In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder until combined. Make sure your baking powder is fresh for the lightest cakes.

Add the cold, cubed butter to the mixture. Use a pastry cutter to blend until it resembles coarse crumbs—this will help create a flaky texture.

In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Gradually add this wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring gently until just combined.

Lightly flour your work surface and gently knead the dough about 4-5 times, just until smooth. Roll it out to a thickness of 1/2 inch for perfect cake texture.

Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out shapes from the dough and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet, placing them about an inch apart.

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and bake the tea cakes for 12-15 minutes until they’re lightly golden on the edges. Keep an eye on them to avoid overbaking!

Once baked, let the cakes cool on a wire rack. After they cool completely, generously dust them with powdered sugar before serving for an elegant finish.