How am I going to phrase this?
Erm …I’m getting old.
Well, older. (I don’t know why it feels like such a surprise to me, I am a human).
I have now experienced 17 years of life on Earth – and I have to say that it does keep getting better, especially these past 1 1/2 years where I’ve been creating my own little corner of the internet, full of butter, sugar, cinnamon and chocolate.
To celebrate, I made myself a cake!
It’s not like I’m not already getting 3 other cakes from 3 other people,
but I wanted to make something super-special-awesome-time to bring into school.
I don’t really know why I’m making all this extra cake;
I don’t feel older,
I’m sitting here wearing plastic dinosaur earrings and drinking hot chocolate.
I still feel as excited when I get a comment on my blog as when I was 15,
I still freak out and tell my mum when something bonkers happens,
For example, one week ago, I was literally just waking up when I got a notification of a ping back.
Now, when I’ve just woken up, my mind literally can’t handle ANY information until exactly 10 minutes and one cup of coffee later.
Even if you tell me something super important and exciting, I won’t recall it, and will become SO confused at a simple sentence. (I once got a random spam e-mail saying I had ‘been chosen’ in the first sentence, and literally thought I was a superstar/magician/mega-special person for about 20 minutes. I then had to keep reminding myself during the day that that really wasn’t true, when I kept getting flashbacks, like “why am I in a maths class, I’m more important than thi… oh wait.”)
So anyways, this ping back, was from freaking Joy the Baker’s blog. I mean.
I can’t even.
No words.
Most exciting moment of mah blogging life.
The only way I could explain it to my friends (who, apart from me, know nothing about the blogging, baking world), was literally by comparing it to them being mentioned by one of their favourite actors, actresses or singers.
Just knowing she had read my blog makes me want to do the macarena (and I can’t even do the macarena!).
Well really, just knowing anybody has read my blog makes me blush and want to hug everyone!
But, as a thank you (after already thanking her about 1000 times I think – if not in typed words, in my mind) I decided I’d make a recipe from her cookbook which I had purchased last summer in Seattle.
Whilst flicking through her cookbook, I noticed a recipe for Texas sheet cake; as soon as I saw the word ‘birthday’ in the descriptive paragraph above the recipe (combined with my belief that anything Joy bakes must taste heavenly), I was sold.
But I wanted to make it extraaaaaaa insane; and when you want to make something extraaaaaaa insane what do you do? You incorporate some sort of delicious batter or cookie dough. Of course, duh.
I went with brownie batter because it’s pretty much as close to chocolate frosting you can get with a batter, and because it’s so freakin delicious.
So enjoy,
and THANK YOU for tweeting and instagramming (why are you underlining that google, it’s totally a word) me, for reading this blog, for pinning my pictures, for commenting on my recipes, and everything else you do to make my life heck tonnes more awesome than it already is,
I GIVE YOU ALL A PIECE OF THE BIRTHDAY CROWN (please get that Mean Girls reference)
Notes:
- The Texas sheet cake recipe is from the Joy the Baker Cookbook – I only slightly adapted it by reducing the sugar by 1/2 cup, because I was like “ummm, I’m going to be pouring brownie batter all over this cake, maybe I should make it a little less sweet…”
- The eggs should be safe to eat by the time you’ve finished with the batter – they’re tempered by the butter-chocolate mixture, and then heated again in the saucepan. If you’re still anxious about it though, once you’ve poured the batter on top of the cake, just pop that pan back into the oven for a further 5 minutes at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
-If you’re still put off by the egg thing, substitute them for 3 tbsp cornstarch/arrowroot and increase the milk to 4 tbsp (skip the steps which involve tempering, and heating the batter for 5 minutes )
-The chocolate chips are completely optional, I think I would have preferred it if I’d put pecans on top, like in JTB’s recipe, instead to be honest!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour a 15 x 10 x 1 " jelly roll pan.
Place the butter, cocoa and coffee in a large saucepan. Heat and stir just until the butter has melted. Add the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt to the pan, and whisk in. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla to the pan, and whisk until completely combined.
Pour the batter into the greased pan (keep that saucepan! we're going to use it again in a second!) and bake for 20 minutes - while it's baking make the brownie batter frosting (see below).
http://www.topwithcinnamon.com/2013/02/a-birthday-and-a-cake-texas-sheet-cake-with-brownie-batter-frosting-that-is.html
Crack the eggs into a medium bowl, and whisk together lightly.
Using the same saucepan as before, melt the butter and chocolate together.
Whilst this mixture is still warm, pour about 4 tbsp of it, 1 tbsp at a time, into the eggs, whisking the eggs constantly. This tempers the eggs :)
Add the tempered egg mixture to the butter-chocolate mixture in the saucepan and whisk together.
Whisk in the salt and powdered sugar, then return the pan to a medium-low heat and stir constantly with a spatula (making sure to scrape the sides + base of pan) for 5 minutes (this kills any bacteria by partially cooking the batter).
Stir in the vanilla extract, flour and milk and whisk until smooth.
Pour over the still-warm cake and spread it out evenly, sprinkle on the chocolate chips (if using) and leave to cool to room temperature. To store: cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
http://www.topwithcinnamon.com/2013/02/a-birthday-and-a-cake-texas-sheet-cake-with-brownie-batter-frosting-that-is.html
{ 114 comments… read them below or add one }
Happy Birthday! Your blog is amazing, amazing, amazing! Your photographs are outstanding and I love your approach to baking and to life! You are inspiring. I was wondering if you could tell me how you do the short motion pictures. They’re just fantastic! Again, happy birthday and many more to come!
Thanks Yael! It’s kind of too longa process to explain here, but if you google ‘make .gifs with photoshop’ you can probably find a good tutorial
Congratulation, dear, both for your birthday and for JTB’s ping back, it sure is the sweetest seventeen birthday for you
That gif, it looks so damn delicious :Q The recipe sounds heavenly, I’ll bake it for my Dad’s birthday this month, thanks for sharing
thank you!
Happy Birthday, Izzy! When I read on Joy’s post that she linked your Thin Mints (and I’ve seen them on all the food sites and all over Pinerest), I was like YES! because they were gorgeous and deserve tons of recognition!
I’ve often wanted to make Joy’s sheet cake but honestly we don’t ‘need’ a huge cake..but maybe I should just make it anyway. Stunning photos, as always!
thanks Averie!
x
That cake looks delicious, I love your idea to use batter as the frosting. Hope you had a lovely birthday, I totally understand your excitement at Joy the Baker’s ping back, that’s awesome!
I must admit its hard to believe you’re only 17, your blog is one of the best I’ve seen, its so polished with such amazing photos, I love it! x
thanks so much Alex
You are an artist! In each and everyway. Happy Birthday
haha, thank you
Looks so delicious!
http://aschaedle.wordpress.com
it tasted eeeven better
This looks insane. I love brownie batter so I’m particularly glad you’ve now made it acceptable to pour on top of a baked cake. Happy Birthday! and congrats on the ping back. Joy is all kinds of awesome!
I think I am pretty much insane when it comes to baking
haha, thanks, I figured that with all the cookie dough recipes floating around (like cookie dough topped brownies, I mean, OMG) that brownie batter is an equally acceptable substitute for frosting on a cake 
thank you!!
Happy Birthday!! I get so excited when you get a mention on the bigger blogs – there have been so many lately, and it’s about time!! So well deserved – your blog is beauuutiful. And this cake – MY GOODNESS. I’ve been trying to figure out what I’m going to make for my birthday (end of Feb).. I’ve been debating throwing cookie dough in mine but haven’t decided – love that you had those same thoughts! Brownie batter is definitely the best choice. Yummmm.
Thank you Melinda!! yes, raw batter/ dough is definitely how you win at birthday cakes
Happy Birthday, Izzy!!! Hope you have an awesome day and eat lots of delicious cake! Congrats on the ping back!
thanks Jessica
I ATE SO MUCH CAKE, there were three THREE cakes!
Happy Happy Birthday, Izy!
What an awesome (and well-deserved!) shout-out on JTB. Eeee!! It’s so funny trying to explain exciting food blog stuff to people who exist outside the bubble. (A couple years ago, The Pioneer Woman included a ravioli recipe of mine in a pasta round-up, and the pingback went into my spam folder. Later that day my web admin gchatted me to say, “hey, it looks like you’re getting a lot of traffic from some pioneer woman site.” To which I replied something along the lines of “OMFG DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU JUST TOLD ME?!” Hehehe.)
