Vanilla Cake

This is for a simple basic cake recipe that you can really play with and add your own touches. I have made a lavender cake and a lemon cake from this same basic recipe. You can also play with the frosting by using chocolate frosting, cream cheese frosting, or strawberry frosting, the ideas are endless. Or just bake it as is,  this cake is so moist and fluffy that it tastes great on it's own!
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 cup soft butter
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour w/ 3 tablespoons removed and 3 tablespoons corn starch added in (This makes it fluffy like a box cake)
11/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk (Or yogurt milk, or milk with a tablespoon apple cider vinegar added to sour)
Directions
Grease two 9 inch pans. Heat oven to 350.
Beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy, a good 5 minutes.
Add eggs 1 at a time.
Beat in extracts.
Whisk all the dry ingredients.
Now turn the mixer to medium and add the milk and dry ingredients in thirds alternating with each other. Do not over mix but just until incorporated.
Turn to low and mix for 1 minute only.
Pour into the 2 pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, mine was exactly 35.
Place the pans on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Dump out onto a rack and cool completely.
Vanilla Frosting Recipe
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 stick butter soft
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-5 tablespoons cream or milk
Mix in high, start on low and cover mixer, until light and creamy, adding more milk to soften up. You want it to be easy to frost but hold it's shape. Leave at room temp until ready to use. You will not need all of this frosting.
This recipe is an adaption from a very old Southern Living Magazine.