Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures that your cake bakes evenly.
Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter or cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and grease the top of the paper as well.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine salt. Set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the room temperature eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, add the pure vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the butter mixture. Start with the flour mixture, add half, then half of the buttermilk, and repeat. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula for an even bake.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then, carefully turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
