2⅓ cups cake flour
2¼ tsps baking powder
¾ tsp salt
¾ cup softened unsalted butter
1½ cups white granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
2 tsps vanilla extract
¾ cups softened unsalted butter
3 cups icing sugar
⅓ cup full-fat milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut two 8-inch rounds of parchment paper and line the bottom of two 8-inch pans.
Spray both the pan and the paper with nonstick spray.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Place the butter and sugar in a separate bowl and beat using a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid mixer-like contraption (mine is named Tina Sparkle).
Beat on medium speed until very soft and light (4–5 minutes).
Reduce the beater speed to low and beat in the buttermilk and eggs, followed by the vanilla.
Add in your dry ingredients, using as few beater spins as possible. (Fun fact: I actually took Baking Arts 101 at George Brown College, and one of the only things I remember is that the more you mix flour, the more you activate the glutens and the tougher/chewier it gets. Therefore, lots of kneading if you’re making bread, but as little as possible for fluffy baked goods.)
Pour the batter into the cake pans.
Bake the cakes for 30–35 minutes (double-check by sticking a toothpick into the middle and ensuring it comes out clean).
Make sure the cakes are completely cool (this is always my downfall).
Get out Tina Sparkle again (or whatever awesome name you’ve given your mixer).
Cream the butter on medium for about 2 minutes.
Turn the speed down to low and add icing sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt.
Crank that baby up to high and let her/him/them go to town for another 2 minutes.
Taste-a-roo: If the icing is too thick, add some more milk. If the opposite is happening, add a little more sugar.
Once the layers are cool, you can frost your cake. Feel free to add a surprise to the center layer.
Decorate with sprinkles!
Enjoy, and don’t forget to make a wish.