Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8" cake rounds and line with parchment.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
Distribute batter evenly between the two pans. Place damp baking strips around the bottoms of the cake pans.
Bake for 30-35mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
Place cakes on a wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Buttercream:
Prepare a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whip butter until creamy.
Reduce speed to low and add in icing sugar 1 cup at a time until well blended. Increase speed to med and beat for 3 minutes.
Add vanilla and 2 Tbsp cream and continue to whip on medium for 1 minute. Add more cream as needed until desired consistency is reached.
Whip until the frosting is smooth and silky.
Assembly:
Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with approximately 1 cup of buttercream. Repeat with remaining layer and crumb coat the cake. Chill for 20mins.
Frost the top and sides of the cake and smooth with a bench scraper.
Decorate as desired.
Video
Notes
If you're using tea towels around the cake pans, make sure they are fully dampened and do not use them at oven temperatures over 350F. You can wrap them in tin foil to prevent browning/burning.