You can make the cake a day ahead before poking it with holes and storing it tightly wrapped at room temperature. The cake benefits from sitting in the refrigerator to absorb all of the milk. It needs at least 1 hour but can sit in the fridge overnight before frosting and serving. The longer it sits, the more it can absorb, making the cake better and better.
CAKE
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 – 1/2 cup freeze dried fruit powder, optional
5 LARGE eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1/2 cup WHOLE milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Grease a 13″ x 9″ baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and freeze dried fruit powder if using.
- In a medium bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg yolks and 1 cup sugar until stiff ribbons trail behind beaters.
- Beat in vanilla.
- In another large bowl, using handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
- Add yolk mixture to dry ingredients and beat to combine.
- Add milk and butter and beat until combined.
- Gently fold in egg whites until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake cake until a tester inserted into middle of cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Let cool.
FILLING
1 (14 ounnce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup WHOLE milk
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, whisk condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk and vanilla until combined.
- Using a fork, poke holes all over cake, then pour milk mixture over cake.
Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until milk mixture is absorbed, AT LEAST 1 hour, BUT PREFERABLY OVERNIGHT.
WHIPPED CREAM & ASSEMBLY
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cinnamon-sugar
Sliced FRESH strawberries (or fruit of choice), for serving
- In a large bowl beat the heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Frost cake with whipped cream.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.
Serve with strawberries alongside.
NOTES:
- The trick to this recipe is in the egg whites. Be sure to beat them until they hold STIFF peaks and then fold them ever so GENTLY into the cake batter. The goal is to avoid deflating them while folding, so that the cake bakes up nice and tall with lots of lift.
- Egg temperature matters! You’ll get the most stable whip and tallest sponge cake by using room temperature eggs. Make sure to let the eggs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using.
- To make this flavored I add freeze dried powdered fruit flavors to the sifted dry mixture. 1/4 – 1/2 cup is all it takes.
- DO NOT rush the soaking step. A longer soak results in a deeper flavor AND a moister cake.