| 1 | Preheat oven to 350°F. |
| 2 | Grease three 8" cake pans. |
| 3 | Line bottoms with waxed and greased paper. |
| 4 | Sprinkle in flour and rotate pans to coat bottoms and sides. |
| 5 | Shake out excess. |
| 6 | Mix the first 5 ingredients until well blended. |
| 7 | Beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy. |
| 8 | Gradually stir in flour mixture alternately with milk until just blended. |
| 9 | Pour into prepared pans, about 2 cups of batter into each. |
| 10 | Stagger pans on oven rack and bake, switching positions of pans once to ensure even layers, 20 to 25 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. |
| 11 | Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes. |
| 12 | Invert cakes on racks, remove pans and peel off paper. |
| 13 | Turn cakes right side up and cool completely. |
| 14 | Fill and frost according to personal preferences. |
