Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter an 8-inch by 2-inch round cake pan or 8-inch springform pan. Add 2 tablespoons flour to the pan, shaking to coat the bottom and sides. Turn the pan upside down and shake out any extra flour.

In a 3-quart mixing bowl using an electric mixer at high speed, beat together the eggs and sugar. The batter should be light and fluffy, and almost white in color. It will take about 5 minutes.

To test if the batter is beaten enough, scoop up a spoonful and drop the mixture back in the bowl. The batter should stay on top. If it sinks, keep beating it. Beat in the vanilla and salt.

Using a wooden spoon or wide rubber spatula, gently stir in 1 cup of flour a little bit at a time. Take care that the batter does not lose volume and that it stays fluffy.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it evenly with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake is golden brown and the top springs back when lightly touched.

Remove the cake from the pan immediately. Let it cool completely on a wire rack before decorating or serving.