Recipe contributed by Thao Williams of In Good Flavor
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INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE LAYER
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup half & half or light cream
- 1/2 cup neutral-tasting oil
- 1/3 cup hot water or boiling water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup for
- 1/4 cup sprinkles
INGREDIENTS FOR FLAN LAYER
- 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons Amoretti® Wild Strawberry Artisan
- 1/4 or more teaspoon of red gel food coloring
- 1 (14 ounces) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup half and half or light cream
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Boil a large pot of water for a water bath. Keep hot.
TO MAKE FLAN:
- Add cream cheese to a medium mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add eggs. Beat for 30 seconds.
- Add Amoretti Wild Strawberry Artisan and food coloring. Blend. Keep in mind the color will not be as intense once baked. Use more food coloring, if desired.
- Gradually add sweetened condensed milk and half & half (start at low and gradually increase to medium). Blend well. Set aside.
TO MAKE CAKE:
- Generously coat a 12-capacity bundt pan with butter. Dust with flour. Tap off excess. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Blend. Set aside.
- Beat eggs on medium speed in a large mixing bowl until smooth and pale.
- Gradually add sugar. Beat for 1 minute.
- Add oil, vanilla extract. Beat for 1 minute.
- Add half & half. Blend well.
- With the beater on low and slowly increase speed to medium, gradually add dry ingredients until just blended.
- Remove 1/3 cup of water from the hot water bath. Add to batter. Blend until well incorporated.
- Pour flan into the bundt pan.
- Pour cake batter evenly around the pan. Shake gently to smooth out. Do not stir.
- Butter or grease the dull side of a large sheet of aluminum foil. Cover cake tightly, buttered side down, while doming to prevent contact with the cake once baked.
- Place bundt pan into a large roasting pan. Place on center rack in oven.
- Pour enough water to come almost half way up bundt pan.
- Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or 1 hour 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few dry crumbs attached.
- Remove cake from water bath. Place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool uncovered for 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- To unold, place bundt pan in a large pan filled with 1-inch of hot water. Let rest for one minute. Remove. Place a serving platter over the bundt pan. Invert. Give one firm vertical shake to release the cake from the pan. Slide off bundt pan.
TO DECORATE CAKE
To a small section of the cake, brush the bottom 1/2-inch with honey.
- Pick up sprinkles using the tip of an index finger. If sprinkles don’t stick, rub a trace amount of honey to fingertip.
- Dab sprinkles onto the honey brushed areas of cake.
- Continue applying honey and sprinkles to the entire cake rim.
Store refrigerated. Makes 10 servings.
