* With butter, margarine, or lard, use 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons milk. With vegetable or any other shortening, use 1 cup milk.
Combine sifted flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in Sifter. Cream shortening, sift in dry ingredients, add 3/4 cup of the milk and the vanilla. Mix until all flour is dampened. Then beat 2 minutes. Add eggs and remaining milk; beat 1 minute longer. (Mix vigorously by hand or at a low speed of electric mixer. Count only actual beating time. Scrape bowl and spoon or beater often.)
Pour batter into two round 9-inch layer pans, which have been lined on bottoms with paper. Bake in moderate oven (375 F) 25 minutes, or until done. Cool, then frost. (Frosting recipe below.)