Flan Sponge Cake

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 1 30

Servings 6 slices

Ingredients

Caramel

Flan Layer

Sponge Cake Layer

Part 1: Make the Caramel

Add the sugar and water to a deep saucepan.
Cook over medium heat without stirring until the sugar melts and turns a deep amber color.
Immediately turn off the heat. Carefully pour in the hot water (it will bubble vigorously), then swirl until the caramel becomes smooth.
Pour the caramel into a deep 6-inch cake pan, tilting the pan so it evenly coats the bottom.
Refrigerate until the caramel has completely hardened.

Part 2: Make the Flan

In a large bowl, whisk together: 2 eggs, 1 egg yolk, 20g sugar and 15g condensed milk. Mix until well combined.
Using the same saucepan (don't wash it—the remaining caramel adds extra flavor), combine 220g milk, 130g heavy cream, 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste and a pinch of salt.
Heat over low heat until tiny bubbles begin forming around the edge of the saucepan. Do not let it boil.
Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking continuously.
Strain the flan mixture through a fine mesh sieve three times for an ultra-smooth texture.
Refrigerate the flan mixture while preparing the sponge cake.

Part 3: Make the Sponge Cake

Separate the egg whites and egg yolks.
Place the egg whites in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Slightly chilled egg whites whip into a more stable meringue.
In another bowl, whisk together the oil and milk until the mixture turns milky and well emulsified.
Add the cake flour and mix until a thick paste forms.
Add the egg yolks and mix until smooth and lump-free.
Add the lemon juice and sugar to the chilled egg whites, and beat with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
Fold one-third of the meringue into the batter to loosen it.
Gently fold the remaining meringue into the batter until no streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this will deflate the batter.

Assemble

Check that the caramel has fully set by gently touching the caramel, it should feel firm.
Pour the chilled flan mixture over the caramel.
Carefully spoon or pour the sponge batter over the flan mixture. Don't worry if it looks like the cake batter is floating. Because the sponge batter and flan have different densities, they'll naturally separate during baking and switch layers.
Smooth the top with a spatula.
Place the cake pan into a sheet pan.
Fill the sheet pan with hot water until it reaches about 2 inches (5 cm) up the sides of the cake pan.
Bake at 140°C (285°F) for 1 hour, or until the sponge is golden and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Chill

Let the cake cool completely at room temperature.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. This allows the flan to fully set and gives the cleanest slices.

Unmold

Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake.
Place a large plate upside down over the cake pan.
Turn your cake pan upside down, give it a few gentle shakes, and slowly lift it off.
Slice and enjoy!

Don't overcook the caramel. A deep amber color gives the best flavor without becoming bitter.
Straining the flan three times removes bubbles and creates an incredibly silky texture.
Don't boil the milk mixture. It only needs to be hot enough to temper the eggs.
Bake using a water bath to ensure the flan cooks gently and stays smooth.
Overnight chilling is essential. The texture becomes much firmer and easier to unmold.