To make a cake from scratch, begin by gathering the necessary ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, butter, baking powder, vanilla extract, and milk. Preheat the oven to the specified temperature. In a mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with milk. Mix until just combined. Finally, stir in vanilla extract. Pour the batter into a greased and floured cake pan. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool before frosting or decorating according to your preference.