This cake looks amazing. And brownie batter frosting sounds pretty much unreal, considering that I will eat raw brownie batter by the finger/spoonful until I’m certain I’ve consumed enough to give myself salmonella five times over. I have a tendency to make cakes based around frosting recipes that I really want to try, and that’s totally what’s happening with this one too. (:
Yaaay thank you Carey!!
It totally is, omg that’s exactly what it was like ahahaha (also, p.s. that’s so awesome, well done you!!)
Brownie batter is literally THE thing that I can never stop eating, and now I don’t have to HAHAHA
I saw that pingback on Joy’s site… congrats, girly! Also, happy birthday! Also, you are hilarious.
thank you
ahaha I try my best!
So happy for you! You have definitely made it in the blogging world when you get a pingback from Joy!
aww, thanks Mimi
Wow! Congrats on the pingback – well deserved – the cookies are fabulous, and so is this Texas Sheet Cake! Your photography is AMAZING!!! Happy Birthday!!!
Thanks so much Carol!!
I find myself staring at your gifs for an unacceptable amount of time haha Looks so yummy! Happy birthday!
xo Jennifer
http://seekingstyleblog.wordpress.com
me too girl, me too
Thank you!
Wheeee!! I was so excited for you when I saw the link on Joy the Baker! Congrats–that is so exciting! I loved the Mean Girls reference. And this cake looks so incredifreakmazing, totally worthy for a celebration of you! Happy birthday!
ahhh, thanks Erika!
yessss I’m glad you got that 
You are so cute! I would be going bonkers too if I saw such a pingback, I must admit. You totes deserve the shoutout!
My stepmom used to make Texas Sheet Cake for my birthday every year. She would poke holes all over the warm cake before pouring the super sugary, dreamy frosting over top, making the cake extra moist and delicious. It was seriously the best! I can imagine how good it would be with brownie batter over top.
Happy Birthday, girlfrand!
aw, thanks so much Natasha!
Oh gahd yes, that sound incredible 
Happy birthday Izy! this cake is amazing! You’re so young and cute, so Don’t worry;) you’ve got THE intere life to Make new experiences! Just live it!
congrats for all, I wish you all THE BEST
thank you Martina!!
Happy Happy Birthday! Would love to celebrate with you and a piece of that cake:-)
thanks Lauren! Would totally send you some if cake and brownie batter frosting was mail-able haha
Happy birthday!!
The cake looks incredible.
I found your blog a few weeks ago and I’m obsessed!
thank you!! I’m glad you’re enjoying it, and hope you’re not finding it too insane
you are such a cutie. i came across your blog a few days ago and it makes me so happy that young people are jumping into baking and blogging because it gives it a totally different feel when i read it! Congrats on your ping from Joy. That woman is amazing. And happy birthday!! Enjoy while you’re still young. lol
thanks heather! ahah, I’m trying
i love joy the bakers blog! happy bday to you! looks like a great way to celebrate !
thanks Michelle!!
I can’t believe you’re only 17! I’m sure you hear that a lot. Amazingly talented. My dream is to get a pingback from Joy as well. I’ll keep dreamin’!
haha, I can’t believe I’m ALREADY 17
Thank you! I’m sure you’ll get there 
Happy Birthday my baking friend. I teach students your age but because you and I share a love of baking, and Joy the Baker I consider us friends. I wish you continued happiness. You are awesome!!!!
thanks Elizabeth!!
Hi, Izy! Happy birthday! I just came over here from Summer Harms (she remade your smores bars.. which is what I intend to do ASAP) after she’d mentioned you on Instagram yesterday and, Izy, oh my goodness, girl, you are talented. And you’re 17!? Thank you for inspiring me today!
thanks Shanna! and thanks for such a sweet link back from your facebook page
x
Happy Birthday! Quickly became obsessed with your blog. You remind me of if Taylor Swift was a baker. I hope you take that as a compliment, because I think it’s awesome.
ahaha, thanks Carly, that’s the most unique comment I think I’ve ever gotten – love it!
x
Omg only recently i discovered your amazing blog! And as i found out that you are only 16 (well, now 17) i was even more amazed!
Have a great new year enjoy everything that happens to you!
thanks Daniel! you too
happy birthday, and congrats on the ping. You so totally deserve it, I mean, if craveable recipes and UNWORLDLY epic photos are any indication of blogging specialness. You go, girl. And don’t give the dinosaur earrings (!)
wow! Thanks Elizabeth!
I’m soooo into my dinosaur earrings, it’s unreal
Happy Birthday! I was linked here by Food Loves Writing, because she gushed about how much she loves your site on FB
I have to say I agree! Looking forward to so much more. Keep rockin’ with your bad self 
thank you Melissa!!
I found your blog b/c of JoyTheBaker! You’re both wonderful and you make my mouth water. Way to go, and happy birthday! I’m sure tons of great things are coming from you…
thank you
x
Brownie + cake… anything more epic would need something popping out of it, three-tiered surprise style, playing a saxophone. Happy birthday indeed! 17, if I remember it, was a good year.
ahahahaha, totally my thoughts Janet! Thank you
Happy Birthday!!! I totally, totally understand that freak out moment of excitement when you get a shout out like that, it’s seriously the best! I could stare at your gifs all day, your blog is amazing. I wish I could have been creating anything even close to the great content you’re making when I was 17 (which was a decade ago…wow I suddenly feel old…).
ahhh, thanks so much Steph! totally even more excited now btw because I LOVE your blog (that melted ice cream cone cake you made a while back is the most epic layer cake I’ve ever seen!) xx
Izy, Happy Birthday! I basically just met you..kinda. well discovered your lovely blog. Your photography is really reallybeautiful and inspiring… just wanted to say that you seem pretty awesome. . And happy 17th – to many more- Cheers!!
I hope reading my blog is like meeting me !
thank you so much x
HappyBirthday, Izy!! Love your blog. You are very talented in many ways. Thanks for sharing it all with the rest of us!!
Thanks Cheri! It’s my pleasure
Hi Izy…I’m new to your blog, but I just wanted you to know that it’s amazing. You’re so clever to be doing this at such a young age. I actually discovered you because Joy the Baker mentioned you, so go you! I’m an Aussie, but I love American baking, it’s so different, and full of so much more peanut butter, then ours over her in Oz. Keep up your amazing work and I look forward to reading more
Hi!!! So glad you found your way here
thank you! I love American baking too (evidently.. haha), it’s so much more exciting than the British baking you tend to get around these parts!
wow, deliciousness!
& Happy Birthday
thanks Vickie!
Your blog is my latest obsession!!
thank you so much Summer!
x
Happy Birthday! Hope it’s GREAT!:)
thanks Eliza
Happy (late) Birthday!!
I just found your blog, and I think I love you:P I also totally understand the Joy the Baker thing, I adore that woman:) (I actually found your blog through hers.)
I want you to know that I love love love your photos, your recipes look amazing, and I love seeing another teenage blogger!
I hope one day (when I have the money to get a good camera lol) that my blog will be as beautiful as yours.
xx
College Girl
hahah thank you! totally, she’s the best!
x
thank you thank you thank you
Blown away by your talent! Just learned of your blog from Eden over at Sugar and Charm and am delighted by your gorgeous photography and delicious baked goods. Cheers! ; )
aww, thanks Amy!
thanks for stopping by!
Happy Birthday!!!
thanks Yammie!
Happy birthday!! New to your site today via recipe girl. great site! You are super talented!
thanks Jenn!
Happy Birthday Izy!
I totally discovered you because of that miraculous pingback, and I couldn’t be happier. I love your photos and your verve and how awesomely dedicated and serious you are. I’m a few years older than you (I’ll be twenty-four in April, and will also make a cake no matter how many are being made for me…who needs an excuse to make cake?), but you totally remind me that age has no bearing on what we can accomplish. Life is so much more about perseverance and the willingness to just git ‘er done, if you know what I mean.
Apologies if I’m waxing overly philosophical…I’ve had my head stuck in a bunch of ancient Buddhist texts this last month (which, if you’re curious, you can read about on mah blog: http://www.purelysubjective.wordpress.com). Anyhoo, your whimsy and the lovely deliciousness you create reminds me of the joy that can be had and made and shared, and that’s a great thing. Thanks, homegirl. Keep at it!
Thank you Jourdie!! Haha, yes, let’s be honest, cake just needs to be made 24/7 . Not over philosophical at all, you’re comment made me smile a lot! You’re so sweet
(p.s. I find it awesome that you too say ‘mah’ and ‘anywho’, I think I use them too often, ahaha)
Wow. I am blown away by your talent, especially at such a young age. As the new kid on the blogging block, I can only imagine your excitement to see that ping back! Happy belated birthday! I look forward to adding your blog as the newest feed to my inbox!!
thank you Juliane
Welcome to the block heheh! xx
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! And I agree with Juliane up there, you are so talented!
thanks Claire!!
Okay, I don’t like cake. I especially don’t like chocolate cake, and I REALLY don’t like Texas sheet cake. This looks a-MAZ-ing!! The batter frosting looks like it probably makes the whole thing way more moist. Joy is pretty awesome, and it looks like you improved on her creation! BTW, I found your blog via a link on RecipeGirl’s Facebook page. She’s my favorite. Joy is in my top 5. Happy birthday!
:O but cake is like a food hug! haha, but THANK YOU! they’re both so kind
Happy belated birthday! I still shake my head in disbelief every time I see your blog and remember how young you are! You have some incredible talent!
Hope your birthday was fantastic!
thank you so much Loretta! You’re so lovely
It was great!!
Beautiful photos and writing style! Your blog is delightful.
thank you!
Izzy! Happy Birthday! Oh, to think you are 17, I can only imagine how you will continue to grow, you are talented as it is! But let me assure you, everything gets better and better with time, so I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you! xo
thanks Liren! That’s so good to hear
thanks again 
x
Happy Birthday Izy! Sorry that I’m about a week late… I read your post on my phone as soon as it was sent out, and then I just kept forgetting to get on the computer and comment! But seriously, you’re a genius; this cake looks so. freaking. amazing. Brownie batter frosting?? OMG. And congrats on the JTB mention, that must seriously be so exciting! I still get excited every time someone leaves me a comment on a post, hah.
Thank you
ahaha, no problem, I still haven’t replied to a tonne of comments on my other posts (including your ones, I’m sorry! I know they’re there, I just keep forgetting to reply! haha). I thin the brownie batter was self sabotage, because really now, I don’t know if I’ll be able to make cake without it 
Ahh, thank you!! I am still excited about it 
)) yes, same here! x
OMG you included a cinematograph, that is just SO cool! The cake looks amazeballs.
thank you! They’re my obsession
found your blog via pinterest and just looooooove it!!
)
this recipe looks so delicious (I’m gonna make it and say ‘it must be someones birthday somewhere
Such wonderful food photography too! Where do you get all your props and backgrounds from?
I’m 17 too with a food blog (not as wonderful and successful as yours though) yours is such an inspiration! consider a new subscriber, instagram follower and pinterest follower!
and most importantly – happy belated birthday!
have a lovely weekend!
thank you, thank you, thank youuuu!! My props are just from charity shops, places like anthropologie and ebay
For backgrounds, I just paint big pieces of wood (black, white, brown, grey are always good ones to start with) Lovely blog btw 
x
Happy belated birthday. I hope this year is full of wonderfully fulfilling surprises!
I LOVE that gold pan, where’d you get it?
thanks Asha! Ebay!! It’s the land where food-blogger-dreams come true…
Happiest of birthdays to you! I wish I could dig into that delicious cake with you
thank you Kristen!
Wow, what a cake! It looks glorious. I’ve got to try it!
thanks! It was mega delish!
I found your blog via Joy The Baker and totally love it! Your gifs are so great. Saw this post and thought, “Oh, a Texas sheet cake, I saw that in Joy’s book,” then understood when I read further down! Keep up the baking and happy birthday!
thanks Katie, haha yeah, I didn’t know if people would realise or not!
thank-you for the lovely tips!
just an all round fave blog – and love the new installment on those single serve cookies! LOVE IT!
and wow wow wow – joy the baker! now that is just amazing!
Thank you thank you thank youuu Bec! I’m so happy to hear that
those single serving cookies are such a good reason to be alive hahah
Okay Izy, I may be slightly late but, happy birthday! Well belated birthday. But still. I’ll have to get working on that iPhone de-sassinator app for your birthday present. And dang, that sheet cake looks like gooey goodness.
So I read the thin mint post via Joy and now Tracy Shutterbean has mentioned you on her I Love Fridays! I was seriously impressed with your blog- love the writing style and awesome food styling. THEN I read that you are 17?! Holy guacamole! Love that’re a fellow Brit too -if you make any references I might actually get them!
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