Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened 
1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs, room temperature

1.5 cups flour (APF, not cake flour)

1.75 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp table salt 

3/4 c milk, room temperature 

Heat oven to 350*. Butter and flour 9 inch cake pan or line cupcake tins with paper and spray inside with cooking spray (about 18 or more).

With a hand mixer, beat butter until soft and fluffy. Add sugar and mix until sugar is almost dissolved (about 3-5 minutes). Add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Next add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate into butter-sugar mixture. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour half the flour into the butter- sugar-egg mixture, beat until smooth, add half the milk, beat until smooth, add the rest of the flour and mix, then add the rest of the milk. Beat batter about 1-2 minutes, scraping bowl with a rubber spatula until batter is smooth and completely mixed and fluffy. 

Pour into prepared pan or cupcake tins. Bake for 15 minutes, then move cake for even browsing. Continue baking in 3-5 minute intervals until cake is just done (test with cake tester or toothpick). Cake should spring back when touched lightly. Do not overtake or cake will be dry. Remove from oven and cook on a cooling rack. If desired remove cake to a cake plate or just frost when cake is completely cooled. Cupcakes can be taken out of tins to finish cooling. 

Frost with buttercream frosting when cake is cooled. 

Buttercream Frosting

1/3 cup softened butter

1.5 tsp vanilla 

3 cups powdered sugar 

2 + Tbsp milk

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and vanilla. Add sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing between. Add just enough milk to make frosting the desired consistency. If too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.