Chocolate Half-Birthday Cake

Cake:
3/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c best quality cocoa, plus extra for pan
1/2 c milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 c sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9" round cake pan. Dust bottom and sides with cocoa powder; tap to remove excess.

Measure flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small bowl; whisk to combine. Measure out milk and vanilla; stir to combine.

Beat butter until softened. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.

Add half of dry ingredients to butter/sugar; beat to combine. Add half of milk/vanilla; beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating.

Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake 30-32 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

While cake bakes, make frosting:

Frosting:
3 oz unsweetened chocolate
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 c hot coffee, cream or milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 c powdered sugar

Heat chocolate and butter in a glass dish in microwave or over a pan of simmering water until melted. Stir in liquid of choice and vanilla. Add powdered sugar, stirring until smooth. Let cool until spreadable.

Turn cake out from pan. Cut layer in half. Stack and cover middle, sides and top with frosting to give the appearance of half a cake. Serve to one very pleased five-and-a-half-year-old girl.