MOM’S CHERRY SHORTCAKE SQUARES

Makes 2 dozen squares

MY MOTHER IS MANY WONDERFUL THINGS. SHE IS A GREAT COOK, A TERRIFIC entertainer. A generally delightful woman. But she is not a prolific baker. The recipes she baked during my childhood were few in number, but made an impression. This simple sheet of cake squares was trotted out again and again in my childhood, and remains a favorite. It’s another great example of making something fabulous out of just a few ingredients, and delighting a crowd without Herculean effort. It’s just a pan full of happy. This big batch is easily halved by using a quarter sheet pan.

Nonstick cooking spray for pan

1 cup/225 g unsalted European-style butter, at room temperature

1½ cups/300 g granulated sugar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups/256 g unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1 (21-ounce/595 g) can high-quality cherry pie filling*

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 350°F/180°C. Spray a 10 × 15 × 1-inch/25 × 38 × 2.5 cm or 12 × 17-inch/30 × 43 cm rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, line it with parchment paper, and lightly spray the parchment, too. (I like my squares a bit thinner, with crisp, golden edges, so I use a larger pan. The jelly-roll pan will give you a slightly loftier result and the fruit will be hidden a bit.)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until very light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. (Don’t skimp on the beating time—all the air in this cake comes from this stage!) Beat in the lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, giving each at least 30 seconds of beating to incorporate. Scrape down the bowl. Beat again for 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and stir in the flour. When there’s a few streaks of flour left, finish stirring the batter by hand.

Scrape the batter onto the prepared sheet pan and smooth it into an even layer. Score the batter into 24 squares with a toothpick for easy, even placing of the cherries.

Stir the pie filling well. Place 3 cherries in the center of every square.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a square comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Just before serving, cut into 24 squares and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Store any leftovers in an airtight container with layers of waxed paper or parchment for up to 3 days.

*The recipe I grew up with used the bright red canned variety with lots of glossy goo, and for nostalgia’s sake, this is what I still use. I seek out brands that don’t contain high-fructose corn syrup and say “more fruit” or something similar on the label—this typically indicates more cherries, less goo, and you’ll have enough cherries to top each square.