Nicholas Gavin is the Culinary Creative Director of ChefSteps, where he develops recipes and is responsible for making all the food look beautiful. Nick has worked at ChefSteps for over a decade; he and ChefSteps co-founder Grant Crilly worked together at Modernist Cuisine. Nick has worked in professional kitchens both in the United States and abroad, most notably at Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain.

Nicholas Gavin

Breville Joule® Oven Air Fryer Pro

9-inch Stainless steel springform pan

Parchment paper

Nonstick cooking spray

2-quart Saucepan

The Control Freak™ Home

Immersion blender

Breville Bakery Chef™ Stand Mixer

10-inch by 10-inch Baking pan

Digital instant-read thermometer

Baking/Cooling rack(s)

Cream cheese

Whole milk

Granulated sugar

Neutral oil

Vanilla extract

Lemon juice

Kosher salt

Lemon zest

Egg yolk(s)

All-purpose flour

Cornstarch

Cream of tartar

Egg white(s)

Unlike a <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/new-york-cheesecake">New York cheesecake</a>, Japanese cheesecake doesn’t have a bottom crust. In that, it’s similar to <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/basque-cheesecake">Basque cheesecake</a>.

Both boast brown tops that are achieved with a two-phase bake, starting out in a hot oven to jump-start browning, and then finishing at a much lower baking temperature to get the perfect interior texture.

The interior texture of these two cheesecakes couldn’t be more different. Basque cheesecake is creamy and custardy in the center, almost like a triple-crème cheese. Meanwhile Japanese cheesecake is super light, fluffy, and airy like a chiffon cake.

Learn more about different styles of cheesecake in our signature analysis of the form, <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/cheesecake-parametric">Cheesecake: A Parametric Analysis</a>. 

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A parametric analysis of 7 types of cheesecakes.

Cheesecake: A Parametric Analysis

Basque Cheesecake

No-crust cheesecakes

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to [f 380] with fan on if using a convection oven, or [f 400] if using a conventional oven.

Cut a 9-inch round of parchment paper. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and use a paper towel to spread oil evenly over surface of pan. Line pan with parchment round.

Cut two 3- by 16-inch strips of parchment paper. Spray one side of each strip with nonstick cooking spray. Line walls of cake pan with parchment strips, sprayed sides facing in, overlapping them slightly. Set aside.

Prepare cake pan

This cheesecake recipe can be cooked in a rice cooker to produce a super-jiggly cheesecake. For the ingredient quantities listed, you’ll need a 6-cup rice cooker.

This recipe variant was tested using a multi-function microprocessor rice cooker, like <a href="https://www.amazon.com/CUCKOO-Uncooked-Electric-Nonstick-CR-0655F/dp/B01MQWFGKG?tag=chefsteps02-20">this Cuckoo model</a>. You will need to experiment with the cooking time and procedure if you own an induction rice cooker. Single-button and pressure rice cookers will not work.

How to do it:
Skip Step 1. Spray bottom and sides of rice cooker pot with nonstick cooking spray and use a paper towel to spread oil evenly over surface.

Cut parchment round that fits snugly in rice cooker pot; set aside.

Proceed with recipe as written through Step 5 and pour batter into pot. Cook for 25 minutes on glutinous rice setting (settings vary by rice cooker model).

Open rice cooker and allow steam to dissipate, about 1 minute. Place parchment round on top of cake. Close rice cooker and continue cooking until cheesecake has risen to top of pot and center of cheesecake registers [f 180] on an instant-read thermometer, about 25 minutes longer. Peel off and discard parchment round.

Transfer pot to wire rack and let cool at room temperature until cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.

To unmold, tilt pot at 45-degree angle and rotate to release sides of cheesecake. Place a serving plate over pot and carefully invert plate and pot, tapping plate gently on work surface to help release cheesecake, with bottom side-up.

Slice and serve immediately.

Make cheesecake in a rice cooker.

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine cream cheese, milk, 50 g sugar, oil, vanilla, lemon juice, salt, and lemon zest. Set over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until cream cheese is soft and spreadable, and sugar is fully dissolved, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add egg yolks and, using an immersion blender, blend until emulsified and no streaks remain, about 30 seconds.

Add flour and cornstarch, and continue blending, scraping down sides of saucepan as needed, until mixture is completely smooth, about 45 seconds longer. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside.

Heat and blend cheesecake batter

In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 50 g sugar and cream of tartar until combined.

Add egg whites to bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Mix on medium speed until frothy and opaque, 1 to 2 minutes. With mixer running, slowly stream in sugar mixture down the side of the mixer bowl. Increase speed to high and mix until medium peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Stop mixer and set meringue aside.

Whip meringue

Fold one-third of meringue into cheesecake batter and gently stir until no lumps remain and mixture is streaky. Add remaining meringue and fold until cheesecake batter is just combined and no lumps or streaks remain, 20 to 30 folds.

Fold meringue into cheesecake batter

Pour cheesecake batter into prepared cake pan. Firmly tap pan on work surface to remove large air pockets.

Insert a skewer or similar fine-tipped object 1/2 inch below surface of batter in center of pan and, in a gentle spiraling motion working gradually outwards to edge of pan, stir surface of cheesecake batter. Repeat process several times—this will help smooth out surface of batter.

Cut an 18- by 18-inch piece of aluminum foil and lay flat on work surface. Place cake pan in middle of foil and gently fold foil around sides of pan so bottom and sides are completely covered, folding overhanging edges so that foil is flush with rim of cake pan. Place cake pan in a 10- by 10-inch baking pan.

