Some things are just waiting to be made. This one’s our take on the old-school cookie. We can’t sprinkle nuts across the cake (as we might for those cookies). The cake takes too long to bake; the nuts will singe and turn bitter. However, we can use coconut for a crunchy topping along with the jam.
32 tablespoons (4 sticks) cool unsalted butter, cut into small chunks, plus additional for the sheet pan
4⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1⅓ cups granulated white sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white, at room temperature
2½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
1½ cups jam, such as raspberry, blackberry, apricot, or strawberry
1. Position the rack in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter the inside of a 13 × 18-inch lipped sheet pan.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until uniform.
3. Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl at medium speed until creamy and light, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the egg white until smooth.
4. Scrape down and remove the beaters or paddle. Using a silicone spatula, fold in the flour mixture to make a stiff dough. Scrape it in lumps into the prepared pan, then press these together to make a uniform sheet of dough in the pan.
5. Sprinkle the coconut over the top and press it gently into the dough. Using the back of a flatware teaspoon, make about 80 thumbprint-sized indentations across the top of the cake. Put about a scant teaspoon of jam in each indentation.
6. Bake until the cake is browned and set and the jam has started to bubble, 23 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.
TESTER NOTE
The batter is super thick. You’ll need to work to get it spread out. An offset spatula may not even do the trick. You can moisten your cleaned fingertips, press it out, and then continue to spread it with the spatula until it reaches the edges of the pan. Just make sure the top of the batter is, at most, damp, not wet.
