Cotton Cheesecake / Japanese Cheesecake is my new favorite dessert and after you try this recipe, it will become your favorite too! It’s the perfect combination of sponge cake and cheesecake in both taste and texture. What I love about this scrumptious cake is it’s not overly sweet as some cakes can be. The combination of fluffy cake with slightly tart cream cheese is absolutely heavenly. I hope you enjoy this Cotton Cheesecake / Japanese Cheesecake recipe as much as I do. Please note this recipe can be a bit tricky. Watch the video and follow the steps exactly. Happy Baking!
Watch the video for instructions.
Notes on the Cotton Cheesecake Recipe, Tips and Tricks
As the cream cheese, eggs and butter need to be at room temperature, advanced planning is required. About 2 hours before making the cake, remove the cream cheese and butter from the refrigerator. About 1 hour before, take the eggs out of the fridge. The cream cheese and butter should be soft and spreadable for this recipe. If the ingredients are not quite ready, pop them in the microwave on Low power for about 15-20 seconds.
Eggs are easiest to separate when they are cold. Egg whites are best beaten at room temperature to achieve the fluffiest texture. Separate the eggs while they are cold and then let them come to room temperature as you prep the remaining ingredients for the recipe.
Use an 8 inch by 3 inch round springform pan. Line the pan so the parchment paper extends about 2 inches above the pan. The parchment paper wall provides support since the cake rises to about 3 inches tall during baking. Keep the paper to no more than 5 inches tall. Too much paper will prevent the top of the cake from browning nicely.
The water bath is essential for keeping the cake moist. As the cake bakes for longer than the typical cake, the water bath is crucial. Additionally, the water bath insulates the cake and allows it to bake at a consist temperature. These factors are important for achieving the fluffy and moist texture for the cake.
Be sure to fold the egg whites into the batter. Do not beat or mix vigorously as this will deflate the egg whites. (If you’re not familiar with the fold technique, check out how I do it in the video.)
As oven temperatures vary, check to see if the cake is done (by using a toothpick) after 1 hour of baking. Then bake the cake until the top is golden brown. This is one recipe where over-baking the cake is ok. You won’t ruin the cake! Depending on your oven it may take up to 1 1/2 hours. Again, this is just fine.
If your cake cracks on top, the heat is too high or the cake is too close to the heating element. Make note of this and adjust these things the next time.
The Cotton Cheesecake will shrink (about 1/2 inch or so) after cooling so please don’t despair. Leaving the cake in the oven after it’s done baking helps to minimize some of the deflating.
Refrigerate the Cotton Cheesecake for at least 4 hours before eating. The cold air sets the cream cheese and greatly improves the flavor and texture.
Store any remaining cake in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To freeze, wrap the cake securely with plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
✨✨I just shared a post on the most common challenges with making Cotton Cheesecake / Japanese Cheesecake and I explain all the details with pictures of my past frustrations. If you’re new to making this cheesecake or have made it without much success, check out the post before starting the recipe!
Cotton Cheesecake Challenges: Deflation, Cracks, and Water Bath Issues
If you enjoy this Cotton Cheesecake / Japanese Cheesecake recipe, you may also like:
Chocolate Cotton Cheesecake / Japanese Cheesecake
Orange Chiffon Cake with Edible Flowers
Cotton Cheesecake / Japanese Cheesecake
Ingredients
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar, divided
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp corn starch
Directions
Line the bottom and side of the springform pan with parchment paper. Wrap the springform pan with several sheets of foil, sealing it completely.
Fill a large baking pan halfway with water. Place it in the oven on the lowest rack. Preheat the oven to 315 F (157 C).
Separate the eggs and place the egg whites into a mixing bowl and the yolks into a measuring cup.
Beat the egg whites on Low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to Medium Low and beat for another 30 seconds or until foamy. Add the cream of tartar. Increase the speed to Medium High and beat until the egg whites just start to thicken. Add 1/4 cup sugar gradually. Continue beating until the egg whites reach the soft peaks stage (approximately 3 minutes using a stand mixer).
