Vanilla Cake Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour or lightly grease two (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray, and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the cake pans with baking strips, if you’d like.

In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer), beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and beat on high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl down as needed.

Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each. Add the vanilla and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute.

Reduce speed to low and add the flour in three batches alternating with the buttermilk. Once almost combined, remove the whisk attachment and fold in any remaining butter and flour by hand using a spatula. (Do not overmix the batter!)

Divide batter equally between the prepared pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert layers onto a cooling rack, remove paper and set aside to cool completely.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer,) beat the butter and salt on medium- high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sugar one cup at a time, adding in 1 tablespoon of the cream between each addition. Once all of the sugar is incorporated add the vanilla and increase speed to high for about one minute.

Spread one cup of the frosting over the first layer of your cake, add the second layer and cover the top and edge in buttercream. Smooth or finish with rustic swoops or a spiral pattern.