If you love flan and chiffon cake but can’t decide between the two, Vietnamese Cake Flan (Bánh Flan Bông Lan) is the answer! This stunning dessert combines a silky-smooth caramel flan with a light and airy chiffon cake, creating a perfect harmony of textures. Each serving is baked in individual 4-inch ramekins, making them as elegant as they are indulgent.

Why Vietnamese Flan is So Special

This dessert is a two-in-one masterpiece! At the bottom, you have rich caramel-coated flan, creamy and smooth with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. On top, a light chiffon cake rises beautifully, absorbing some of the caramel’s essence. The result? A dessert that’s both silky and fluffy, indulgent yet airy—a true work of culinary art!

On it’s own separately, I love them but when combined into one dessert, that’s a treat in every serving. Leche Flan is one of my most favorite Fililipono dessert which made me drawn to making this cake flan. What’s greay about this recipe is that they are made in individual rameking for easy serving and portion control 🙂 Because with cake like this, I do not trust myself to eat only one 🙂

The Magic of Caramel Flan

The flan layer starts with homemade caramel—just sugar melted until golden and poured into each ramekin. The custard itself is a simple yet luxurious blend of eggs, milk, and sugar, baked until it’s firm yet velvety soft. The secret to that perfect texture? A low and slow bake in a water bath! It takes a bit more time, but it is definitel worth the wait so be patient. You will be rewarded with a smooth and creamy flan and a soft airy chiffon cake layer.

The Chiffon Cake Perfection

Unlike dense cakes, the chiffon layer is feather-light, thanks to beaten egg whites folded gently into the batter. This technique gives the cake its airy structure, keeping it soft without overpowering the delicate flan. It’s the ideal contrast to the rich custard below!

The Science Behind the Cake-F;an Fusion

Ever wondered how two layers bake seamlessly together? The chiffon batter is poured directly onto the flan custard, but instead of sinking, it floats and bakes separately. During baking, the flan stays creamy while the chiffon cake rises—creating a magical two-layered treat! It is a fascinating process with a delicious end result.

Individual Serving for Personalize Touch

Baking them in single-serve ramekins not only makes them look elegant but also ensures perfect portion control. It’s like having your own mini indulgence—beautifully presented and easy to serve! Not to m ention, individual serving makes storage easier whoch is a huge deal for me.

Serving & Enjoying the Cake Flan

The best part? Flipping the cakes upside down, revealing the golden caramel cascading down the sides. Serve them chilled for the best texture, and watch as the caramel slowly soaks into the cake, creating an irresistible combination of flavors! Releasing the cake is easy. The cake will naturally pull away from the sides making it easier to release when flip down.

Tips to Make it Perfec Everytime

• Use a water bath for even baking—this prevents cracks and keeps the flan silky.
• Whip the egg whites properly for an ultra-light chiffon texture.
• Let them chill before serving—this helps the flavors meld beautifully.

Caramel Sugar Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Caster Sugar

Custard Ingredients:

• 300ml Full Fat Milk
• 300ml sweetened Condensed milk
• 6 Eggs
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Sponge Cake Ingredients:

• 50g (1.7 oz) Caster (superfine) Sugar
• 3 Egg Yolks
• 30g (1 oz) Whole Milk
• 30g (1 oz) Vegetable Oil
• 50g (1.7 oz) low protein/Cake Flour

Instructions:

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 150°C (300°F). Set up a large deep baking dish that will fit 4 x 10cm (4”) ramekins in, then place the ramekins inside and set aside.
2. To make the toffee, place the caster sugar into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Keep swirling the pan around as it warms up to help you avoid burning the sugar. Keep moving it (don’t use any spoons, spatulas or any other utensil for this part) until all of the sugar has dissolved and turns a caramel colour.
   • *Warning: you need to move quickly here! Once the caramel colour appears, turn off the heat, as the colour will continue to darken. Divide the toffee mixture equally between the 4 ramekins and leave for around 5 minutes, or until the toffee has cooled and hardened completely.
3. For the creme caramel, add the milk and sweetened condensed milk into a large mixing bowl. Crack in three of the eggs. With the remaining three eggs, separate the yolks from the whites into separate bowls. Add the yolks to the milk mixture as well as the vanilla paste, reserving the egg whites for later. Whisk all the ingredients together. Place a fine sieve over a large bowl, then pour the milk mixture through the strainer. This will remove any rogue parts of egg yolk from the mixture, and will help ensure the end result is as smooth as possible.
4. Divide the strained mixture equally between the ramekins on top of the toffee using a measuring jug or ladle. You want to leave about 2cm (just under 1”) of room between the top of the creme caramel mixture and the top of the ramekin. Set aside while you make the sponge.
5. For the sponge component, add the reserved egg whites and the caster sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the whisk attachment to whisk the ingredients together on high speed for 5 minutes, or until firm peaks have formed and the egg whites are marshmallowy in texture.
6. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks (pop the whites in the fridge for an omelette the next day), milk and oil until just combined. Add the flour and whisk again until incorporated. Now for the folding. Slowly add half of the egg white mixture to the egg yolk mixture, and gently fold through with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining egg white mixture, taking care not to over mix.
7. Now for the trickery. Gently spoon the sponge mixture on top of the raw creme mixture in the ramekins, dividing it equally between the 4 – it should FLOAT! Make a bain marie by filling the baking dish with water so it’s one-third of the way up the ramekins. Carefully transfer the baking pan into middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.Transfer in the lower rack and bake for another 20 minutes. Put an empty baking tray in the middle layer to block the top of the cake from browning too much. Remove from the oven and leave on your counter top for 5-10 minutes to cool slightly before placing in the refrigerator for 3–6 hours or until completely cool.
8. To remove the flan cakes, first pour some boiling water into the tray and leave it for a couple of minutes to warm through the toffee layer slightly. Remove one of the flans from the tray and, using a small sharp knife or palette knife, level off the top of the sponge so it’s flush with the top of the ramekin. Run the knife around the edges of the flan too. Now place a serving plate on top of the ramekin. Holding the ramekin and the plate tightly, flip everything over and lift up the ramekin to reveal the finished flan cake. Repeat process with remaining ramekins and serve immediately.

Makes 6-inch ramekin size cake

Inspiration: Vietnamese Cake Flan

Nutritional Information

Nutritional Information was calculated using Veryfitwell Recipe Calorie and Nutrition Calculator. For details about Nutritional Information in this website, please read the Disclaimer page.

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