Holiday Chocolate Flan Recipe | Easy Dessert for Celebrations
The holiday season brings joy, celebration, and of course, delicious food! One dessert that stands out during this time, especially in many Latin American households, is flan. But this isn’t your ordinary flan — this is a Holiday Chocolate Flan. It’s the perfect marriage of two favorites: a rich, spongy chocolate cake topped with smooth, sweet custard. This easy-to-make dessert will wow your guests and have them coming back for seconds.
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The Best Holiday Chocolate Flan Recipe
If you’ve never tried combining chocolate cake with flan, you’re in for a treat! This dessert is perfect for Christmas or any festive occasion, offering layers of texture and flavor in every bite. The soft, fluffy cake paired with the creamy flan, all topped with dulce de leche, is an irresistible combination.
Notes on Ingredients
- Chocolate Cake Mix: Use any chocolate cake mix you prefer. The mix will serve as the base of the dessert, providing a rich chocolate flavor that balances perfectly with the flan.
- Flan Ingredients: A blend of evaporated milk, condensed milk, eggs, and vanilla creates a velvety flan layer that sets beautifully over the cake.
- Dulce de Leche: Dulce de leche adds an extra layer of indulgence to this dessert. You’ll use some to coat the pan and the rest to drizzle on top when serving.
- Kahlua (optional): Adding a splash of Kahlua can give the flan a subtle coffee undertone, enhancing the overall flavor.
How to Make Holiday Chocolate Flan
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the package instructions and set it aside.
- In a large bowl or blender, combine the eggs, evaporated milk, condensed milk, vanilla, and optional Kahlua. Blend until smooth.
- Coat a buttered 9-inch baking dish with half of the dulce de leche.
- Pour the cake batter into the dish, followed by the flan mixture. Don’t worry if the flan sinks to the bottom – it’s supposed to!
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in a water bath (bain-marie) for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the flan cool for a few minutes. Invert onto a plate and drizzle the remaining dulce de leche on top. Optionally, add whipped cream or chocolate icing for extra decoration.
How to Serve Holiday Chocolate Flan
This dessert is best served slightly chilled, allowing the flan and cake layers to fully set. Garnish with whipped cream or drizzle extra dulce de leche over the top for added sweetness. Each slice reveals beautiful layers of chocolate cake and creamy flan — a visually stunning and delicious way to end your meal.
How to Store Holiday Chocolate Flan
To store leftover chocolate flan, cover it tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften the layers. You can also freeze this dessert in an airtight container for up to 1 month, just thaw it overnight in the fridge before serving.
Nutrition information
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 545.02 kcal | 27% |
| Total Fat | 22.72 g | 32% |
| Carbs | 73.81 g | 28% |
| Sugars | 61.16 g | 68% |
| Protein | 13.7 g | 27% |
| Sodium | 370.8 mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 1.24 g | 4% |
| Saturated Fat | 9.5 g | 48% |
| Trans Fat | 0.89 g | – |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7.76 g | – |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3.57 g | – |
| Cholesterol | 167.53 mg | 56% |
| Calcium | 315.27 mg | 39% |
| Magnesium | 46.74 mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 560.23 mg | 16% |
| Iron | 2.48 mg | 18% |
| Zinc | 1.63 mg | 16% |
| Phosphorus | 370.82 mg | 53% |
| Vitamin A | 150.6 mcg | 19% |
| Vitamin C | 2.58 mg | 3% |
| Thiamin B1 | 0.07 mg | 6% |
| Riboflavin B2 | 0.59 mg | 42% |
| Niacin B3 | 0.68 mg | 4% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg | 7% |
| Folic Acid B9 | 39.11 mcg | 20% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.62 mcg | 25% |
| Vitamin D | 0.79 mcg | 16% |
| Vitamin E | 2.92 mg | 24% |
| Vitamin K | 17.07 mcg | 23% |
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
FAQs About Holiday Chocolate Flan
Can I make this flan ahead of time?
Yes, this flan is perfect for making a day in advance. Just store it in the fridge and serve when ready.
Do I have to use Kahlua?
Kahlua is optional. It adds a lovely coffee flavor, but you can omit it if you prefer a purely sweet taste.
What if my flan cracks when I flip it?
Don’t worry! This dessert is meant to be rustic. Any imperfections can be covered with whipped cream or dulce de leche.
The Best Holiday Chocolate Flan Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box Chocolate Cake of your choice
- Eggs Oil, Water needed to prepare the cake according to instructions on the box
- 5 Eggs
- 1 Cup Evaporated Milk
- 1 Cup Condensed Milk divided
- 1 Cup Dulce de Leche
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 shot Kahlua optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 F degrees.
- Prepare the cake according the box instructions. Set aside.
- In a large bowl (I use my blender), add and mix well the eggs, evaporated milk, condensed milk, vanilla and Kahlua.
- Use half of the Dulce the Leche to coat a previously buttered baking dish (a 9 inch square or round). Pour the chocolate cake mix and then the flan mixture. Don’t panic if at this moment you see the flan mixture sink to the bottom, that is a good thing! Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in a bath Marie for about 45 minutes or until a fork in the middle comes clean. Remove from oven.
- Let it cool for a few minutes and place a plate upside down over the baking dish and turn the plate and baking dish over.
- Decorate if you want with chocolate icing, whip cream and the remaining 1/2 cup of dulce de leche. Enjoy!
