Yield: 1 (3-layer) 9-inch cake

2¼ cups full fat buttermilk, room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1½ cups (3 sticks) salted butter, softened

3 large eggs, room temperature

3¾ cups Swans Down Cake Flour (420g)

2¼ cups granulated sugar (450g)

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

Baker’s Joy for spraying pans

Creamy French Icing (recipe follows)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line three (9 x 2-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper, then spray pans, including paper, with Baker’s Joy; set aside.

Place buttermilk, vanilla and eggs in a mixing bowl, whisking to combine; set aside. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the mixing bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for a few seconds to combine. Add butter and all but ½ cup of the buttermilk mixture to the mixing bowl and blend on low speed for 30 seconds. Raise speed to medium and beat for two minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice. Lower speed, adding remaining ½ cup of the buttermilk mixture to the bowl. Raise speed to medium and beat for two minutes more.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake tests done. Remove pans to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before inverting cakes onto the rack to cool completely.

Frost with Creamy French Icing between layers and on top and sides of the cake.