Warm the milk to about 110°F (43°C)—it should feel warm, not hot. In a small bowl, combine the warm milk and yeast with a pinch of sugar. Stir gently and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it becomes foamy. This means the yeast is active and ready.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir together. Add the egg, vanilla extract, softened butter, and the activated yeast mixture. Mix everything together using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, or knead by hand for about 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan or line it with parchment paper. After the dough has risen, gently press it into the bottom of the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly with your hands.

Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, press little dimples all over the surface of the dough. Evenly sprinkle the granulated sugar over the dough, then distribute the small cubes of cold butter across the top, letting some fall into the dimples. Finally, scatter the sliced almonds over everything.

Let the assembled cake rest for 15–20 minutes while the oven preheats to 350°F (180°C).

Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are just starting to pull away from the pan. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing.