Pre-heat oven to 350. Butter and flour three 6-inch round cake pans.

Combine dry ingredients, save the sugar

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and increase the speed to medium-high. Continue mixing until the butter and sugar are creamed together. The mixture should be light and fluffy.

With the mixer on low, add in the vanilla extract followed by the egg whites. Slowly pour in the whites to help the batter absorb all the liquid. If the batter curdles, add a couple teaspoons of the flour mixture to help bring it back together. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Mix in the dry ingredients + milk in alternating batches into the butter/sugar mixture.

Evenly distribute the batter between the three pans.

Bake for about 25 to 28 minutes

Let cool completely - i sometimes even freeze the cake layers overnight before frosting + decorating.

in a mixer, beat the butter until smooth

add in the almond extract

add in the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

frost and decorate!