Start by creaming 10 tbsp of butter and 1 1/2 cups of sugar together in a large bowl.
Next add in 3 eggs and 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla bean paste. Mix until combined.
In a separate, medium sized bowl, sift 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of baking soda together.
Alternate adding 1 cup of buttermilk and the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time.
Continue until everything is combined together.
Divide the batter evenly between 3 6″ greased cake pans.
Bake the cakes at 350 degrees for 35-38 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers.
Let the cakes cool in their pans for five minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
For the White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Melt 6 oz of chopped, high quality white chocolate and set aside to cool slightly.
Add 1 1/2 cups of softened, unsalted butter to a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until it is pale in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add in the slightly cooled white chocolate. It should be still liquid and warm, but not hot as to melt the butter. Mix until fluffy again. (If you wait until the white chocolate is cool to the touch it will solidify when you mix it into the butter so don’t wait too long to add it in).
Then add in 1 1/3 cup of powdered sugar, 1/8 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of vanilla bean paste. Mix until light and fluffy.
Assembling the Cake
Once the cakes are completely cooled assemble the cake. You can simply fill each layer and ice the outside with the white chocolate buttercream and then decorate as you see fit. However, if you are looking to make a really beautiful cake, follow the extra steps in the above blog post.
Notes
* Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before eating to ensure the frosting becomes soft again.