Vanilla Buttermilk Layer Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 3 9x2-inch cake pans with nonstick spray (or butter and flour them), then line the bottoms with parchment rounds.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and Kosher salt on low speed; a hand mixer is fine here too. Add the softened butter and beat on medium speed until it disappears into the dry mixture and everything looks sandy, about 30 to 45 seconds.
3. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract together in a large measuring cup. With the mixer running on low speed, pour the liquid mixture into the butter-flour mixture in 2 separate additions. Beat well after each addition, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go, then keep mixing until the batter is smooth.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and smooth the tops. Give the pans a firm tap on the counter 1 or 2 times to knock out any large air bubbles. Bake on a single rack in the center of the oven for 20 to 35 minutes, starting to check at 20 minutes, and keep baking until the cakes pull away from the sides, the tops spring back when touched, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Place the cakes, still in their pans, on wire racks and let them cool for 15 minutes. Turn the cakes out of the pans and let them cool completely.