Japanese Cheesecake Recipe (Fluffy Soufflé Cheesecake)
This post may contain affiliate links.I’ve always loved how Japanese cheesecake feels so light compared with a classic cheesecake. This version is soft, fluffy, gently sweet, and has that delicate soufflé texture that makes every bite feel almost weightless.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
🏷️ Recipe Name: Japanese Cheesecake
⏱️ Ready In: ~ 30 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 12 slices
🔥 Calories: 63 kcal per slice (estimate)
🧾 Main Ingredients: Cream cheese, milk, butter, eggs, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt, cake flour, cornstarch, lime juice.
🥗 Dietary Info: Contains dairy and gluten
🧠 Difficulty: Easy
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Japanese cheesecake is one of those cakes I never get tired of making. I used to make and sell it in different flavors, so this soft and fluffy cheesecake brings back quite a few memories for me. Also known as Japanese soufflé cheesecake or Japanese cotton cheesecake, it is much lighter than a classic cheesecake, with a delicate crumb, gentle cream cheese flavor, and an airy texture that almost melts in your mouth.
What I love most about this Japanese cheesecake recipe is the texture. A good one should be tall, soft, and fluffy, with a lightly golden top and a moist center. You may also hear it called a jiggly Japanese cheesecake, especially when it is freshly baked and still has that lovely little wobble. The texture comes from whipped egg whites, so getting the meringue, folding, baking temperature, and water bath right makes a big difference.
If you love cheesecake as much as I do, there are plenty of other versions to try too. My Burnt Basque Cheesecake is rich and deeply caramelized, while the Brownie Burnt Basque Cheesecake adds a chocolatey layer. For something with an Asian flavor, try my Pandan Burnt Cheesecake. I also have Mini New York Cheesecakes, a refreshing No-Bake Mango Cheesecake, and my Iceberg Cheesecake topped with chocolate ganache.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Cream cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese for the best texture and flavor. It gives the Japanese cheesecake its creamy base while still allowing the cake to stay light and fluffy.
Cornstarch – Helps create that soft, delicate texture and gives the cake its signature slight jiggle without making it dense.
Lime juice – Adds a gentle tang that balances the richness of the cream cheese and keeps the cheesecake from tasting too heavy.
Cake flour – Keeps the crumb soft and tender. Its lower protein content helps give Japanese soufflé cheesecake that light, airy texture.
Eggs – The egg whites are especially important because they are whipped into a meringue, which gives the cake its height and fluffy structure.
Powdered sugar – Sweetens the cake without making it overly sweet and dissolves easily into the batter and meringue.
Butter and milk – Add richness and moisture while keeping the cheesecake soft.
Vanilla extract – Adds a light vanilla aroma that complements the cream cheese and lime.
How to Make Japanese Cheesecake
STEP 1. Prepare the cream cheese mixture. Place the cream cheese, butter, and milk in a mixing bowl (Image 1). Set the bowl over a bain-marie (a pot of gently simmering water) and whisk gently until the cream cheese and butter are completely melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy (Image 2). Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites (Image 3). Add the egg yolks to the warm cream cheese mixture (Image 4).
STEP 2. Make the cheesecake batter. Whisk the egg yolks into the cream cheese mixture until smooth and evenly combined (Image 5). Sift in the cake flour and cornstarch (Image 6), then whisk gently until there are no visible lumps (Image 7). Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix until combined (Image 8).
STEP 3. Make the meringue. In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy (Image 9). Gradually add the powdered sugar in three additions, continuing to beat after each addition (Image 10). Add the lime juice (Image 11) and continue whipping until the meringue forms soft peaks (Image 12).
The soft-peak stage is important—the meringue should hold its shape but the tip should gently curl over rather than stand completely stiff.
STEP 4. Fold, bake, and finish. Add about one-third of the meringue to the cream cheese batter (Image 13) and gently fold it in to lighten the mixture. Add the remaining meringue in portions, folding gently after each addition until the batter is smooth and evenly combined (Image 14). Avoid overmixing so you don’t deflate the meringue.
Pour the batter into a parchment-lined baking pan. Wrap the outside bottom and sides of the pan securely with aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in (Image 15).
Place the cake pan inside a larger baking pan and pour hot water into the larger pan to create a water bath. Bake in a preheated oven at 302°F (150°C) for 55 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 356°F (180°C) and bake for another 10 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and carefully take it out of the water bath. Remove it from the pan, gently peel away the parchment paper, and allow it to cool before slicing and serving.
Pro Tips
- Use softened cream cheese – This helps it melt more smoothly with the butter and milk, so you get a lump-free batter.
- Keep the bain-marie gentle – The water should be hot but not aggressively boiling. Too much heat can make the cream cheese mixture too hot or cause it to separate.
- Let the cream cheese mixture cool slightly before adding the egg yolks – It should still be warm, but not hot enough to cook the yolks.
- Sift the cake flour and cornstarch – This keeps the batter smooth and helps prevent flour lumps in the finished cheesecake.
- Use a clean, grease-free bowl for the egg whites – Even a little yolk or grease can make the meringue harder to whip properly.
- Add the powdered sugar gradually – Adding it in three portions helps the meringue become smoother and more stable.
- Stop at soft peaks – For Japanese soufflé cheesecake, the meringue should be soft and glossy with a tip that bends over. Stiff peaks can make the batter harder to fold and may contribute to cracking.
- Fold, don’t stir – After adding the meringue, use gentle folding motions to keep as much air in the batter as possible. This is what gives the cake its light, fluffy texture.
- Wrap the pan well with foil – Since the cheesecake is baked in a water bath, make sure the bottom and sides are tightly covered so water does not seep into the cake.
- Use hot water for the water bath – This helps the cheesecake bake gently and evenly, which is important for its soft texture.
- Don’t rush the final browning – The last few minutes at the higher temperature are only to give the top its golden color, so keep an eye on it to prevent over-browning.
- Cool before slicing – The cheesecake is very delicate when hot. Letting it cool first helps the texture settle and makes cleaner slices.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this tangy Japanese soufflé cheesecake on its own or with a spoonful of strawberry compote for a fruity contrast. If you like something a little richer, a small dollop of coconut kaya jam also pairs nicely with the soft, lightly sweet cheesecake.
For afternoon tea, I like serving it with a refreshing cucumber juice drink or a fizzy lychee soda. Both are light enough to complement the fluffy cheesecake without overpowering its delicate flavor. If you’re in the mood for something milky, Korean strawberry milk or rose milk tea would also pair beautifully with this cheesecake.
Japanese Cheesecake FAQs
Japanese cheesecake gets its light, airy texture from whipped egg whites. The meringue is gently folded into the cream cheese batter, which creates the soft, soufflé-like crumb.
The water bath helps the cheesecake bake gently and evenly. It also adds moisture to the oven, which helps keep the cake soft and reduces the chance of cracking.
Cracking can happen if the oven is too hot, the meringue is overwhipped, or the cake rises too quickly. Make sure the egg whites are whipped only to soft peaks and keep the baking temperature gentle.
A little shrinking is normal as the cheesecake cools. Excessive shrinking can happen if the meringue is under- or overwhipped, the batter is overmixed, or the cake is not baked through enough to support its structure.
Lift the beaters from the egg whites. The meringue should form a peak that holds briefly but bends gently at the tip instead of standing completely upright.
I recommend using one for this recipe. The gentle, moist heat helps create the soft and delicate texture that Japanese soufflé cheesecake is known for.
Yes. When freshly baked, the center should have a gentle wobble. The cake will become slightly firmer as it cools while still staying soft and fluffy.
Storage
Store leftover Japanese cheesecake in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I usually enjoy it cold straight from the fridge because the texture stays soft, creamy, and refreshing.
