• Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Prepare three 9-inch round cake pans by greasing them, lining with parchment paper rounds, and greasing the parchment paper. Parchment paper ensures the cakes release smoothly from the pans. (Refer to the parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post if necessary.)

Make the Cake:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract. Continue to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Be careful not to overmix the batter. The resulting batter should be smooth, velvety, and slightly thick.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans, using about 2 and 2/3 cups of batter per pan. If desired, use a kitchen scale to ensure even layers. Bake for approximately 25-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans on a wire rack before frosting and assembling.

Make the Frosting:

• In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer or stand mixer with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add 5 and 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar, 5 Tablespoons of heavy cream, the vanilla extract, and salt. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Adjust the consistency if needed by adding more confectioners’ sugar if the frosting is too thin, more cream if it’s too thick, or a pinch of salt if it’s too sweet. This recipe yields about 4.5 cups of frosting.

Assemble and Decorate the Cake:

• Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard the sliced-off pieces or crumble them over ice cream. Place the first cake layer on your cake stand, turntable, or serving plate. Spread 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting evenly on top. If using raspberries, dot half of them around the rim and press them into the frosting for stability. Top with the second cake layer and evenly spread another 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting, along with the remaining raspberries around the rim. Top with the third cake layer and spread the remaining frosting on top and around the sides using an icing spatula. Smooth out the frosting with a bench scraper for a clean finish. If you prefer a naked cake, simply spread the remaining frosting on top. Any leftover frosting can be frozen for up to 3 months and thawed in the refrigerator for future use.
• Decorate the cake with your chosen garnishes. Refrigerate the assembled cake for 2-3 hours or up to 1 day before slicing and serving. If refrigerating for more than a few hours, loosely cover with plastic wrap after 1 hour. The frosting will set after about 1 hour, allowing the plastic wrap to be applied without damaging the frosting. For extended refrigeration, add garnishes just before serving to keep them fresh.
• Store any leftover cake at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.