Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: 1 ¾ all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the ¾ cup of softened butter with 1 cup granulated sugar with a hand mixer until it's smooth and creamy. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
Add 2 large eggs, ⅔ cup of milk and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and mix again.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center. Cover with foil in the last 20 minutes or so to prevent the top from browning too much.
Let cool 15 minutes in the pan then use a knife or thin spatula to loosen the sides and bottom. Gently transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.