Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare two 9-inch round cake pans by greasing them.

Whisk together 2 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt in a bowl.

Cream together ½ cup unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar for about 3-4 minutes until fluffy.

Add 2 eggs one by one and mix well after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Alternate adding the dry mixture and 1 cup of whole milk to the batter until smooth and creamy.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes after baking.

Transfer the cakes to wire racks to cool completely for at least 30 minutes.

Warm 2 cups of milk until steaming, whisk together ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch, and 4 yolks. Whisk in the warm milk.

Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5-7 minutes.

Slice each cooled cake horizontally into two layers and layer with custard and fresh strawberries.

Chill the assembled cake in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.

Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.