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🍰 Japanese Cheesecake (Cotton Soft & Fluffy)
Japanese cheesecake, also called “cotton cheesecake” or “soufflé cheesecake”, is lighter and airier than traditional Western cheesecakes. It’s mildly sweet, wobbly, and melts in your mouth.
🛒 Ingredients (8-inch cake)
Cream Cheese Base
- 250 g (9 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 50 g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 100 ml (1/2 cup) milk
Egg Mixture
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 140 g (2/3 cup) granulated sugar (split: 70 g for yolks, 70 g for whites)
- 60 g (1/2 cup) cake flour, sifted
- 20 g (3 tbsp) cornstarch, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar (optional, for stable meringue)
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional, for freshness)
👩🍳 Instructions
- Prep oven & pan
- Preheat to 320°F (160°C).
- Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- Wrap the pan in foil to prevent water leakage (for water bath).
- Make cream cheese base
- Melt cream cheese, butter, and milk together over low heat or in microwave until smooth.
- Let cool slightly.
- Add egg yolks
- Beat in egg yolks, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth.
- Sift in flour and cornstarch; fold gently.
- Whip egg whites
- Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy.
- Gradually add sugar and whip to stiff peaks.
- Combine mixtures
- Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture to lighten it.
- Gently fold in remaining whites until fully incorporated, careful not to deflate.
- Bake in a water bath
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Place pan in a larger baking dish and add hot water about halfway up the sides of the pan.
- Bake 60–70 minutes or until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool slowly
- Turn off oven, open door slightly, let cake sit 15 minutes.
- Remove from water bath and cool completely before slicing.
💡 Tips
- Fluffiness comes from carefully folding egg whites and using a water bath.
- Storage: Keeps 2–3 days in fridge; bring to room temperature before serving.
- Serving: Dust with powdered sugar, fresh berries, or a light glaze.
If you want, I can also give you a microwave or stovetop shortcut version of Japanese cheesecake that’s almost as fluffy but faster to make.
Do you want me to do that?