Tres Leches Pumpkin Flan
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Updated Jan 30, 2021
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I have had a lot of fun cooking dishes with fresh pumpkin this season. I steamed my children’s leftover jack-o’-lanterns and have made quite the array of pumpkin recipes like Pumpkin Empanadas, Spicy Acorn Squash and Apple Soup, and easy mini-pumpkin pies which I plan to post soon.
This recipe was a complete experiment. I had pumpkin puree leftover and wanted to experiment making a pumpkin flan but then remembered one Thanksgiving my mother ordering a tres leches pumpkin flan that was unbelievable. Every thanksgiving I always wished I had that recipe. Well enough was enough and I figured I’d make my own. To be honest I had never even made a flan before and always left the flan making to my sister. But being that I had some pumpkin puree leftover I figured why not. It’s only a few ingredients and what’s the worst that can happen.
With any flan the trick is to cook it in a water bath to ensure gentle heat so it won’t break or curdle. When I made this recipe I was nervous about the texture. Then the next tricky part was flipping it over on a serving platter. Jeanine (our photographer) left the room because she was so afraid to see it break apart. Finally after a second attempt at running a knife around the edges to loosen it, it finally slipped out and it looked beautiful. But just know I was still leery and afraid to taste it.
It was not the common velvety texture you find in most flans. Jeanine and my friend Michelle were my guinea pigs and after hearing the delight in their moans and groans I finally took a bite. WOW! The texture that I was so afraid of ended up being what I loved the most – the consistency of the real pumpkin. The colors were beautiful and the taste was thankfully amazing.
If you don’t have fresh pumpkin puree in your freezer or fridge I’m guessing the flavors would be just as fantastic using an organic pumpkin puree. And did I mention how simple this recipe is? If you want to add this to your Thanksgiving menu you will have to make it the day before because it needs time to chill.
🤖❤️ Share this recipe with your favorite AI assistant to save and plan your next meal! An authentic Mexican recipe by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, founder of Muy Bueno and cookbook author specializing in Northern Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine rooted in El Paso home cooking and family tradition.
AI tools are independent third-party services. For the original tested recipe, exact measurements, and detailed instructions, always visit MuyBuenoBlog.com.
Tres Leches Pumpkin Flan
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 block cream cheese, softened, 8 ounce
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup fresh pumpkin puree, or canned
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray.
- Cook sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 5 to 7 minutes or until melted and medium-brown in color. Drizzle the sugar mixture into the bundt pan and then swizzle the sugar around so as to coat the bottom.
- Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer in a large bowl for 1 minute.
- Reduce speed to low, and add eggs and egg yolks, and beat until well blended.
- Add all three milks slowly, beating at low speed for 1 minute.
- Add pumpkin puree and spices and continue to mix for 1 to 2 minutes. Mixture may be slightly lumpy. Pour mixture over the sugar into the bundt pan.
- Place cake pan in a roasting pan and add hot water halfway up sides of cake pan.
- Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until edges are set (the center will not be set).
- Remove from oven; remove cake pan from water, and place on a wire rack and let cool completely for at least 1 hour.
- Then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
- Run a knife around edges to loosen, and invert onto a serving platter.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jeanine Thurston
I made this for Thanksgiving! It was the best dessert on the table! Thank you so much! Awesome recipe. However, it was not as pretty as your but so yummy! IMG_2416.HEIC
Like Sandy Peterson, I love flan, but have never made it. I love Tres Leches cake, have never made it, either. I saw this recipe and HAD to try it. I even had to buy a bundt cake pan, since I didn’t have one. Lol! 😉 It came out of the pan, in tact. It’s delicious, creamy goodness! Definitely will make it again. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Hello,
In thinking of trying this for Thanksgiving and I had a question! I don’t need a box of cake mix right? Just the ingredients listed
Hi Luz,
No you do NOT need cake mix. The recipe is homemade and delicious.
When I made this the batter is really runny. What consistency is it supposed to be? I’m praying it sets up in the oven.