Easy Japanese Cheesecake Recipe - so fluffy and jiggly! - Foxy Folksy (2024)

BY :Bebs | Published: | Updated: | 87 Comments

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4.72 from 28 votes

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Try this Japanese Cheesecake or Cotton Cheesecake recipe for a super fluffy, light-as-air cheesecake you will ever make. Add some fresh berries to make it pretty and ready for any special occasions.

Easy Japanese Cheesecake Recipe - so fluffy and jiggly! - Foxy Folksy (1)

  • What is Japanese Cheesecake?
  • The secret for making the perfect Japanese Cheesecake
  • Printable Recipe
  • Japanese Cheesecake

What is Japanese Cheesecake?

It is fluffy, it is jiggly and it is yummy!

Japanese cheesecake or also known as cotton cake, Japanesesouffle cake or pillow cake is a kind of sponge cake where the egg whites are whipped into a meringue and then added to the cream cheese-egg yolk batter to create a fluffy texture. The cake is then baked in bain marieor a hot water bath that makes it moist and jiggly.

It has fewer calories per serving than a regular cheesecake as it contains less sugar and cheese.

Easy Japanese Cheesecake Recipe - so fluffy and jiggly! - Foxy Folksy (2)

It took me a while to writeabout this beautiful and heavenly Japanese Cheesecake. The reason for that is, I had to do it three times to get it picture-ready for my blog, but I am not complaining at all, neither is Armin from the looks of it. He was actually the one urging me to make a "better" one and then another. Although the first two Japanese cheesecakes I made were not picture perfect, they were still delicious.

It was only that my first one came up nice after baking but once it cooled down it turned wrinkled at the top. The second one was firmer and nice all throughout even after chilling but it had a big crack on one side separating the top brown part from the rest of the cake, which of course looked weird.

Easy Japanese Cheesecake Recipe - so fluffy and jiggly! - Foxy Folksy (3)But after reading a lot of different Japanese Cheesecake recipes and my multipleattempts, (I think) I know now why I failed the first two times.

With all the three cakes I made, I only used the same recipe that my most beautiful sis-in-law, ate Mia, gave me (do not worry that I hurt anybody else's feeling with my superlative comment as she is the only sis-in-law I have).

The secret for making the perfect Japanese Cheesecake

So I knew that it has to be the technique I was using that was causing all the problems. At both times I might have over-beaten my egg whites. This caused the cake to rise too much and with the first cake. The which I baked at 160°C for about 30 minutes then lower the temperature to 140°C because I thought it was already too hot, it made the cake rise then deflate, thus, the wrinkled surface.

Easy Japanese Cheesecake Recipe - so fluffy and jiggly! - Foxy Folksy (4)

As for the second cake, which I baked at 200°C for 15 minutes and lowering again to 150°C for another 50 minutes, it did not have wrinkles but cracked instead.

So I, therefore, conclude, that over-beating the meringue and baking the Japanese cheesecake at a temperature that is too low or too high and too long will result to a not so good looking but still delectable cakes.

Easy Japanese Cheesecake Recipe - so fluffy and jiggly! - Foxy Folksy (5)For the third cake (this one in the pictures), I beat the egg whites at only medium-high speed (never use high speed) until almostreaching soft peaks and stop there and baked the cheesecake at 200°C for 15 minutes then 150°C for another 15 minutes then turning off the oven and leave it there for another 30 minutes with the oven door closed and another 10 minutes with door open.

Below is a visual to show the stages of beating egg whites to make a meringue. Remember, we only want to get to the 3rd stage, the soft peaks.

Easy Japanese Cheesecake Recipe - so fluffy and jiggly! - Foxy Folksy (6)

The result... a perfect dome with no wrinkles nor cracks. With this technique, the cakedid rise but notasmuch as the first two times. Which is good...or bad...depending on how you like it I guess... I like to have the Japanese Cheesecake while it is still slightly warm. But it is equally good when chilled for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Easy Japanese Cheesecake Recipe - so fluffy and jiggly! - Foxy Folksy (7)

Printable Recipe

Japanese Cheesecake

4.72 from 28 votes

Try this Japanese Cheesecake or cotton cheesecake recipe for a super fluffy, light-as-air and heavenly cheesecake you will ever make.

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Course :Dessert

Servings =6

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Ingredients

  • 10 ounces cream cheese
  • ¼ cup butter
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 5 large eggs - white and yolks separated
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)
  • ¼ cup sugar

Instructions

  • Line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch round pan or springform with parchment paper. Wrap the pan with 2 sheets of aluminum foil (no need if using aluminum pan) sealing it completely.

  • Fill a larger pan halfway with water. Place it the lowest rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 150°C.

  • Combine the cream cheese and butter in a big microwave safe bowl. Warm it in the microwave until it melts. Add ¼ cup sugar and mix well until mixture is smooth.

  • Using a whisk, add the milk and lemon juice and mix. Add the yolks one a time while mixing. Sift the flour and cornstarch while gradually adding them to the mixture and mix until well combined and smooth. Sieve the mixture if needed to get rid of lumps.

