Ingredients:

  • 170 g (1½ cups) All-Purpose Flour (Plain Flour)
  • 10 g (2 tsp) Baking Powder
  • 2 g (½ tsp) Fine Sea Salt
  • 115 g (½ cup) Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 200 g (1 cup) Granulated Sugar
  • 3 Large Eggs, room temperature
  • 120 ml (½ cup) Whole Milk, room temperature
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) Vanilla Extract (for cake)
  • 400 g (1 standard can) Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 360 ml (1½ cups) Evaporated Milk
  • 120 ml (½ cup) Heavy Cream (Double Cream, for soak)
  • 480 ml (2 cups) Heavy Cream (Double Cream, chilled, for topping)
  • 50 g (¼ cup) Powdered Sugar (Icing Sugar)
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) Vanilla Extract (for topping)
  • Ground Cinnamon or Fresh Berries (for garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Prep the Oven and Pan: Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour the 9x13 inch baking pan.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and pale (about 3-4 minutes).
  4. Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  5. Alternate Wet and Dry: Reduce speed to low. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the whole milk and vanilla, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined; do not overmix.
  6. Bake: Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  7. Cool Slightly: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
  8. Prepare the Soak: While the cake cools, whisk together the condensed milk, evaporated milk, and ½ cup of heavy cream until fully homogenised.
  9. Prepare the Cake for Soaking: Using a skewer or thick toothpick, aggressively and uniformly pierce the entire surface of the warm cake. Aim for holes about 1 cm deep, ensuring they are evenly spaced.
  10. Pour the Soak: Slowly and evenly pour the milk mixture over the entire surface of the cake. Do this gradually, allowing the liquid to sink in before adding more (this takes 2-3 minutes).
  11. Chill: Cover the pan tightly with cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, but ideally overnight, allowing the cake to fully absorb the liquid and develop its flavor.
  12. Whip the Cream: In a chilled mixing bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups of heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
  13. Frost: Gently spread the whipped cream over the chilled, soaked cake.
  14. Garnish and Serve: Dust lightly with ground cinnamon, or top with fresh berries. Serve immediately, or keep chilled until serving time.