Name: Saffron Milk Cake
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for pan; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting; ¾ cup whole milk; 3 large eggs; 1¼ cups (250 g) sugar; 1½ tsp. baking powder; ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 3 cups whole milk; 1 tsp. saffron threads; ¼ tsp. kosher salt; 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk; 1 12-oz. can evaporated milk; 2 cups chilled heavy cream; 3 Tbsp. sugar; ¼ tsp. kosher salt; ¼ cup finely chopped raw pistachios

Dessert plate with a piece of cake with whipped cream on a dark blue background.

Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca

A truly luxurious bake that feeds a crowd, this pudding-y cake resembles tres leches except the milk soak is infused with floral, earthy saffron. The sponge cake is light and airy enough that it can drink up the sweet and creamy milk mixture without a long soak time. While just an hour of soaking will do the trick, the dessert tastes best cool, so aim for 4 hours in the fridge. Serve with a generous dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of pistachios for crunch and color. —Zaynab Issa

For an iftar-worthy spread, pair this recipe with Afghan Pasta, Kalimati, and Mango-Lime Spritzer. Read more about how Zaynab hosts iftar.