Traditional Graduation Cake Recipe for 12

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. Cream the softened butter and sugar on high for 3 minutes until the mixture looks pale and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture, stirring just until combined.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges slightly pull away from the pan.
8. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
9. Prepare the buttercream by beating the butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
10. Apply a thin crumb coat of icing to lock in loose crumbs and chill the cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
11. Apply the final smooth coat of buttercream icing using a bench scraper or offset spatula for a professional finish.