Saffron Vanilla Cake

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C (or 350 degrees F).
2. Butter two 23cm round cake tins and line the bottoms with baking paper; butter the paper and dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
3. Whisk 3 cups flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl until combined.
4. Beat butter with the saffron and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light, golden and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. (The mixture may look separated at this point.)
6. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with flour, until just smooth. Divide the batter between the prepared tins. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
7. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the tins and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the baking papers. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired.