Cotton Japanese Cheesecake without Cracks

Soft and creamy Japanese cotton cheesecake made using simple instructions that anyone can master. Tastes just like the ones at the Japanese bakeries.

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I really love the simplicity of Japanese Cotton Cheesecakes because they taste delicious without any additional frostings or decorations. It's a lighter cake that is perfect after heavier meals. And trust me, many hosts will be delighted to receive one as a hostess gift. I first published different versions of this classic Japanese dessert in these flavors: Earl Grey Japanese Cheesecake and Chocolate Japanese Cheesecake.

That was many years ago and I must say, I have learned a lot more about making cheesecakes and cakes in general after taking professional pastry classes in my free time. Besides loving the lighter nature of this type of cheesecake, I was really intrigued by the technical aspects of how to prevent it from cracking and shrinking. After many attempts at baking them again and again in my home oven with a variety of different baking conditions and ingredient ratios, I am happy to present this final version to you. I hope this recipe will help you make the same Japanese cheesecakes that you can find at the bakery.

XOXO,
Mimi

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Light & Fluffy - a lighter cheesecake that's perfect for tea time or after big meals
• Simple - cheesecake that tastes amazing on it's own without frosting
• Year-round dessert - made with year-round ingredients for every occasion

What Does Japanese Cheesecake Taste Like?

Firstly, Japanese cheesecakes in general are known to be soft and creamy, unlike their counterpart, the New York cheesecake which is denser. The Japanese version is usually known for it's soufflé-like properties. Just like soufflé, it's leavened by egg whites, making this type of cheesecake wobbly and light textured, similar to a chiffon cake when it first comes out of the oven. After setting in the fridge, it has a firmer and creamier texture. Taste-wise, it doesn't have any sour taste because it doesn't contain sour cream. Instead, the natural flavors of milk and eggs come through, especially with recipes that don't contain vanilla. And like many Japanese desserts, it's also less sweet.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Wet Mix for Batter

• Cream cheese - Use block style cream cheese, do not use cream cheese spread as it will be too soft to use in this recipe. I prefer Philadelphia brand for it's consistent results in baking.
• Butter - adds richness to the cheesecake, it should be unsalted
• Full fat milk - can be substituted with heavy cream for a richer flavor. Avoid using lower fat milks as they don't have a nice rich flavor.
• Egg yolks - from large eggs should be at room temperature for better incorporation

Dry Mix for Batter

• Cake flour - is a low protein flour that minimizes gluten formation, yielding a softer fluffier cake. It usually has a protein content between 6-8% while pastry flour, also a lower protein flour, has a protein content between 8-9%. Cake flour is usually sold as a blend in grocery stores labelled as "cake and pastry flour". It can be substituted with AP flour in an equal amounts but the cake will be less soft and fluffy.
• Cornstarch - keeps the protein level in the cake low to make it softer. It is white and fine, not the same as corn flour. It can be substituted with cake flour in equal amounts.

Meringue

• Egg whites (large size) - are the main leavening agent, it will whip better at room temperature. How much it comes to volume will determine how much your cake rises.
• Cream of tartar - is an acid that helps to stabilize the egg whites, it can be replaced with double the amount of lemon juice or vinegar.
• Granulated sugar - provides structure to the meringue and adds sweetness to the cheesecake.

What Type of Cake Pans Should I Use?

To release Japanese cheesecakes from the pan without ruining it's appearance, a cake pan with an open bottom is ideal. Japanese cheesecakes are soft and jiggly making them difficult to remove like regular cake. Either a cake ring or springform pan will allow you to remove the pan by pulling it away from the cake once it's rested on a presentation surface. I personally prefer to use cake rings as it was what we used in professional pastry classes. Cake rings have no breakable parts making them ideal for washing and long term usage.

If you only have traditional cake pans with a solid bottom, you can use that as well. Use a sharp edge knife to release the cake from the sides, place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the finished cake and turn the cake upside down. Then place a plate on the bottom of the cake and flip it over once again.

Can I Use a Different Sized Pan?

This recipe was written for a 7" cake ring that is 3" tall but you can also use a six or eight inch ring. For the 6" cake ring (at least 3" tall), reduce all the ingredients by 20% (the egg works outs to total 5 yolks and 5 egg whites). Do not fill up the pan all the way with batter, allow at least half an inch for expansion and there will still be some leftover batter for a cupcake. For the 8" cake ring, you can use the same amounts in this recipe but the cake will be shorter.

It can also be baked in mini cake rings or a cupcake pan lined with paper. I like the latter as it can be placed in a water bath easily without worrying about water seepage. No matter which size pan you choose, note that the baking times will change, it's important to use visual cues to gauge doneness - a nice golden color on the top and an internal temperature of 150F.

