Pastry by Saloni

For the Sponge Cake:
1 Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8x8-inch (20x20cm) square pan with oil. I have used a glass baking pan but you can also use aluminum baking pan.
2 In a bowl, mix together softened butter, sugar, and condensed milk using a whisk until it is smooth and combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
3 Add room temperature milk and vanilla,  mix well until fully combined.
4 Sift in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt) and mix until just combined. Avoid over mixing. Scrape down the bowl once more to ensure everything is incorporated.
5 Pour batter into the greased pan and bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6 While baking, prepare the saffron milk soak.
For the Saffron Milk Mixture:
8 Heat milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream in a saucepan over low heat (do not boil). 
9 Once it’s hot, add a pinch of saffron strands and let them infuse on low heat for a few minutes. This helps bring out the beautiful color and delicate flavor of the saffron. Remove from heat and let sit for 1–2 minutes.
10 When the cake is out of the oven and still hot, poke holes all over with a toothpick. 
11 Slowly pour the warm milk mixture over the cake.Reserve ½ cup of milk mixture for serving. Let the cake cool, then refrigerate until fully chilled for 3-4 hours.
For the Whipped Cream Topping:
13 Whip cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla,  until medium peaks form. Spread evenly over the chilled cake.
14 Garnish with saffron strands, chopped pistachios, or rose petals. Serve cold with a drizzle of reserved milk.