Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350ºF with a rack in the middle position. Grease two 8" circular cake pans.

Step 2

Whip the room temperature eggs in your mixer on high speed (using the whip attachment), until foamy. Very slowly, pour in the sugar. Continue to whip until the mixture reaches the ribbon stage (when you lift the whisk out, the mixture with flow off in a wide, thick, pale yellow ribbon), about 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 3

Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix on low speed until combined.

Step 4

Put the milk and butter in a medium microwave safe bowl (or in a pot on the stove top), and heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot.

Step 5

Whisk 2 cups of the cake batter into the hot milk mixture. Add it all back into the remaining batter.

Step 6

Add the vanilla and mix until evenly combined.

Step 7

Pour the batter evenly between the two cake pans.

Step 8

Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF and continue baking until finished (about 10 minutes, watch carefully). The cake it done when you gently press at the center and it springs back immediately.

Step 9

Remove from the cake pans and let cool completely on wire racks before slicing or icing.