• Preheat oven to 350º. Line an 9x5" loaf pan with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• Combine butter and sugar in standing mixer and beat on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating for about 15 seconds after each and pausing to scrape down sides of bowl before adding the next. Beat in vanilla bean seeds.
• With mixer speed on low, gradually beat in half of the flour mixture. Stop mixer, scrape down sides of bowl, then beat in milk on low speed, followed by remaining flour mixture. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake 45 minutes - 1 hour, until tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Place on wire rack for 10 minutes to cool in pan, then carefully invert cake directly onto rack. Peel off parchment paper and invert again so that it's right-side up.

For strawberry sauce

• While cake bakes, mash berries in a large bowl with sugar and let stand until juicy, at least 30 minutes, or refrigerated up to 3 days. 

For whipped cream

• Place cream in a saucepan over medium heat until the first bubbles appear at the edges. Remove from heat and stir in mint; let stand about 30 minutes. Pour through a strainer into a freezer bag and seal the bag. Submerge the bag in an ice bath (a bowl filled with ice and then topped up with water) to cool quickly (or else transfer to refrigerator and chill 4 hours). Whip cream in stand mixer on high speed until soft peaks form, then reduce speed and whip in the sugar. 

To assemble

• Serve cake slices topped with the strawberry sauce and a generous dollop of whipped cream.