. It was a huge hit!
Do you put both In the same pan to bake?
Yes, they are layered.
Hello! I’ve made this flancocho several times and it’s always perfect. My family wants it in all of our events (thank you)
I know you may not see this now so for future reference: tonight I am in a bit of a rush forgot to bake it earlier, so I want to just stick in the fridge and call it a night. But the recipe says cool completely. What happens if I just stick in fridge hot?
It will be ok. You're not supposed to put hot things in the fridge because it brings down the temperature and/or causes condensation. Sometimes there's no time to wait!
Hello, could you use a churro cake instead of just the yellow cake mix for
this version of cake? Thanks so much.
You can use any flavor cake!
@Rebekah, yes you can chocolate cake is yummy with Flan
Hello - Hoping you get this right away...if not, I guess I'll find out.
First off, smells delicious. It's cooling now. My question is.... what if the cake was done at 35 minutes baking time?? I was going to cover it and continue to bake it, but then thought it would be so dry if I continued another 25 minutes. I stuck a clean knife all the way through to the custard and nothing came out on the knife. Do you think it baked all the way through? I used a Bundt pan, so couldn't use all the custard or the cake batter. I'm wondering if my smaller cake was good with 35 minute cook time? Doesn't feel like it. My friend (Puerto Rican, so you know why I'm nervous, LOL!) will be turning it out onto a plate in front of her parents....yikes!! 😀
Thanks! If it tastes as good as it smells, I'll try it again in a tube pan next time.
I'm sorry this reply was not sooner! That doesn't seem like enough time, but if it was a smaller or dark colored pan it could be possible. I'm afraid that one of the layers is not separated or set all the way. Please let me know how it turned out.
Can I make this 3 days ahead?
Yes. Two days would be better if you can swing it, but it will still be good on day three.
I tried doing just as you said and it didn't come out right. I think I put too much cake Mix. Or took it out too early. I kept in oven for 60 min. The flan did not cook at all
So I am suppose to first pour in the flan thand the cake Mix on top?
What temperature do I keep it on the whole 60 to 75 min
Hi Edith, sorry to hear that. Did you use a water bath? The oven temperature should be 350F. I put the flan in first, then the cake batter, but the order doesn't matter since they separate when cooking. The flan should continue to set as it cools.
This flancocho has become a huge hit with my entire puerto rican family. It’s seriously the most perfect dessert, not too sweet but just the right amount. It’s everything you want in a dessert. I’ve tried it with both yellow and vanilla cake mix and they’ve both came out great. I can’t get enough of it, I have one in the oven right now! Thanks for making it super simple to follow.
Thank you!
Hello in the flancocho recipe it says melt sugar in pan. Is this on its own or do you add water to sugar
I don't add water to mine, but some people find it's easier that way!
I know you mentioned yellow cake mix. Do you think white cake mix would work as well?
Yes! You can use any flavor you want.
What substitutions are necessary in order to make a pineapple version? Can the flan be pineapple flavored as well as the cake,
or would that be 'overkill'!?
Hi Martine, I've never made a pineapple version (how sad)! Pineapple is my favorite fruit so I don't think it would be overkill to have the flan pineapple flavored as well. Would love to hear how you make it if you attempt!
@Martine, Hi I’m totally late to the game but Evelyn Dominguez on youtube has a flancocho recipe that is pineapple cake with flan de coco. I believe she substitutes pineapple juice for the water in the box cake mix and then adds chopped pineapple as well.
Best Thing Ever.Friends and Family Keep Asking me When I will make again.
About to make one in a bit.Cathy
I made the flancocho a few times. One time the flan was not as firm as the other times. Not really sure what I did differently... Any ideas?
I'm not sure. Possibly it needed to be baked longer or maybe you used another brand for one of the ingredients?
Hi! This would be my first time making this dessert. I see many recipes without the cream cheese can this be without the cream cheese and still be rich?
Yes!