Japanese Cheesecake (Jiggly and Further Tacky)

February 26, 2025

2

This Japanese cheesecake recipe produces a light-weight and ethereal cheesecake texture that jiggles, but tastes very moist, creamy, and tacky. It’s not tremendous candy and has a zesty and vibrant undertone. This weblog put up dives into the main points of the method that will help you make this Japanese bakery cheesecake in your personal kitchen.

A slice of Japanese cheesecake served on a small plate

Japanese cheesecake, also called soufflé cheesecake or cotton cheesecake, is a pleasant twist on conventional cheesecakes. Not like its denser New York-style counterpart, Japanese cheesecake is understood for its ethereal, jiggly, and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

The key to Japanese cheesecake’s fluffy texture lies in its preparation. It incorporates whipped egg whites, just like a chiffon cake, which creates its signature ethereal construction. The batter is gently baked utilizing a bain-marie (or water bathtub), making certain even warmth distribution and stopping cracks.

Japanese cheesecake with one slice removed

Why this recipe

To create the very best tasting Japanese cheesecake that has an ethereal texture, it comes all the way down to the ratio of the cream cheese, flour, and the whipped egg white. For those who use an excessive amount of cream cheese, the cake will come out denser however style very tacky. For those who don’t use sufficient cream cheese, the cheesecake will find yourself extra like a chiffon cake and never moist or tacky sufficient.

This recipe makes use of extra cream cheese than a few of the different Japanese cheesecake recipes for a cheesier taste and moist mouthfeel, but it retains a really ethereal texture so the cake jiggles when shaken.

A slice of Japanese cheesecake on plate showing texture

Substances

Japanese cheesecake makes use of quite simple substances and also you most likely have most of them in your pantry.

Cream cheese – The bottom of the cheesecake, offering richness and umami cheesiness.
Eggs – Separated into yolks and whites, essential for construction and fluffiness.
Heavy cream
Butter
Cake flour – Retains the cake tender and delicate. You should use all-purpose flour plus cornstarch to realize the identical consequence.
Sugar – Sweetens the cheesecake and helps with the meringue (for the fluffy texture).
Lemon juice & sea salt – Add a tangy style.
Vanilla bean paste – Enhances the flavour and provides little dots within the batter for look. You should use vanilla extract as an alternative.
Cream of tartar – To stabilize the batter for a greater construction.
Apricot jam – For glazing the cake. You may also skip this.

Ingredients for making Japanese cheesecake

Springform pan

I like to recommend utilizing a springform pan as a result of it’s a lot simpler to launch the cheesecake from it after baking. I used a 9” pan in my recipe. You should use an 8” springform pan as effectively, however you will want to bake the cheesecake just a little longer.

It’s potential to make use of a daily cake pan as effectively. On this case, try Simply One Cookbook on methods to correctly line the pan.

Half sheet pan

A half sheet pan is used to make the water bathtub for baking. It’s essential and might’t be skipped.

Digital scale

I all the time advocate utilizing a digital scale for any baking recipes, as a result of it’s far more dependable and can aid you create higher outcomes. For this recipe, it’s potential to get by and not using a digital scale, however I extremely advocate utilizing one. For those who use an excessive amount of flour (this occurs extra typically when measuring the flour in cups as an alternative of by weight), the cake would come out just a little denser.

Mixer

A mixer is used on this recipe to whip the egg white and make the meringue, which creates the feel of the cake. I used a stand mixer, however you need to use a handheld mixer as effectively.

The way to make Japanese cheesecake

Put together the springform pan

It’s vital to arrange the pan correctly, so it’s straightforward to launch the cake and stop the water from coming in throughout baking.

Fold a big piece of parchment paper a number of occasions. Maintain it in opposition to the cake pan to type a crease which you could reduce alongside to form the paper to the underside of the pan.
Then reduce the paper, making a spherical circle to line the underside of the pan (It doesn’t should be good so long as it covers many of the space).
Reduce a second piece of parchment paper so it’s about 2 inches wider than the peak of the springform pan, and lengthy sufficient to wrap across the inside.
Spray the within of the pan with oil spray.
Match the underside and the perimeters of the pan with the parchment paper you narrow. Press the parchment in opposition to the pan so it sticks to the oil spray.
Frivolously spray the within of the pan yet another time. Wrap the skin of the pan in aluminum foil. This may stop water from getting in whereas baking.

