Dessert is arguably most people’s favorite part of a whole meal. Many would say that a dining experience isn’t complete without a decadent treat afterwards to satisfy one’s sweet tooth. Filipinos are no exception; the Philippines houses several traditional desserts and sweets that you can commonly find at any Pinoy dining table. And one such recipe that’s bound to put a smile on your face is none other than this scrumptious Flan Cake.
Flan Cake is a creamy custard dessert, accompanied by a rich, delightful caramel sauce. Sweet and milky, flan has found a home in Filipino cuisine for quite some time now. Its smooth, almost gelatin-like consistency can be enjoyed by eaters young and old. Flan cake combines that soft texture with a chewy meringue, making for a perfect combination and perfect bite!
Although the process of making flan cake might seem daunting at first, fear not! There may be a lot of steps, but all of them are easy to follow and require little cooking experience. Soon enough, you’ll have a flan cake your whole family is guaranteed to love!
How to Make Your Flan Cake
There are three major aspects to making a perfect flan cake: making your caramel, making your custard, and then making your meringue. These three layers to your dish all require separate ingredients, but in the end they’ll come together to form this absolutely decadent dessert!
Let’s begin by making your caramel. You can, of course, always opt to get store-bought caramel sauce, but making it at home is also rewarding. Sticky sweet and sugary, this will help tie all the flavors together once you’ve made the rest of your flan cake. For making the caramel, you will only need two ingredients: sugar and water. In a small saucepan, combine a cup of sugar and a quarter cup water. Over low to medium heat, watch the sugar melt in your pan and turn into a nice amber color –– almost golden. Once your syrup has become thick and to your desired consistency, transfer it to your round baking pan. It’s important to twirl the pan every so often, as the caramel syrup should cover the entire bottom and sides of the pan evenly. Once you’re satisfied, set your caramel aside.
The next step to your flan cake is to make your custard! For this portion of the recipe, you’ll need to prepare five ingredients. These are your condensed milk, fresh milk, vanilla extract, sugar, and 4 eggs. You’ll need to separate your egg white from egg yolks at this point, as we’ll only be needing the latter. In a mixing bowl, combine your two types of milk, egg yolks, and sugar. Incorporate all your ingredients well, stirring them continuously. Once you’re satisfied with the consistency, pour your custard mixture over the round baking pan, on top of the caramel layer, and set it aside for the next process.
Before making your egg yolk mixture, now would be the time to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. By the time you finish with your cake mixture and meringue, you’ll be ready to put your flan cake in the oven!
For this next step, you’ll need to separate your egg whites from egg yolks yet again. This time, however, keep your egg whites instead of discarding them; you’ll use them later. In another large bowl, whisk together flour, half of your ¾ cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add in a quarter cup of canola oil, the egg yolks you separated, and a quarter cup of milk. Mix or whisk these together until you’ve achieved a smooth texture. Then, set it aside.
The egg white you left aside prior will now be an integral ingredient in your meringue. Pour them into a mixture and beat them on high speed until they become foamy in texture. Then add a quarter teaspoon of your cream of tartar, continuing to beat until soft peaks form. As you beat your meringue mixture, gradually add your ¾ cup of granulated sugar. Stiff, glossy peaks should begin to form.
Take the cake or egg yolk mixture you made earlier and fold it gently into the meringue, incorporating it gently until you’ve blended them well. In your round baking pan, pour your now mixed cake batter over your custard mixture. Make sure, once again, that you’ve spread it evenly! Place the baking pan in a baking tray, pouring about 1 cup of hot water in it as well.
At 350 degrees Fahrenheit, bake your flan cake for about 25 to 30 minutes. Another option is to use the toothpick test to check if it’s ready. Do this by taking your cake out of the oven and poking a toothpick through your cake. If it comes out clean or with a few crumbs similar to cake, it’s ready. But if it doesn’t come out as clean, that’s a sign that your flan cake needs a few more minutes.
Once done, remove your flan cake from the oven and allow it to cool down. Slide a small knife around the edges of the pan and release the cake, transferring it to a serving plate.
Just like that, your flan cake is ready! Share and enjoy this sweet treat with your family. And let us know what you think of this wonderful flan cake recipe!
You may also want to check my Sanz Rival recipe. It is equally exciting to make as this one.
Flan cake
Ingredients
- 18 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar, divided into 2
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/ 4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 4 pieces eggs, whites separated from the yolk
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Flan:
- 4 pieces eggs
- 1 cup condensed milk
- 3/4 cup fresh milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Caramel:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Make the caramel. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine sugar and water. Melt sugar until golden amber in color. Carefully pour hot syrup into a round baking pan, turning the pans to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Set aside.
- Create the custard: Combine milk, egg yolks, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients until everything is properly distributed. Pour the custard mixture on the baking pan with caramel. Set aside
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Create the egg yolk mixture. In a large bowl, Whisk together flour, half of 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add oil, egg yolks, and milk. Mix well until smooth. Set aside the mixture.
- Create the meringue: Beat egg whites with a mixer on high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
- Gently fold the cake mixture into the meringue until well blended.
- Pour cake batter over custard mixture in the round baking pan.
- Place the baking pan in a baking tray. Pour about 1 cup of hot water on the baking tray.
- Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick test indicates that the cake is ready.
- Remove cake from the oven and allow the temperature to cool down.
- Slide a small knife around the edges and side of the pan. Release the cake. Serve and enjoy.
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