Having a toddler really makes you appreciate your plastic ware….  I can’t tell you how many of my glass measuring cups and spoons have met their demise shattered all over my kitchen floor.  The light bulb went on and I invested in plastic ware instead.  Toddlers also make you realize how your alone time with your Valentine can almost become non-existant unless you carefully plan out an adventure for two.  Me and my honey celebrated V-day early (that’s when we could get a babysitter) with a picnic in the woods….  I of course made one of his favorite treats, Choco-Flan.  Thanks to all the stars in the sky my plastic carrier got the precious cargo from point A to point B in one piece.

Chocolate Cake Ingredients:

1/2 – cup cajeta

1 – box devils food chocolate cake mix (add water, vegetable oil, and eggs according to box directions)

1/4 – cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

In a mixer bowl, combine chocolate box mix cake water,  eggs, and vegetable oil.  Mix on medium for 2 minutes on slow, then bring the speed up to medium high for 2 more minutes.

In a 12 cup bundt pan.  Coat with a non-stick baking spray, then pour in cajeta to bottom of pan.

Then take cake batter and slowly pour over cajeta.

In a tea kettle, fill with water and place over a high flame. While waiting for water to boil, make flan blend.

Flan Ingredients:

4 – ounces cream cheese (I use Philadelphia Cream Cheese at room temperature)

1 – 12 0z. can of evaporated milk

1 – 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

1/2 – tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 – tablespoon almond extract

4 – large eggs

In a blender add cream cheese, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and eggs. Blend on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Once flan mixture is blended, slowly pour in a circle over cake batter, a little bit at a time.  Then sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.

  

Lastly, place the covered pan in hot bath in oven on middle rack and let bake for 1 hour.

Once cake is baked,  remove from hot bath and remove aluminum foil.  Let cool in the pan for 2 hours, next run a butter knife along the edge of pan to pull cake away from pan, then flip it over onto a plate.  Or on the plate of a cake carrier.

Slowly lift pan up away from plate.  There you have it….PERFECT Choco-FLAN!  Put it in the fridge for another 6 hours and eat it chilled.  If you are taking the cake to a party  top with the carrier lid and transport your choco-flan safe and sound.

 Hecho Con Amor!!

All Photos by Mando Lopez

Disclosure:  This post is part of the Plastics make it Possible for Valentine Bloggers Bake OFF campaign.  Thank you Ogilvy Public Relations for making me the featured baker.  I was provided with bakeware to aid this recipe.