Make the cheese batter

Place a big bowl over a small pot of boiling water to create a double boiler. Use it to soften and blend the cream cheese, sugar, butter and heavy cream. The double boiler helps to softly warmth up the substances with out overheating. And it’s a lot sooner than ready for all of the substances to come back to room temperature earlier than mixing.

How to set up the double boiler for the batter

Whisk within the eggs one after the other.

Then sift the cake flour in and blend it in. Lastly, add the lemon zest, vanilla, and sea salt.

Sift flour and grate lemon zest into the batter

Make the meringue

Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar collectively till frothy. Then slowly stream within the sugar. Whip till medium-stiff peaks type.

Then you will want to include the meringue into the batter – that is crucial step and the trickiest step on this recipe. This step creates the fluffy texture within the cake. If combined an excessive amount of, the egg whites will deflate, leading to a denser cake. If not combined sufficient, the egg whites won’t be totally included, leading to an uneven texture.

To correctly combine the meringue, completely combine and stir in 1/3 of the meringue. Then add the remainder of the meringue and fold it in very gently, till simply mixed.

TIP

In French baking, it’s endorsed to “sacrifice” a few of the meringue. In doing this, we take a small quantity of the meringue and stir it into the batter to lighten it. Whereas we’ve misplaced the quantity of that small portion of meringue by stirring and never folding, the remaining meringue will now be simpler to fold in.

Bake the cheesecake

Lastly, you’ll bake the cheesecake utilizing a water bathtub.

To bake with a water bathtub, you will want to have a small pot of water boiling on the range whenever you’re able to bake. I preheat the oven at 350°F (176°C), the next temperature than the baking temperature. As a result of the oven will lose some temperature whenever you open the door and pour within the water.

Whenever you’re able to bake, place the cake pan within the half sheet pan, and pour the boiling water into the half sheet pan as quick as you may, then shut the oven door instantly. Bake at 320°F (160°C) for 45 to 50 minutes, till the highest of the cake is golden brown and the within is cooked via.

How to set up water bath for baking the Japanese cheesecake

Glaze the cheesecake

The cheesecake is able to serve as soon as it’s baked. However typically it’s glazed with a easy apricot syrup for a pleasant shiny look.

The glaze is extraordinarily straightforward to make. All you have to do is combine some apricot jam with water, then pressure it via a mesh strainer.

When you launch the cake from the pan, you may brush the glaze on with a pastry brush.

Brushing apricot glaze onto Japanese cheesecake

The way to serve and retailer Japanese cheesecake

Let the cheesecake chill within the fridge for half-hour to 1 hour earlier than serving. As soon as it’s cooled, you may slice it. For those who jiggle the cake when it’s freshly baked, you may see the cake dancing on the plate and it’s tremendous cool!

You possibly can retailer the cheesecake in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 1 week. The cake texture will develop into just a little denser and received’t jiggle anymore should you chill it in a single day, however its texture will stay fluffy and moist.

Afterthoughts

I all the time give away my baked items to neighbors as a result of I all the time have a lot and might’t end them myself. However after I made this cheesecake, it was TOO GOOD so I stored it for myself. I saved it within the fridge for per week and shared it with my husband, a small piece a day. The cheesecake saved extraordinarily effectively in the direction of the tip. For those who make it at house, I’d be shocked in case you have leftovers after a number of days.

Japanese cheesecake is the right dessert for individuals who love mild, fluffy, and creamy truffles that aren’t too candy. Whether or not you’re making it for an important day or just treating your self, this recipe will aid you obtain that signature jiggly texture whereas sustaining the tacky style of a cheesecake.

Taking bites from a slice of Japanese cheesecake

Give it a try to depart a remark under to let you understand how your cake comes out!

Wish to Know Extra?Obtain our 5-Day Chinese language Cooking Crash Course & Recipe Updates! Subscribe