Crunchy Matcha Persimmon Cake with Coconut Dulce de Leche

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

Combine the granulated and brown sugars with butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a large bowl and a wooden spoon) and cream them together. Add the eggs one at a time, allowing one to mix in well before adding the next. Add the buttermilk in three stages and mix thoroughly. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the persimmon and the remaining dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into the prepared pan.

For the topping:

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well with a fork so they are evenly incorporated but still clumpy. Sprinkle over the cake batter in the pan and stir in very slightly. Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, turning it halfway through. Cool in the pan on a rack.

For the dulce de leche:

Combine the coconut milk and two sugars in a large heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and stir until the sugars have completely dissolved. Reduce the heat to a very low simmer and stir with a rubber spatula every 20 minutes, making sure to scrape down the sides of the pot every time.

Simmer the mixture for three and a half to four hours, or until the sauce has reached a thick caramel color and consistency. Remove from the stove. Stir in the salt. Cool to room temperature. Tightly covered in the fridge, the sauce will keep for up to two weeks.

To serve, cut out a big chunk of cake and drizzle coconut dulce de leche on top.