1. Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F. Prepare two (8-inch) round cake pans by buttering and flouring them or lightly greasing with baking spray, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Optionally, wrap baking strips around the outside of the pans.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt by sifting or whisking them together, then set aside.
3. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or a handheld mixer in a large bowl), beat the butter at medium speed until it becomes smooth. Gradually incorporate the sugar and continue beating on high for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
4. Lower the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, ensuring to scrape the bowl between each addition. Mix in the vanilla and blend on high until everything is well combined, which should take about a minute.
5. Reduce the speed to low and alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk in three parts. Once the ingredients are nearly combined, switch to a spatula to gently fold in any remaining butter and flour by hand, being careful not to overmix the batter.
6. Evenly distribute the batter between the prepared pans and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the edges begin to separate from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. After baking, let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then carefully invert the layers onto a cooling rack, remove the parchment paper, and allow them to cool completely.

Frosting Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a large bowl with a handheld mixer), beat the butter and salt at medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take around 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually incorporate the sugar one cup at a time, adding 1 tablespoon of cream between each addition. Once all the sugar is mixed in, add the vanilla and increase the speed to high for about a minute.
2. Take one cup of frosting and spread it over the first layer of the cake. Place the second layer on top and cover both the top and sides with the remaining buttercream. You can smooth it out or create a rustic finish with swoops or a spiral pattern.