Basic Homemade Birthday Cake (Easy White Butter Cake)

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease/flour cake pan(s) or line with sprayed parchment paper.

Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until grainy in texture. Add milk and vanilla, mix well.

Add the egg whites one at a time to the sugar mixture, beating lightly between additions.

Once all egg whites have been incorporated, gradually add the flour mixture. Beat until batter is uniformly mixed.

Pour the batter into prepared pan(s) and bake at 375ºF. Two 9-inch round pans will bake 15–20 minutes; a solid 9×13 rectangle may take a few additional minutes.

Cake is done when an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean. Cool on a wire rack before frosting and decorating.