Preheat Your Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, ensuring an easy release during baking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this bowl aside for later.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This should take around 5 minutes.
Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix well after each addition. Then stir in the vanilla extract – this is where the magic begins!
Combine Mixtures: Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until fully combined but be careful not to overmix!
Fill and Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in your preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool and Serve: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Carefully turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely before serving.