In a separate bowl, add the cream cheese and milk. Mix on Low speed until creamy and smooth (approximately 2-3 minutes). Add the butter, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. Add the flour and corn starch and mix for another minute. Finally add the egg yolks and mix for 1 more minute. Strain the batter using a sieve.
Add 1/3 of the egg whites and gently fold into the batter until mostly incorporated. Add another 1/3 and gently fold. Add the remaining 1/3 and gently fold.
Pour the batter into the lined springform pan. Spread the batter evenly into the pan and smooth out the top using a spatula. Holding the side of the pan, gently lift and drop the pan on the counter about 6 times to remove any big air bubbles.
Place the springform pan into the water bath and bake the cake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Check the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. (It should come out clean.) Bake the cake for an additional 10-15 minutes to brown the top.
Turn off the oven, open the oven door slightly (about 2-3 inches) and let the Cotton Cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour.
Remove the Cotton Cheesecake from the pan. Place on a plate and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Serve with fresh fruit, fruit puree, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, etc.
Cover and refrigerate any remaining portions. Enjoy the Cotton Cheesecake within the week.
Yields: 8 servings
Cotton Cheesecake / Japanese Cheesecake
Cotton Cheesecake / Japanese Cheesecake is my new favorite dessert and after you try this recipe, it will become your favorite too. It's the perfect combination of sponge cake and cheesecake in both taste and texture. What I love about this scrumptious cake is it's not overly sweet as some cakes can be. The combination of fluffy cake with slightly tart cream cheese is absolutely heavenly. I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I do. Please note this recipe can be a bit tricky. Watch the video and follow the steps exactly. Happy Baking!
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs , at room temperature
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup sugar , divided
- 8 oz cream cheese , at room temperature
- 1/2 cup low-fat milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
Bakeware
- 8 inch round springform pan
Instructions
-
Line the bottom and side of the springform pan with parchment paper. Wrap the springform pan with several sheets of foil, sealing it completely.
-
Fill a large baking pan halfway with water. Place it in the oven on the lowest rack. Preheat the oven to 315 F (157 C).
-
Separate the eggs and place the egg whites into a mixing bowl and the yolks into a measuring cup.
-
Beat the egg whites on Low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to Medium Low and beat for another 30 seconds or until foamy. Add the cream of tartar. Increase the speed to Medium High and beat until the egg whites just start to thicken. Add 1/4 cup sugar gradually. Continue beating until the egg whites reach the soft peaks stage (approximately 3 minutes using a stand mixer).
-
In a separate bowl, add the cream cheese and milk. Mix on Low speed until creamy and smooth (approximately 2-3 minutes). Add the butter, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. Add the flour and corn starch and mix for another minute. Finally add the egg yolks and mix for 1 more minute. Strain the batter using a sieve.
-
Add 1/3 of the egg whites and gently fold into the batter until mostly incorporated. Add another 1/3 and gently fold. Add the remaining 1/3 and gently fold.
-
Pour the batter into the lined springform pan. Spread the batter evenly into the pan and smooth out the top using a spatula. Holding the side of the pan, gently lift and drop the pan on the counter about 6 times to remove any big air bubbles.
-
Place the springform pan into the water bath and bake the cake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Check the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. (It should come out clean.) Bake the cake for an additional 10-15 minutes to brown the top.
-
Turn off the oven and open the oven door slightly (about 2-3 inches) and let the Cotton Cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour.
-
Remove the Cotton Cheesecake from the pan. Place on a plate and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
-
Serve with fresh fruit, fruit puree, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, etc.
-
Cover and refrigerate any remaining portions. Enjoy the Cotton Cheesecake within the week.
Recipe Video
Notes, Tips & Tricks
- As the cream cheese, eggs and butter need to be at room temperature, advanced planning is required. About 2 hours before making the cake, remove the cream cheese and butter from the refrigerator. About 1 hour before take the eggs out of the fridge. The cream cheese and butter should be soft and spreadable for this recipe. If these ingredients are not quite ready, pop them in the microwave on Low power for about 15-20 seconds.
