Here is a Japanese Cotton Cheesecake recipe — widely considered one of the softest cakes in the world due to its airy, cloud-like texture. It’s not difficult, but it requires a bit of care and patience.
🍰 Japanese Cotton Cheesecake Recipe (Serves 8)
🧁 Ingredients:
Cream Cheese Mixture:
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250g (9 oz) cream cheese (room temp)
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50g (3.5 tbsp) unsalted butter
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100ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) milk
Dry Ingredients:
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60g (½ cup) cake flour (or all-purpose flour sifted 2x)
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20g (2 tbsp) cornstarch
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¼ tsp salt
Egg Mixture:
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6 large eggs (separate yolks and whites)
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140g (⅔ cup) granulated sugar
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1 tsp lemon juice or cream of tartar
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1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
🍳 Instructions:
1. Prep
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Preheat oven to 150°C / 300°F.
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Line the bottom and sides of a 8-inch (20cm) round cake pan with parchment. Wrap the outside with foil (to prevent water leakage from the water bath).
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Boil water for the water bath.
2. Make Cream Cheese Base
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In a heatproof bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, and milk.
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Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler), and stir until smooth.
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Remove from heat, let cool slightly.
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Whisk in egg yolks, vanilla (if using), then sift in flour, cornstarch, and salt. Mix until smooth.
3. Whip Egg Whites
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In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with lemon juice or cream of tartar until frothy.
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Gradually add sugar in 3 parts while whipping to stiff but not dry peaks.
4. Combine
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Add ⅓ of the meringue into the cream cheese batter. Mix to loosen.
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Gently fold in the remaining meringue in two batches until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Bake
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Pour batter into the prepared pan. Tap lightly to remove air bubbles.
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Place the cake pan into a larger pan filled with hot water (water bath should come halfway up).
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Bake at 150°C / 300°F for 25 minutes, then lower heat to 110°C / 230°F and bake another 55–60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
6. Cool Slowly
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Turn off oven and leave the cake inside with the door slightly ajar for 15–20 minutes.
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Remove and let cool fully before unmolding.
📝 Tips:
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Use room temperature ingredients.
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Avoid overmixing meringue into batter.
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Do not open the oven during baking, or the cake may collapse.
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Cake can shrink slightly after baking — that’s normal.
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