Beat butter until soft. Add sugar and extract. Beat until smooth. Stir salt into flour and mix well, then add flour and salt mixture to first mixture.
Press dough evenly into a round cake pan. Score into wedges (or petticoat tails) with a fork. Do not cut straight through the dough - score only 3/4 way through. Decorate lightly with patterns and frills if desired.
Bake in 375-degree oven 25 minutes. Cut along markings while still hot. Cool in pan, then turn out and sprinkle with a light dusting of confectioner's sugar if serving right away, or store in an airtight tin.
