Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease three 8" cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed and greased paper. Sprinkle in flour and rotate pans to coat bottoms and sides. Shake out excess.

Mix the first 5 ingredients until well blended. Beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually stir in flour mixture alternately with milk until just blended. Pour into prepared pans, about 2 cups of batter into each. Stagger pans on oven rack and bake, switching positions of pans once to ensure even layers, 20 to 25 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes.

Invert cakes on racks, remove pans and peel off paper. Turn cakes right side up and cool completely. Fill and frost according to personal preferences.