Ingredients:

  • 3 cups All-Purpose Flour (sifted)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 4 Large Eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract or Paste
  • 3/4 cup Whole Milk, room temperature

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and cream on medium-high speed for 5–7 minutes, scraping the bowl often. The mixture must become very pale, fluffy, and significantly increased in volume.
  4. Reduce the speed to medium-low. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until just combined. Scrape down the bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract or paste.
  5. With the mixer on the lowest speed, use the alternating method to combine the wet and dry mixtures: Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the milk, then another 1/3 of the flour, the remaining milk, and finish by adding the final 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated after each addition.
  6. Stop the mixer immediately once the last streaks of flour disappear. Use a rubber spatula to give the batter one final, gentle fold by hand, ensuring there are no pockets of unmixed ingredients at the bottom. Do not overmix.
  7. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, invert it onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment paper, and allow it to cool completely before slicing or frosting.