DessertsMediumFree

Chocoflan (Impossible Cake)

Name: Chocoflan (Impossible Cake)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 120 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 397 g Condensed milk; 200 g Cream cheese; 50 g Cocoa powder; 354 ml Evaporated milk; 100 ml Vegetable oil; 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 80 g Butter; 150 g Plain flour; 5 Eggs; 150 g Caramel sauce

120 min (30 prep + 90 cook) Medium 10 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 26 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Chocolate cake and vanilla flan that swap places on their own when baked.

About this recipe

Mexico's most surprising dessert: half chocolate cake, half vanilla flan that magically invert when baked. The cake ends up on the bottom, the flan on top, and the caramel runs over everything. Spectacular.

History & Origin

Chocoflan - also known as Pastel Imposible or Magic Cake - is one of the most beloved and iconic desserts in modern Mexican baking. The name "Imposible" refers to the phenomenon that occurs during baking: if you pour the flan mixture over the chocolate cake batter in a tin, when you take it out of the oven you discover that the flan has risen to the top and the cake has sunk to the bottom, completely swapping places. It seems impossible, but it has a scientific explanation: the flan mixture, being denser and more liquid, passes through the lighter, more porous cake batter during baking in a bain-marie. The dessert emerged in Mexico in the second half of the twentieth century, probably as a creative fusion of two established traditions: the chocolate cake, of European influence, and the napolitano flan, a legacy of Spanish and Arab cuisine. Heinz popularised a version using Betty Crocker cake mix in the 1980s and 90s, which turned it into a classic of Mexican family celebrations and parties. Today homemade chocoflan is made with fresh ingredients and the result is far superior to any commercial mix version: the cake is moist and dense with chocolate, the flan is smooth and creamy with vanilla, and the melted caramel that runs over the entire surface when unmoulded unites both worlds in every bite.

Estimated cost

£10.75

Total cost

£1.08

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

380

Calories

Protein

48g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

1.5g

Fibre

280mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Make the caramel: in a small saucepan, melt 100g of caster sugar over a medium heat without stirring until a golden caramel forms. Immediately pour into the base of the tin (a 24 cm bundt or ring tin, well greased). Move quickly to cover the base.
💡 Work fast: the caramel sets quickly. If you do not cover the entire base, do not worry - it will spread during baking.
2
Make the flan: blend the condensed milk, evaporated milk, 3 eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.
3
Make the cake: beat the butter with 80g of sugar until light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs one at a time. Stir in the melted chocolate. Sift in the flour, cornflour, and cinnamon, folding in alternately with the milk. Mix only until combined.
💡 Do not overmix the cake batter: too much gluten makes it tough. Mix just until no flour streaks remain.
4
Pour the chocolate cake batter over the caramel in the tin. On top, gently pour in the flan mixture. It will look like everything is mixing, but do not worry: the magic will happen in the oven.
💡 To avoid disturbing the cake batter when pouring the flan, pour it over the back of a spoon so it falls gently.
5
Cover the tin with foil. Place inside a roasting tin with enough hot water to come halfway up the mould (bain-marie). Bake at 180°C (160°C fan) for 75–90 minutes until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean and the flan is set.
💡 Baking in a bain-marie is essential: it regulates the temperature and prevents the flan from curdling and the cake from drying out.
6
Remove from the bain-marie and leave to cool completely at room temperature (at least 1 hour). Then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. To unmould: run a knife around the edges and invert onto a deep-rimmed plate to catch the caramel.
💡 The chocoflan must be thoroughly chilled to unmould correctly. If you try to unmould it warm, the flan may not be completely set.