If you prefer it slightly warm, reheat a slice in the oven for about 5 minutes, just until gently warmed through.
More Japanese Sweets Recipes
- Japanese Red Bean Bread
- Hokkaido Cheese Tart
- Japanese Salt Bread
- Japanese Milk Hearth Bread
- Chocolate Hearth Bread
- Japanese Dorayaki
- Chocolate Dorayaki
- Japanese Milk Buns
Japanese Cheesecake
Equipment
- 1 baking pan 6 inches
Ingredients
- 70 gr cream cheese
- 32 gr milk
- 16 gr butter
- 20 gr cake flour
- 6 gr cornstarch
- 2 eggs
- 1 gr salt
- 37 gr powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the cream cheese, butter, and milk in a mixing bowl (Image 1). Set the bowl over a bain-marie (a pot of gently simmering water) and whisk gently until the cream cheese and butter are completely melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy (Image 2). Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.
- Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites (Image 3). Add the egg yolks to the warm cream cheese mixture (Image 4).
- Whisk the egg yolks into the cream cheese mixture until smooth and evenly combined (Image 5). Sift in the cake flour and cornstarch (Image 6), then whisk gently until there are no visible lumps (Image 7). Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix until combined (Image 8).
- In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy (Image 9). Gradually add the powdered sugar in three additions, continuing to beat after each addition (Image 10). Add the lime juice (Image 11) and continue whipping until the meringue forms soft peaks (Image 12).
- The soft-peak stage is important—the meringue should hold its shape but the tip should gently curl over rather than stand completely stiff.
- Add about one-third of the meringue to the cream cheese batter (Image 13) and gently fold it in to lighten the mixture. Add the remaining meringue in portions, folding gently after each addition until the batter is smooth and evenly combined (Image 14). Avoid overmixing so you don't deflate the meringue.
- Pour the batter into a parchment-lined baking pan. Wrap the outside bottom and sides of the pan securely with aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in (Image 15).
- Place the cake pan inside a larger baking pan and pour hot water into the larger pan to create a water bath. Bake in a preheated oven at 302°F (150°C) for 55 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 356°F (180°C) and bake for another 10 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and carefully take it out of the water bath. Remove it from the pan, gently peel away the parchment paper, and allow it to cool before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use softened cream cheese – This helps it melt more smoothly with the butter and milk, so you get a lump-free batter.
- Keep the bain-marie gentle – The water should be hot but not aggressively boiling. Too much heat can make the cream cheese mixture too hot or cause it to separate.
- Let the cream cheese mixture cool slightly before adding the egg yolks – It should still be warm, but not hot enough to cook the yolks.
- Sift the cake flour and cornstarch – This keeps the batter smooth and helps prevent flour lumps in the finished cheesecake.
- Use a clean, grease-free bowl for the egg whites – Even a little yolk or grease can make the meringue harder to whip properly.
- Add the powdered sugar gradually – Adding it in three portions helps the meringue become smoother and more stable.
- Stop at soft peaks – For Japanese soufflé cheesecake, the meringue should be soft and glossy with a tip that bends over. Stiff peaks can make the batter harder to fold and may contribute to cracking.
- Fold, don’t stir – After adding the meringue, use gentle folding motions to keep as much air in the batter as possible. This is what gives the cake its light, fluffy texture.
- Wrap the pan well with foil – Since the cheesecake is baked in a water bath, make sure the bottom and sides are tightly covered so water does not seep into the cake.
- Use hot water for the water bath – This helps the cheesecake bake gently and evenly, which is important for its soft texture.
- Don’t rush the final browning – The last few minutes at the higher temperature are only to give the top its golden color, so keep an eye on it to prevent over-browning.
- Cool before slicing – The cheesecake is very delicate when hot. Letting it cool first helps the texture settle and makes cleaner slices.
This Japanese cheesecake is one of my favorite light and fluffy cakes. It’s gently sweet, a little tangy, and has that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture I love.