Cream butter thoroughly. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt until combined well.

Stir together milk and vanilla.

Add alternately, in this order, 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 milk mixture, 1/3 flour mixture, remaining milk, remaining flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture.

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; the whites should be shiny and not dry in appearance.

Using a spatula, fold the whites into the batter gently, using a cutting motion, down through the center, across the bottom, up the sides, turning the bowl 1/4 turn with each fold and continuing until the egg whites are incorporated into the batter. It's OK for some puffs of egg white to still be visible; the goal is to keep as much air in the whites as possible. Don't overdo the folding in.

Bake the cake in a preheated 325°F oven for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before removing from pans.

Frost between layers with your favorite icing or filling, such as strawberry or currant jelly, flaked coconut and coconut frosting, top with coconut or chopped nuts, etc.

Submitted by: CM