The best tres leches cake

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat and allow to bubble and foam, stirring occasionally. After a few minutes, the butter will begin to brown and take on a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat immediately, stir in 1 tsp vanilla bean paste and set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Using a pastry brush, grease the sides of a 23x33cm rectangular cake tin with a small amount of melted browned butter, and line the base with a sheet of baking parchment.

In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer with whisk attachment), whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together for 8-10 minutes until airy and pale yellow. The mixture should leave a thick trail when you pull the beaters out that lasts for a few seconds.

Clean the beaters. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl.

Gently sift the flour mixture over the top of the beaten egg yolks and sugar mixture, folding gently with a spatula until just combined. Drizzle the cooled browned butter around the edge of the bowl, then fold through, keeping as much air in as possible.

Using a spoon, dollop the whipped egg whites onto the top of the batter, then fold again until no large lumps of egg white remain, and the mixture looks aerated and smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread out evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Run a palette knife around the edges of the tin if needed to release the sponge, then allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.

Once the cake is cool, whisk together the three milks and vanilla paste in a large jug. Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a skewer or fork. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the cake evenly (still in the tin), including the edges. Once all the mixture has been poured – it may not soak in immediately – cover the tin and chill the cake for at least 2-3 hours (or overnight) for it to rest and absorb the milk.

When ready to serve, whip the double cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream generously over the top of the soaked cake, smoothing it out with a spatula. Slice into squares and serve with plenty of fresh strawberries, if liked.