Pumpkin Chocoflan

You know it's officially the fall season when you spot pumpkin chocoflan! This seasonal dessert infuses the classic dessert with pumpkin and warm spices to create a delicious twist you'll quickly fall in love with.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Pumpkin puree: Provides the signature pumpkin flavor and contributes to the creamy texture of the flan layer. It also adds moisture and natural sweetness to the dessert.
• Condensed milk: Acts as a sweetener and thickening agent for the flan. It gives the flan its rich, creamy texture and helps it set properly.
• Evaporated milk: Adds creaminess and richness to the flan without making it too sweet. It helps balance the sweetness of the condensed milk.
• Spices: We're using a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice to enhance the pumpkin flavor and add warmth and depth to the dessert.
• Cocoa powder: Provides the chocolate flavor for the cake layer.
• Olive oil: Contributes to the rich, moist texture of the cake.
• Vanilla: Enhances and balances the flavors in both the flan and cake layers.

Substitutions and variations

• Spices: You can experiment with other spice combinations, replacing the spices with pumpkin pie spice or chai spices.
• Squash: If you're not a fan of pumpkin, try this dessert with sweet potato puree for a different twist.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make caramel

Although several steps are required to make this pumpkin chocoflan, don't fret! It's easier than you think.

Let's start by first making the caramel. Pour granulated sugar into a saucepan and melt the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Use a light-colored pot so that it's easier to see the color of the caramel.

Once the sugar melts, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the sugar turns into an amber-brown caramel, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Pour this caramel into a loaf pan and set it aside for 10 minutes to cool and harden slightly.

Step 2: Prepare flan

Next, prepare the flan mixture by combining pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, condensed milk, eggs, vanilla, and a blend of warm spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice.

Whisk these ingredients together until well combined, then transfer the mixture to a measuring cup with a spout for easy pouring later.

Step 3: Mix chocolate cake

For the chocolate cake layer, mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.

Whisk milk, olive oil, egg white, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Then, combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing until you have a smooth batter.

We're using olive oil and not butter for the cake batter to keep the cake moist and soft even after it's chilled.

Step 4: Bake

Now, it's time to assemble the pumpkin chocoflan. Pour the chocolate cake batter over the caramel in the loaf pan, spreading it into an even layer.

To add the flan mixture without disturbing the cake batter, hold a spatula as close to the batter as possible without actually touching it. Then, carefully pour the flan mixture over the spatula. This technique helps gently add the flan mixture over the cake batter and prevents holes in the cake layer.

Place the loaf pan in a larger baking dish and create a water bath by adding boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake the chocoflan for 45-55 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 180°F (82°C).

After baking, let the chocoflan cool for 15 minutes, then transfer it to the refrigerator to chill uncovered for at least 8 hours or overnight. The overnight chilling not only improves the texture but also makes unmolding easier.

When you're ready to serve, prepare for unmolding by dipping the bottom of the loaf pan into hot water. This helps loosen the caramel at the bottom. Run an offset spatula around the edges of the pan to further loosen the cake. Carefully place a platter on top of the loaf pan and invert it to release the chocoflan.

If you're having trouble removing the flan from the pan, don't hesitate to dip it in hot water again – the heat will help loosen the caramel and make unmolding smoother.

From the outside, the pumpkin chocoflan looks like a brown loaf but slice into it and you'll uncover beautiful layers. While the dessert was baking, the cake layer and flan layer switched places so that the flan was now on the top! Magic or science? Well, it is called the "impossible cake" so I'm going to go with magic.

Serve your pumpkin chocoflan at room temperature or chilled for a delightful dessert that combines the best of both flan and chocolate cake with a seasonal pumpkin twist.

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: Since this dessert needs to be set overnight, it's best to prepare it the day before.
• Store: Keep the chocoflan refrigerated on its serving platter for up to 2 weeks.

Frequently asked questions

More pumpkin dessert recipes

Looking for more pumpkin treats? Try these:

Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin Chocoflan

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: cake

Servings: 12

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Pumpkin flan

• ⅔ cup granulated sugar (133 grams)
• ½ cup pumpkin puree (122 grams)
• 15 ounces evaporated milk
• 14 ounces condensed milk
• 3 large eggs beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon allspice

Chocolate cake

• ½ cup all-purpose flour (67 grams)
• ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
• ¼ cup cocoa powder (20 grams)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅓ cup milk (83 ml)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Make caramel. Add ⅔ cup (133 grams) sugar in a saucepan and melt over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook until sugar is an amber brown caramel. Stir occasionally during simmering to avoid burning. Pour caramel into a loaf pan and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Prepare flan mixture. Combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, condensed milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Whisk until well combined. Transfer mixture into a measuring cup with a spout.
• Make chocolate cake batter. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, olive oil, egg white, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing until combined.
• Pour chocolate cake batter over caramel in loaf pan, spreading it an even layer. Place a spatula over the chocolate cake and carefully pour the flan mixture over the spatula into the loaf pan. This will prevent holes in the cake.
• Place the loaf pan in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Add enough boiling water in the baking dish to come up halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake pumpkin chocoflan for 45-55 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 180 degrees F. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Transfer to the fridge and chill uncovered at least 8 hours or overnight.
• When ready to serve, dip the bottom of the loaf pan into a skillet filled with hot water. The water will help loosen the caramel on the bottom. Run an offset spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the can. Carefully place a platter on top of the loaf pan and invert the cake. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Notes

I used a 9-inch loaf pan but you can also use an 8 ½-inch X 4 ½-inch loaf pan. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.