Basic Vanilla Cake

I found this in Country Living magazine to fulfill a request for a vanilla cake with strawberry frosting. The mixing technique is a little different from most cakes I've made - save yourself a little mess and make sure to use a deep bowl. Since then, this has become a favorite in our home - frosted or not, this cake is really nice. It does tend to dry out quickly, but the small size means it usually gets eaten before then. NOTE: This recipe is for the vanilla cake only, not the strawberry frosting.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 1 8" cake layer

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups cake flour, sifter
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  large eggs, room temperature
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup  whole milk

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8-inch cake pan with butter and dust with all-purpose flour. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
2. Beat in the butter one heaping 1/4 teaspoonful at a time, using an electric mixer set on low speed, until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Beat in the sugar a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture resembles fine damp sand. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and milk, and beat on medium-high, just until blended. Do not overbeat.
3. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean — 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.