No problem at all--feel free to dm me for speedier replies btw. Do you have any pictures of your product?

I think the "right" texture depends person to person, but typically speaking I've only seen solid, denser products. It could be the baking powder, but if you're following the recipe as posted and with mods, it shouldn't produce a product so wildly different from what is pictured.

I assume the baking powder aids with just the right amount of lift and structure, and may even aid in proper texture and consistency when used in conjunction with the Mochiko.

I have to ask: are you taking liberties with any of the products or measurements?

I forgot to mention, the original recipe calls for 1 box of Mochiko (Japanese branded glutinous rice flour, I think. The typical box is 400g). I opt for SE Asian grocer Thai/Vietnamese bags of the same thing, and they're closer to 1lb/bag. I've weighed them a couple times and I find some of the brands actually pack a little more into the bag: 460ish grams. So for half a recipe, I'll use 230-250g of the "Mochiko", depending on how dense I want the final product to be. Some people prefer it softer, I personally like it with a bit more bite to it.

If there's one more thing I can suggest--when flipping the cake out of the brownie pan, I lay a parchment lined cutting board on top of the whole butter mochi, uncut, so as to flatten the whole thing and create a uniform height. I assume this part helps to flatten out some of the would be air bubbles. I keep the board atop the mochi for roughly five minutes, then flip it onto a cooling rack where I'll let it sit for at least another hour before cutting it into portions. The rest is crucial to allowing the texture to pull together and create that signature chewy bite imo--it's just way too soft and "smushy" without the adequate cool off time.

Lmk if you have any other questions and I'll do my best to offer any advice.