- Eggs are easiest to separate when they are cold. Egg whites are best beaten at room temperature to achieve the fluffiest texture. Separate the eggs while they are cold and then let them come to room temperature as you prep the remaining ingredients for the recipe.
- Use an 8 inch by 3 inch round springform pan. Line the pan so the parchment paper extends about 2 inches above the pan. The parchment paper wall provides support since the cake rises to about 3 inches tall during baking. Keep the paper to no more than 5 inches tall. Too much paper will prevent the top of the cake from browning nicely.
- The water bath is essential for keeping the cake moist. As the cake bakes for longer than the typical cake, the water bath is crucial. Additionally, the water bath insulates the cake and allows it to cook at a consist temperature. These factors are important for achieving the fluffy and moist texture for the cake.
- Be sure to fold the egg whites into the batter. Do not beat or mix vigorously as this will deflate the egg whites. (If you’re not familiar with the fold technique, check out how I do it in the video.)
- As oven temperatures vary, check to see if the cake is done (by using a toothpick) after 1 hour of baking. Then bake the cake until the top is golden brown. This is one recipe where over-baking the cake is ok. You won’t ruin the cake! Depending on your oven it may take up to 1 1/2 hours. Again, this is just fine.
- If your cake cracks on top, the heat is too high or the cake is too close to the heating element. Make note of this and adjust these things the next time.
- This cake will shrink (about 1/2 inch or so) after cooling so please don’t despair. Leaving the cake in the oven after it’s done baking helps to minimize some of the deflating.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours before eating. The cold air sets the cream cheese and greatly improves the flavor and texture.
Nutrition FactsCotton Cheesecake / Japanese CheesecakeAmount Per ServingCalories 265 Calories from Fat 162% Daily Value*Fat 18g28%Saturated Fat 10g63%Cholesterol 149mg50%Sodium 138mg6%Potassium 113mg3%Carbohydrates 19g6%Sugar 14g16%Protein 6g12%Vitamin A 720IU14%Vitamin C 0.7mg1%Calcium 63mg6%Iron 0.8mg4%* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Want to learn more about making Cotton Cheesecake / Japanese Cheesecake and the common challenges? Check out this post where I detail the most common frustrations and how to fix them.
Cotton Cheesecake Challenges: Deflation, Cracks, and Water Bath Issues
Hi Trang,
I have tried the recipe and I have added vanilla extract to it and it turned out really good, my family and I loved it. Thanks for the recipe and the video.
Hi Fatimah,
I am so thrilled to hear you were successful and I am glad your family enjoyed the Cotton Cheesecake. Great job to you!! Thanks for stopping by to share your results. 🙂
Can i use cake flour instead as i dont have AP flour right now.
Yes, using all cake flour is just fine.
Can you freeze the cheesecake? Meaning left over can it freeze well?
Yes, you can freeze the leftover cake. I like to cut into single-serving portions prior to freezing. I have a sweet treat whenever I get the craving for Cotton Cheesecake! 🙂
Hi Trang,
I’ve made this cake twice now and both times the top has ugly cracks. I am using a 6″ pan because I wanted a taller cake. The water for the water bath is boiling hot, could this be the reason why it’s cracking? I will try folding and tenting a parchment sheet over the pan to prevent cracking. Any other suggestions?
Hi Sophia,
The cracking is mostly likely because the top oven heating element is too hot or too close to the cake. Try reducing the oven temperature a bit, lowering the cake on the oven rack or covering the pan with foil or parchment paper.
Good Luck!
Hi Trang!
Saw your video on YouTube and I thought I’ll give it a try. They look so good!
The prep time went smoothly but I would only like to make one suggestion. I followed your video step-by-step and started with mixing the egg whites. When I set it aside and did the rest of my preparation, the egg white mixture started to separate. When it was time for me to mix in the egg white mixture with the rest of the batter, there was liquid underneath. So I just gave it a little mix and went on my merry way. But I would suggest to others who tried this recipe that they should do the egg white mix near the end of the prep time so that this would not happen.
