Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups (300g) All-Purpose Flour, sifted
  • 2 cups (400g) Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks / 227g) Unsalted Butter, truly soft room temperature
  • 4 large Eggs, room temperature
  • 2 large Egg Yolks (extra), room temperature
  • 1 cup (240ml) Whole Milk, room temperature
  • 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour both 9-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Set aside.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk thoroughly to ensure the leavening agent is evenly distributed.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for 4–5 minutes. Stop and scrape down the bowl frequently. The mixture must become very pale, light, and fluffy.
  4. Add the whole eggs and extra yolks, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract with the final egg. Scrape the bowl down well after this step.
  5. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the dry ingredient mixture in three separate additions, alternating with the room-temperature milk in two separate additions (Start and end with the dry ingredients).
  6. As soon as the last streaks of flour disappear, stop the mixer. Finish mixing by hand using a rubber spatula to ensure no flour pockets remain at the bottom of the bowl. Avoid overmixing.
  7. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
  8. Bake for 30–35 minutes. The cakes are done when the edges pull slightly away from the pan, and a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  9. Place the pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, carefully invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans and parchment paper, and allow them to cool completely—about 60 minutes—before handling or frosting.