The cool autumn weather is the perfect excuse to spend more time warming up by the oven while preparing delicious Spanish desserts.
If you’re craving something sweet with seasonal touches, then pumpkin spice flan cake is for you.
In this article, you will learn everything about this recipe, from how to make pumpkin spice flan cake from scratch to expert tips for storing, serving, and customizing its ingredients.
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Background of the Dish
Andalusia is home to some of the best Spanish cake recipes, renowned not only for their delicious taste but also for their boldness in blending multiple flavors and textures in a single dish.
Pumpkin spice flan cake is a fantastic example of this, incorporating flavors commonly used in North American baking (such as cinnamon and pumpkin puree) while combining them with traditional flan.
This autumn flan cake has gained popularity in the last decade and is enjoyed as soon as the weather starts to cool in southern Spain, accompanied by hot chocolate or a warm café con leche.
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Things You’ll Need for Pumpkin Spice Flan Cake
To prepare this easy pumpkin spice flan cake recipe you will need: pumpkin puree, heavy cream, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour as the main ingredients.
Ingredients
For the caramel:
- ½ cup (100 g) white sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
For the flan mixture:
- 1 cup (240 g) pumpkin purée
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (200 g) white sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- A pinch of ground nutmeg
- Ground cloves
- A pinch of salt
For the sponge layer:
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) white sugar
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A pinch of cinnamon (optional, to echo the flan spices)
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Flan Cake – Step by Step Guide
- To start, grab a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Add the sugar and water and begin to melt until it turns a golden amber color—don’t stir too much to avoid crystallization. Quickly pour it into a bundt pan or flan mold, covering the bottom, and let it cool.
- After that, grab a large bowl and whisk the eggs and sugar until dissolved. Then add the milk, cream, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and all the spices, mixing until combined and smooth.
- Using a separate bowl, prepare the cake batter. Combine the eggs and sugar until slightly foamy and dissolved, then add the oil. Then, incorporate the flour, baking powder, and vanilla until smooth.
- Now, pour the flan mixture into the pan with the caramel, and carefully pour the cake batter on top. The layers will change as the pumpkin flan cake bakes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C for 10 minutes.
- Then, fill a baking dish halfway with hot water, and place the flan mold inside—being careful not to let any water get into it. This is for the classic cooking method called bain-marie or water bath.
- To continue with the pumpkin custard cake recipe, bake it at 180°C (350°F) for 50 to 60 minutes. You will also know that the layered pumpkin flan cake is properly cooked once you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.
- Now, take the homemade pumpkin flan cake out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Then, refrigerate it for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- Finally, run a knife along the edges of the pumpkin spice flan cake and invert it onto a plate. If the caramel is stuck, gently warm the mold; this will melt the caramel and allow you to pour it on top without any problems.
Substitution of Ingredients
The pumpkin spice flan cake stands out among the autumn cake recipes for its blend of flavours and textures, but the best part is that you can make some changes to the ingredients to fully make it your own.
Similar to other pumpkin desserts, you can add a stronger flavour kick by doubling the amount of cinnamon and nutmeg, and incorporating 1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger or ginger spice to the mix.
This seasonal pumpkin flan cake can also be made by replacing the heavy cream with evaporated milk, and you will end up with a lighter version as well.
If you aren’t the biggest fan of pumpkin spice desserts but you want to try Andalusian sweets, then we encourage you to check our delicious chocoflan recipe and the famous Spanish flan recipe.
Tips on Serving Pumpkin Spice Flan Cake
The pumpkin spice flan cake is one of the best fall desserts you can find, because it can be served as a snack throughout the afternoon, or as the sweet food item for a Sunday brunch.
The flan part already adds creaminess to the dessert, but you can take it to the next level by topping it with a dollop of whipped cream.
You can also add more flavor to the creamy pumpkin cake by drizzling maple syrup, or a crunchy texture with some chopped and toasted nuts on top while serving.
To serve this pumpkin spice flan cake during the summer or spring, we recommend topping it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to nail the potential freshness of the dish.
If you want to follow more Southern Spain Halloween traditions, then you must try other fantastic recipes such as the Spanish pumpkin soup and the timeless classic Spanish pumpkin fritters.
How to Store Pumpkin Spice Flan Cake
Once you finish making the pumpkin spice cake with flan, you have to let it come to room temperature before storing.
Then, leave the fall dessert in the mold where you prepared it, but cover it with plastic wrap or a clean plastic bag.
After that, you will be able to store the pumpkin spice flan cake for up to 5 days, and you can serve it right out of the fridge or let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving for a softer texture.
We don’t recommend storing the pumpkin spice flan cake, because the texture of the flan can be negatively affected, becoming grainy or even spoiling during the thawing process.
Recipe Card: Pumpkin Spice Flan Cake
Pumpkin Spice Flan Cake Recipe
The cool autumn weather is the perfect excuse to spend more time warming up by the oven while preparing delicious Spanish recipes.
If you're craving something sweet with seasonal touches, then pumpkin spice flan cake is for you.
In this article, you will learn everything about this recipe, from how to make pumpkin spice flan cake from scratch to expert tips for storing, serving, and customizing its ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 g) pumpkin purée
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (200 g) white sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- A pinch of ground nutmeg
- Ground cloves
- A pinch of salt
For the sponge layer:
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) white sugar
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A pinch of cinnamon (optional, to echo the flan spices)
For the caramel:
- ½ cup (100 g) white sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
Instructions
- Grab a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Add the sugar and water and begin to melt until it turns a golden amber color—don't stir too much to avoid crystallization. Quickly pour it into a bundt pan or flan mold, covering the bottom, and let it cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until dissolved. Then add the milk, cream, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and all the spices, mixing until combined and smooth.
- In another bowl, prepare the cake batter. Combine the eggs and sugar until slightly foamy and dissolved, then add the oil. Next, incorporate the flour, baking powder, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the flan mixture into the pan with the caramel, and carefully pour the cake batter on top. The layers will change as they bake. In the meantime, preheat the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes.
- Fill a baking dish halfway with hot water, and place the flan mold inside—being careful not to let any water get into it. This is for the classic cooking method called bain-marie or water bath.
- Bake the pumpkin spice flan cake at 180°C (350°F) for 50 to 60 minutes. When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, it's done.
- Remove the spiced pumpkin flan cake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Then, refrigerate it for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- To serve, run a knife along the edges and invert onto a plate. If the caramel is stuck, gently warm the mold; this will melt the caramel and allow you to pour it on top without any problems.
Notes
Letting the pumpkin spice flan cake chill in the fridge is a key step before serving, because that is the only way for it to reach its perfect consistency. Feel free to top this delicious dessert with a dollop of whipped cream or chopped and toasted nuts to play with the flavours and textures.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 575Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 6gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 183mgSodium 163mgCarbohydrates 92gFiber 2gSugar 64gProtein 11g
All information presented and written are intended for informational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional. The writers and publishers of visitsouthernspain.com are not nutritionists or registered dietitians. Statements within this site have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Hola, I’m Paulina! Together with my team, we are passionate about Southern Spain. Here we share all you need to know for great times in Southern Spain with the best places to visit, stay and, of course, the best food to eat.
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