Also, big error on my part. I wasn’t able to wrap the aluminum foil to my springform pan securely and the water got mixed into my cake. It still looks good though but I don’t know how it taste. I’m currently waiting for it to cool down to see if the water had major effects on the cake.
Overall, I would try this recipe again until I mastered it! Thanks for posting this Trang! I truly appreciate it. It makes baking so much easier.
Hi Sharmaine,
I appreciate you trying the recipe and sharing your tip about whipping the egg whites after making the batter. I think others interested in trying this recipe will find it really helpful.
I hope the cake turned out well for you. Please stop back to share your results! 🙂
Hi Trang,
Sharmaine here. Just a quick update for the results. The taste was amazing! I love how its not too sweet. The texture of the cake was heavenly! So soft and delicious! The only issue I had was the bottom was a bit soggy but that was my fault for not securely wrapping my pan with aluminum foil.
I tried your recipe a second time and I added some lemon juice and lemon zest for extra flavour and my family really enjoyed them. I suggested the recipe to my friend and she said she tried it and she said that your recipe was so easy, a beginner like her had no problem doing it.
Thanks for posting this, I’ll keep recommending your recipes to others because they are so easy to follow. I also like how you post tips on your website! Good job!
Hi Sharmaine,
Yeah! I am glad to hear you enjoyed the Cotton Cheesecake. Great job to you! The extra lemon juice and zest is nice. I always add extra when I make this for my sister as she loves it zesty too. Thank you for sharing this post with your friend. I appreciate your support and kind words! <3
Miss Trang ,
Can you please change those recipe from cup/spoon to gram ?
Hi Chong,
Sorry, I don’t cook in grams much. Please use an online converter to change the measurements to gram.
I made my cheesecake and it had rose up to the rim of the parchment paper around the 30 minute mark. However, when the cake began to bake past the 1 hour mark it began to shrink. After I had cooled it in the oven, it had shrunk about an inch or so. And after I took it out of the fridge to taste, it was soggy…. could it have been possibly because the springform had leaked? I used three layers of aluminum foil and had it sit in the water for a waterbath as it was baking. How can I solve this problem? Thanks!
Hi Angie,
It sounds like your oven is too hot. The cake should rise gradually during the first hour and not just swell-up the first half hour. I suggest turning down the oven about 15-20 degrees the next time around. Regarding the soggy cake, it’s possible the springform pan leaked. You can try removing the cake from the water bath and removing the foil and just letting it cool in the oven. Give it another go and let me know if you get better results. Good Luck!
Hey trang, my cheesecake did not rise at all . The height is only 2/10 of my springform pan. And the taste was horrible. Please help me!
Hi Manisya,
Sorry to hear your cheesecake didn’t turn out? Did you make any recipe substitutions? Was the cake baked for the required time?
Hello, my cheese cake didn’t rise. I don’t know what’s wrong here???
Hi Hue,
I am sorry to hear that but it’s difficult for me to diagnose without knowing the details. Did you make any substitutions or changes to the recipe?
Can I use self rising flour in place of regular flour?
I wouldn’t recommend it as self-rising flour contains baking powder and salt. Hope that helps.
Hi Trang!
Tried this recipe last weekend and it was delicious! Thank you so much for this:)
I’ll be trying out adding matcha to the recipe tomorrow.
Wish me luck!
Ps How long can I keep the cake in the fridge/freezer for?
Hi, awesome! Glad to hear your Cotton Cheesecake turned out well for you. Good Job! Let me know how you like the matcha version. The cake is good in the fridge for up to 1 week. It can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Hello I am also trying to make this wonderful looking cake, but I have a question:
I know that the recipe calls for an 8 inch pan, but can it be possible to use a 9 inch pan? Please let me know.
Hi Alex,
A 9-inch pan would definitely work. The cake will be slightly thinner and there would be no changes to the baking time. Good Luck!