Japanese Cotton Cheesecake is my favorite dessert. I’m sure you will love this recipe! This is the perfect combination of cheesecake and sponge cake in taste and texture.

So let’s jump right into the recipe; however, I highly suggest you read through the whole article for the best resultse. 

Ingredients

• 5  eggs
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/3 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk (low-fat)
• 9 oz of cream cheese
• 4 TBSP of unsalted butter
• 1 TBSP of lemon juice
• 2 TBSP of cornstarch
• 4 TBSP of all-purpose flour

Instructions

• Start by using parchment paper, and line the bottom and sides of your springform pan. Cover the springform pan completely with foil by wrapping it in several sheets.
• Pre-heat the oven to 315 F
• Fill the large pan with water, only halfway. Place the baking pan on the lowest rack of the oven.
• Divide the egg whites and egg yolks. Place the egg whites in a bowl, and the yolks in a measuring cup.
• For 30 seconds, beat the egg whites at low speed. Turn the speed up to Medium-Low, and continue beating for 30 seconds more or until the egg whites are foamy.
• Add the cream of tartar.
• Turn the mixer to Medium-High and beat the egg whites until they begin to thicken. Slowly add 1/4 cup sugar.
• Continue beating the egg whites until they reach the soft peak stage (for about three minutes with a stand mixer).
• Add the cream cheese, milk and toss them together in a separate bowl. Mix on low speed until smooth and creamy (for about 3 minutes).
• Mix in the butter, lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar. Beat for one minute. Mix in the flour and cornstarch for one more minute.
• Mix in the egg yolks for one more minute. Strain the batter using a sieve.
• Slowly fold a third of the egg whites mixture (meringue) into the batter, until it is well combined. Fold in 1/3 more. Fold the 1/3 remaining.
• The batter should be poured into the prepared springform pan. Smoothen the surface of the batter nicely using a spatula.
• To remove large air bubbles, move the pan up and down 6-7 times slowly.
• Bake the cake in the water bath for one hour and ten minutes. You can check the doneness of the Japanese cheesecake by inserting a toothpick in the middle. It should come out clean. To brown the top, bake the cake for another 10-15 minutes.
• Turn off the oven and open the oven door slightly, a few inches. Let the Japanese Cotton Cheesecake cool down in the oven for one hour.
• Take the Japanese Cotton Cheesecake out of the pan. Place the Cotton Cheesecake on a plate. Refrigerate for 4-5 hours.
• Serve with whipped cream, fruit, fruit purees, chocolate sauce, or whatever you prefer.
• You can refrigerate any leftovers, it can stay for about 7 days in the fridge.

Pin the image below if you like this Japanese Cheesecake Recipe!

What is Japanese Cotton Cheesecake?

It is often referred to as Japanese jiggly cake, Japanese souffle cheesecake or Japanese light cheesecake and Japanese cotton cheesecake. This cheesecake is made with less cream cheese and sugar than traditional cheesecakes. The addition of whipped meringue makes it light and fluffy.

You might want to check out this recipe for Asian Mango Sponge Cake!

Japanese Cotton Cheesecake taste

Japanese cotton cheesecakes are light and fluffy and have a sweet, tangy and rich texture.

This delicious cake is not as sweet as other cakes. It’s heavenly to combine fluffy cake and a bit of tart cream cheese. I am sure you will enjoy this Japanese Cheesecake recipe. This recipe is easy if you follow the exact instruction, however, if you diverge, just a little bit, it can be tricky to get it right.

What is the Secret of Japanese Cheesecake Fluffy and Jiggly Texture?

Whipping meringue is the secret to fluffy, jiggly Japanese Cheesecakes. The meringue acts like a rising agent lifting the cheesecake up just as it does in souffles. It also helps lighten the cheesecake’s texture. This makes the Japanese cheesecake fluffy inside and makes it jiggly.

Why is my Japanese Cotton Cheesecake dense and not fluffy?

There are several possible reasons why your Japanese cheesecake is dense instead of fluffy.

• Too much air was lost when the white eggs mixture (meringue) was folded into the base batter.
• There is a possibility that you’ve over whipped the meringue.
• The cheesecake wasn’t properly baked.

How to make Japanese Cheesecake Fluffy and Jiggly

Make a fluffy, beautiful Japanese cheesecake by whipping the meringue until it reaches a soft-medium point. You’ll know when it’s done because the meringue will be shiny when it reaches this stage. The peak of the meringue should curve down and hooks rather than standing straight up.

Avoid whipping the meringue too stiffly. This will cause the meringue not to be properly incorporated into your batter base, which will lead to dense cheesecakes. Soft-medium peak cheesecakes will be the most fluffy and have the least shrinkage.

If you don’t mind the shrinkage, you can whip your meringue until it reaches a soft peak. You will get a cheesecake that is fluffy and is extra jiggly. This is how you can use different stiffnesses of meringue.

Japanese Cotton Cheesecake Tips and Tricks

• For this cheesecake to work, you must plan ahead as the eggs, butter and cream cheese perform the best at room temperature. Remove the cream cheese and butter from the refrigerator at least two hours before you start baking your cheesecake. Take the eggs out of the fridge about an hour before you start to bake the cake. For perfect Japanese Cotton cheesecake, the cream cheese and butter must be softened nicely. These ingredients can be microwaved on low for 20 seconds to make sure they are ready.
• Cold eggs are easier to separate. To achieve the best texture, egg whites should be beaten at room temperatures.  Separate the eggs while they’re cold, after that, you can let them chill before you begin preparing the remaining ingredients.
• An 8 by 3 inch round springform aluminum pan is highly recommended. Place the parchment paper 2 inches above the pan. Since the cake rises while baking, the parchment paper will make great support. The height of the parchment paper shouldn’t exceed five inches.
• A water bath is necessary because this Japanese Cheesecake takes longer to bake than a normal cake. The water bath also insulates the cake, allowing it to cook at a consistent temperature. These are key factors in achieving a jiggly, moist texture in Japanese Cotton Cheesecake.
• Make sure you fold the egg whites mixture (meringue) into your batter. Don’t beat the eggs or mix too hard, as this will cause them to become brittle.
• Oven temperatures can vary so check the cake after an hour to make sure it is cooked. Bake the cake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until it is golden brown. A bit of over-baking is not a big issue with Japanese Cotton Cheesecake. It won’t damage the cake. Just be careful you don’t undercook it. It can take as long as 1 1/2 hours depending on the oven. This is perfectly normal.
• After cooling, the cake will shrink a bit. The deflating can be minimized by leaving the cake in the oven once it has been baked.
• Before you eat the cake, let it cool for at least 4 hours, ideally 5 hours. The cold air helps to set the cream cheese, which in turn makes the Japanese cotton cheesecake taste and texture much better.
• If you have cotton cheesecake leftovers, which I doubt you do, you can make this amazing deep-fried cheesecake.