Tres Leches Cake

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Grease a 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13-inch metal pan with butter. Do not use a glass or ceramic pan, and do not line the pan with paper.

Step 2: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

Step 3: Put the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high for 10 minutes, until pale yellow and fluffy. Alternatively, use an electric beater on high for 10 minutes, alternating arms if they get tired.

Step 4: Reduce the mixer speed to low. With the mixer running, slowly add half the flour mixture, all the milk, then the remaining flour mixture. Stop beating as soon as most of the flour is incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to finish mixing, scraping the bottom of the bowl to combine everything. Do not overmix or the batter will deflate.

Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes before poking and soaking.

Step 6: Whisk the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream, vanilla, and almond extract in a large bowl or very large jug (about 1.5 L) until the condensed milk is mixed through.

Step 7: Use a thin chopstick to poke lots of holes all the way down to the base of the pan. The recipe uses about 130 holes, arranged in 13 rows of 10.

Step 8: Slowly pour the milk mixture evenly over the cake in about 3 additions, waiting a minute or two between pours so it can soak in instead of pooling. If the mixture pools along the sides because the cake is sloped, pour slowly and concentrate more on the center.

Step 9: Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, so the milk mixture can disperse throughout the cake.

Step 10: Beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or an electric beater until firmly whipped.

Step 11: Spread the whipped cream over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with cinnamon, sifting it from a height for even coverage.

Tip: If you stabilize the whipped cream, you can top the cake with it the day before serving.

Step 12: Cut into 12 generous or 20 smaller pieces. Serve from the pan.