Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly butter it. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup so much easier — trust me, you'll appreciate this step later when you're pulling out the cake.

Cream together the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. You'll see it go from pale yellow to almost white-ish, and that's when you know you're done. Add your 4 eggs one at a time, beating after each one so everything stays smooth.

Stir in the vanilla bean paste, then gently fold in your flour mixture (flour plus baking powder and salt mixed together). Don't overmix — just combine until you don't see dry streaks anymore. Fold gently because overmixing creates a tough strawberry tres leches cake, which is definitely not what we want here.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the top's golden. The cake should spring back slightly when you touch the center. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then grab a fork and poke holes all over — and I mean everywhere.

Mix together the whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk in a bowl. While the cake is still warm, slowly pour this milk mixture all over the top. I usually drizzle it in sections to make sure it soaks everywhere evenly, not just the edges.

Let the cake cool completely, then cover it and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is even better). This is where the magic happens — all those milks are getting absorbed and creating that signature creamy texture. Don't skip this waiting period even though it's hard.

Before serving, whip your heavy cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy peaks form. Top the cake with fresh sliced strawberries tossed with lemon juice, then add dollops of whipped cream. Slice and serve cold.