The holidays are approaching and with them the ensuing "comelatas." As much as I love tradition and our traditional Cuban food, I'm always looking for quick and easy. (I know. Shut up.) Better yet, quick and easy while still tasting traditional.

Because as far as I'm concerned, and I'm sure you'll agree, super tasty and easy trumps elaborate and complicated every time. =D

My friend, Anne Marie found and shared this fabulous recipe with me and it has been a hit in my house and with everyone who's tried it. (I just made a few improvements, but that's not important right now.)

Flan Cake

1 yellow cake mix (prepared according to directions on the box – check to see if you need extra eggs or oil for this.)
1/4 cup caramel topping (I like the Hershey’s brand for this, the kind you’d pour over ice cream)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 large can evaporated milk
1 Tbsp. Vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a large Bundt pan. (It must be large. There's a lot of batter here.)

3. Prepare cake mix according to package directions.
4. Pour the caramel topping around the bottom of the Bundt pan.

5. Pour cake mix over caramel.

6. In a blender, mix together well: eggs, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract.
7. Sift and pour gently over cake mix in the Bundt pan. (You’re sifting out any large pieces of the egg.)

8. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
9. Place filled Bundt pan in a 9x13 pan filled with hot water about 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the side of the Bundt pan.

10. Bake (in the water bath) one hour at 350 degrees. It should be slightly golden brown. Test for doneness by inserting toothpick in the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
11. Remove from water bath and cool 10 to 15 minutes.

12. Invert onto a cake plate. The caramel will still be runny – it’s supposed to be, in order for it to melt over the cake, so be careful when inverting! Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

This is my Professional Flan Inspector, who calls herself La Reina del Flan, my 95 year old mom who’s been making flan for 60 years. The Flan Cake blew her away.

Let the Holiday Comelatas begin!

(cross-posted in another form on Tiki Tiki Blog)