Vanilla Layer Cake

Steps

• Prep: Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and grease and line two 9-inch cake pans.
• Cake: Cream the butter and sugar on medium-high until noticeably pale and fluffy.
  ⏱ Start 4 min timer

  Tip: Don't shortcut this — the air beaten in now is most of your leavening, and a rushed cream leaves the cake dense no matter what else you do right.

• Cake: Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next, then the vanilla.
• Cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two, mixing just until combined after each.

  Tip: Alternating keeps the batter from getting too wet or too stiff at any one point, which protects the air structure you built while creaming.

• Bake: Divide evenly between the pans and bake until a skewer comes out clean and the centre springs back when lightly pressed.
  ⏱ Start 26 min timer
• Cool: Cool in the pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before frosting.
  ⏱ Start 10 min timer
• Frost: Beat the frosting butter until smooth, then gradually beat in the icing sugar, milk, and vanilla until fluffy. Frost between the layers and over the whole cake.