Are Water Baths Needed for Japanese Cheesecakes?

Japanese cheesecakes are usually baked using a water bath technique whereby the cake pan rests inside a pan of hot water during baking. The water helps keep the baking environment moist so the top of the cheesecake won't dry out and crack. Additionally, the water provides even gentle heat all around the cake to help it bake nice and slow for a better texture and to further stop cracks from forming. In class, we were taught to use water baths for baking our cheesecakes but I have tried baking this cake at home without it as well. I found that the tops and sides were thicker and drier without the water bath, plus it shrank and cracked. After shrinkage, the resulting cake was unpleasantly dense. If you're more picky about the appearance and texture of your cheesecake, I would highly recommend using a water bath.

Why Does My Cheesecake Have a Crack?

Poor temperature control and a meringue that is too stiff can cause this soufflé-style cake to crack and shrink. Know that it's okay for the cake to have cracks, it's more important to have a fully cooked cake than one that hasn't fully set due to under baking. If you're more picky about your Japanese cheesecake's appearance, here are some tips to prevent cracks:

1. Only beat the meringue to the firm peaks stage - the points hold their shape but falls over.
2. Use an external oven thermometer to keep track of the two different baking temperatures required.
3. Use the water bath as outlined above to provide even heating.
4. Start baking with a low temperature first and then increase it at the end. You can slowly increase it by 25F increments to obtain the final rise and browned top.
5. Leave the finished cake inside the oven with the door slightly ajar for an hour to reduce temperature shock.

What are The Best Toppings for this Cake?

The beauty of Japanese cheesecakes is its simplicity. Tasting scrumptious all on its own, they are usually served by itself without any toppings or condiments. Sometimes they are topped with a thin layer of apricot jam and a dusting of icing sugar with some fresh berries on the side. If you really want to add some extra icing on top for decorations, I recommend using something like a stabilized whipped cream because its lighter texture is better suited for this type of light cheesecake. A popular method to change up the flavor of this cake is to flavor the cake body only by adding matcha green tea powder or lemon zest to the dry mix, or sesame paste to the wet mix.

How To Store & Freeze Japanese Cheesecakes

After cooling, Japanese cheesecakes need to be refrigerated in an air-tight container where it will stay fresh for up to 5 days. It can be frozen but similar to its main ingredient, cream cheese, the texture will become a little more grainy. The flavor will stay the same, it will just be a bit less creamy and smooth (noticeable only through my side-by-side tasting). It's a decent compromise if you really need to make this cake in advance.

Step By Step Photos

PRE-HEAT OVEN to 250F and have a pot of hot water ready. PREP: Grease the sides of the cake pan with butter. Line bottom with parchment paper. Wrap the bottom and sides with aluminum foil to prevent water seepage. PREPARE WET MIX: Add room temperature cream cheese and butter to a heat-proof bowl. Hang over a pot of boiling water (do not let bowl touch water). Stir together until it becomes a creamy mixture. Right before taking off the heat, add the warmed milk and stir together until it looks smooth and uniformed.

Turn off heat and pour the mixture through a sieve to remove large lumps. The mixture should be at room temperature now. Add the room temperature egg yolks one at a time and stir until it's incorporated.

PREPARE DRY MIX: In a separate bowl, sift the flour and cornstarch, mix to evenly disperse ingredients. INCORPORATE DRY & WET ingredients together. With a whisk, gently stir together until no traces of flour is visible. Set this batter aside.

MAKE MERINGUE: With a handheld mixer or stand mixer, whip the room temperature egg whites on low-speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar. Increase speed to medium-low and whip until the beaters leave tracks inside the egg whites. Add the sugar a little bit at a time. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until firm peaks (see photo below). Do NOT overwhip. This is now called the meringue.

FOLD MERINGUE INTO BATTER in 3 additions. Fold gently, do not stir. Place the prepared cake pan into the larger water bath pan. POUR CAKE BATTER: into the cake pan, leaving half an inch for expansion. Tap the large water bath pan once on the counter to release any large air pockets inside the cake batter. POUR HOT WATER (not boiling) into the water bath pan, about halfway up the cake pan.

BAKE: Carefully transfer the pan onto the middle rack of the pre-heated oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes. You'll see a moderate rise of the cake at this time. INCREASE TEMPERATURE to 300 F and bake for another 30 minutes until the top of the cheesecake is golden.* TURN OFF OVEN and leave the door slightly ajar. Let the cake sit inside the water bath in the oven for another hour before removing cake. This will prevent shrinkage and cracking from temperature shocks.

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