So, maybe you’re not much of a flan person (it’s ok – I wasn’t for a long time either), but that really shouldn’t turn you away from this recipe! The center of these cupcakes is flan, the base is a vanilla cupcake, and the icing is made with cream cheese. The flan taste is of course present, but also subtle enough for a novice flan-eater.
Make these when you’re aiming to impress; most people are surprised to find the flan inside and some even wonder how you were able to fill the cakes. The flan turns this simple vanilla cupcakes into something fancier; something worth having seconds (or maybe thirds…).
Though these aren’t particularly difficult to make, I would recommend planning ahead on these since you’ll first have to make the flan and wait for it to cool.
Below are the flan and cupcake recipes (remember to make the flan first, since it takes longer):


- 5 eggs
- one 12-oz can of sweetened condensed milk
- one 15-oz can of evaporated milk
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup sugar
- Preheat oven to 350F. You will need two pans for this recipe: an 8x8 brownie pan and a larger pan to create a water bath for the 8x8 inch pan. Prepare hot water in a tea kettle.
- In a small skillet, heat the sugar just until melted and beginning to brown. Quickly grab your brownie pan and spread the sugar. Sugar hardens VERY quickly.
- Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into the brownie pan. Place in the brownie pan in the larger pan. Fill the larger pan halfway with hot water. Bake for one hour.


- 2 1/2 cups (310 g) flour
- 1/4 cup (32 g) corn starch
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 227 g) butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups (320 ml) whole milk
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2 sticks butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare either two 8-inch cake rounds or enough molds for 30 cupcakes.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, corn starch, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, on at a time, and the vanilla. Continue to mix until smooth.
- Alternately add the flour and milk into the butter mixture, just until combined. Pour batter into molds and bake for about 30 minutes for the cake, 16-18 minutes for the cupcakes.
- To make the icing, whip the cream cheese and butter together. Add the vanilla. Slowly add in the powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
If any of this is confusing, check out this tutorial on Annie’s Eats about how to make filled cupcakes – it’s super helpful with tons of pictures.
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