MOCHI CAKE, ANY WAY YOU WANT IT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9"-diameter cake pan or an 8x8" baking pan or 14 cups of two standard 12-cup muffin pans. (If you only have 1 muffin pan, you can bake the extra batter in a small loaf pan or mini muffin pan, or just discard it.) Generously coat pan with sugar, tapping out excess (about ¼ cup should do it).
• Place 1½ cups (300 g) sugar and 6 Tbsp. butter in a large bowl. If using coconut milk, heat in a small saucepan over medium, whisking constantly, until no clumps remain, then whisk into sugar mixture. If using half-and-half, whisk directly into sugar mixture. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and whisk to combine.
• Whisk rice flour, powdered flavoring of choice (or 3 Tbsp. more rice flour), spice of choice, and baking powder in a medium bowl to combine, then whisk into egg mixture. Scrape batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with coconut or sesame seeds.
• Bake until top begins to crack and cake springs back when gently pressed, 55-65 minutes for cake and 45-55 minutes for cupcakes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 10 minutes. Run a knife around perimeter of cake, place a plate over pan, and invert cake onto plate. Hold wire rack over cake and invert cake onto rack (simply turn cupcakes out onto rack and turn over). Let cool completely.
• Do ahead: Cake can be baked 5 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.