  • Beat the egg whites at low speed for 2 minutes, add the cream of tartar if using and increase speed to medium-low and beat until foamy. Gradually add ¼ cup sugar while beating for another 30 seconds then turn speed to medium-high and beat until almost soft peaks forms.

  • Using the whisk, fold in the meringue into the cream cheese mixture in three parts until well combined.

  • Pour the batter into the lined pan. Tap the pan on the kitchen or tabletop to remove the bubbles. Place the pan into the water bath and bake at 200°C for 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 150°C and bake for another 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the pan in the water bath inside with the door closed for another 30 minutes then another 10 minutes with door open.

Nutrition

Calories: 395kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 9gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 229mgSodium: 287mgPotassium: 170mgFiber: 0gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 1130IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 1.2mg

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

Easy Japanese Cheesecake Recipe - so fluffy and jiggly! - Foxy Folksy (2024)

FAQs

Why is my Japanese cheesecake not fluffy? ›

If the oven isn't hot enough, the egg whites will deflate and the cheesecake will be dense and heavy instead of light and airy, so turning on the oven is always the first thing I do.

What makes Japanese cheesecake different? ›

One thing that makes Japanese cheesecake different and special is its unique texture. Unlike traditional cheesecakes, which are dense and heavy, Japanese cheesecakes are light and airy. With a combination of whipped egg whites and cream cheese, this dessert takes on the perfect balance of smoothness and fluffiness.

Does Japanese fluffy cheesecake need to be refrigerated? ›

How long will they last? Our Japanese Cheesecakes can stay in room temperature for up to 12 hours. We recommend putting them in the fridge as soon as possible, and they can last refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Why did my cheesecake come out fluffy? ›

If your ingredients are cold you will have to mix them longer which will whip too much air into your batter. If the cake has too much air, it will rise too much in the oven and then the middle will sink when cooling.

What ingredient makes a cake Fluffy? ›

Most cakes begin with creaming butter and sugar together. Butter is capable of holding air and the creaming process is when butter traps that air. While baking, that trapped air expands and produces a fluffy cake. No properly creamed butter = no air = no fluffiness.

Why is my cheesecake still jiggly after baking? ›

If there is a large, jiggly area, or if liquid breaks the surface or sloshes over the edges of the pan, the cheesecake is not finished cooking.

How do you keep Japanese cheesecake from deflating? ›

Over mixed batter - With meringue based batter, it is crucial to not over-mix. Over-mixing the batter will deflate the meringue, creating a dense cake and separation in the Japanese cheesecake. That's when you see a super dense layer of rubbery cake, usually at the bottom.

What is Osaka style cheesecake? ›

Incredibly light and fluffy cheesecake, with an almost air-like texture.

What is the difference between Basque and Japanese cheesecake? ›

Basque cheesecake: This is a crustless cheesecake, just like a Japanese one, but it has a burnt top layer that adds a distinctive caramel note.

What is the famous Japanese jiggly cheesecake? ›

Rikuro's Cheesecake: Osaka's Favorite Super-Jiggly Gourmet Desserts!

Why is my Japanese cotton cheesecake cracking on top? ›

Japanese Cheesecake Troubleshooting:
  1. If your cake does crack, the heat may have been too high. ...
  2. If your cake is airy and fluffy at the top, and dense on the bottom, then you did not incorporate your final batter well enough.
Apr 20, 2020

What is the difference between Western and Japanese cheesecake? ›

Western cheesecakes are dense, cream cheese forward, and much sweeter. The Japanese counterpart is more eggy with just a hint of cream cheese flavor, and less sweet overall. If made correctly, it will actually jiggle with a consistency akin to a chiffon cake or an angel food cake.

What does adding an extra egg to cheesecake do? ›

Making it lighter: If you don't like the thick and heavy cheesecake then I would recommend adding more eggs if you want to keep the classic taste or adding sour cream or heavy whipping cream if you like how those change the taste.

Why is my cheesecake so wobbly? ›

If you see ripples, your cheesecake is still too liquid in consistency and needs to bake longer. If the entire surface of the cheesecake wobbles uniformly, like a perfectly set Jell-O, it has passed the wobble test and can be removed from the oven.

Why is my Japanese cheesecake flat? ›

Over-mixing the batter causes the whipped egg whites to deflate. The signature soft and fluffy texture comes from the air whipped into the egg whites. Without the extra air the cake will not be able to rise resulting in a flat and dense cake.

Why is my souffle not rising? ›

Floppy egg whites--tough luck, your souffle won't rise. Underbake and you'll have a soupy mess. Overbake and a once beautifully majestic souffle will collapse. Get your timing wrong--souffles have no tolerance for late-to-the-table dinner guests--and your souffle will fall.

Why is my Japanese cheesecake wrinkly? ›

The importance of cooling your cheesecake

The super slow cooling keeps your cheesecake looking non-wrinkly and crack-free, which was a problem I faced the first few times I made this. The only thing is, when you cool it in the oven, you don't get to have fun jiggling it while it's still hot.

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