Bring kettle or small saucepan of water to a boil.

Cast batter

To achieve a beautiful, browned top without any cracking or blowouts, we like to bake Japanese cheesecake using a water bath. We wrap the springform pan in foil to prevent any water from leaking into the batter. Make sure to avoid using a springform pan that’s bent and/or doesn’t have a tight seal.

Watch out for leaks!

Transfer baking pan to oven rack and, taking care not to splash water into cake pan, pour enough boiling water into baking pan to reach halfway up sides of cake pan.

Bake, rotating cake pan 180 degrees after 5 minutes, until top of cheesecake is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

First phase bake to brown top

Reduce oven temperature to [f 225] and continue baking, rotating cake pan 90 degrees every 15 minutes, until cheesecake top is domed, dark brown, and center registers [f 180] on an instant-read thermometer, 50 to 60 minutes longer.

Second phase bake to finish

“Wait, I have to rotate this cheesecake how many times?”

Yes! As many times as is necessary! In all our tests of baking cheesecakes, the most important thing you can do to encourage gentle, even heating of the filling is rotating the pan as it cooks. Doing so prevents any one section from cooking faster than the others, which ensures the filling is cooking at an even rate, guaranteeing a consistent texture.

Think of it like a <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/precision-pan-seared-steak">perfectly seared steak</a> that has one temperature gradient from edge to edge: Instead of frequently flipping the steak to ensure even cooking, you’re turning the cake.

Rotating the cake also helps to address any “hot spots” your oven may have, areas where the heat is concentrated due to the design of the heating elements or the way the interior creates convection currents.

Should you be worried about whether opening and closing the oven door repeatedly will drop the oven temperature? No! The recipe is designed with frequent rotation in mind; while the oven temperature will drop, it is by design. Trust the process and you’ll have a perfectly cooked cheesecake from edge to edge with a beautiful, darkly browned top.

For a perfectly baked cheesecake, give it a spin.

Carefully lift cake pan out of baking pan and transfer to wire rack. Let cheesecake cool at room temperature for 1 hour.

If serving cheesecake warm, proceed to Step 9. If serving cheesecake cold, transfer cake pan to refrigerator and chill, uncovered, until completely set, about 3 hours.

Cool cheesecake

Japanese cheesecake can be served warm or cold.

Warm: Jiggly, delicate, and melts away in your mouth with clear notes of lemon and vanilla, resembling the chiffon cake of your dreams.

Cold: Like the moistest sponge cake you’ve ever had but with a hint of cream cheese tang.

Serving cheesecake warm or cold will produce different textures.

Release springform clasp, remove sides of pan, and peel away parchment from sides of cake.

Slice cheesecake into portions, dipping knife in warm water and wiping blade before each slice. Transfer slices to individual serving plates, making sure to remove and discard parchment from bottom of each slice. Serve.

Slice and serve

When portioning high-fat items, such as <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/foie-gras-torchon-a-flavor-packed-french-snack-your-friends-will-freak-over">foie gras torchon</a>, <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/vegan-no-bake-chocolate-custard">chocolate custard</a>, and <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/flan-creme-caramel">flan</a>, dipping your knife in warm water helps produce clean slices.

A warm knife melts fat on contact, helping the knife glide through a slice, with the added bonus of imparting a beautiful shine to the cut side. Warm water also makes it much easier to clean the knife between cuts.

The key is to use a tall cylindrical vessel (such as a pitcher) that can fit the entire length of the entire blade. The water doesn’t need to be too hot. Hot water right from the tap—that’s about [f 130]—is plenty warm enough to get the job done. Just submerge the blade in the warm water for 2 to 3 seconds, wipe away the excess water, and start slicing.

Warm water is the key to clean slices.

Step 1: Prep the cake pan
We used <a href="https://www.surlatable.com/product/nordic-ware-naturals-cake-pans/3231065">this pan</a>. The dimensions are 6 inches x 2 1/2 inches, but you can use any dark similar-sized pan—even a loaf pan will work. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan. Lightly grease the bottom of the pan and place the parchment down. Now grease/spray the parchment and the sides of the pan. Set aside.

Step 2: Preheat the oven
Preheat your oven to [f 302]. Find a baking pan or tray that your cake pan can fit inside and that has at least a 2-inch lip. Place a dry towel in the pan and fill it halfway with water. The water will help the rise of the cake and prevent case hardening. The towel is to help keep the cake centered in the pan while baking.

Step 3: Scale dry ingredients and combine 
Sift dry ingredients into a medium bowl and combine thoroughly. Set aside until needed.

Step 4: Mix wet ingredients 
Rub sugar and vanilla bean together using either a mortar and pestle or your hands. This step helps evenly disperse the vanilla seeds. Add xanthan gum (if using).

NOTE: Xanthan gum is added in some commercially baked goods to help retain moisture.

Combine all the ingredients—except the egg yolks—in a medium pan over medium heat. Mix constantly until smooth. You’re not cooking anything during this step, just making the batter base more malleable—ideally, the temperature is around [f 167] or lower.

Remove from heat and add the sifted flour mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the egg yolks and mix well.

Set aside.

Step 5: Whip egg whites
Using a stand mixer—or by hand—whisk the egg whites until they are light and foamy. Add sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form. When you turn your whisk upside down, the peaks should just start to hold their shape.

Step 6: Fold the whipped whites into the batter
Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter, one third at a time.

Step 7: Bake
Pour batter into the pan and place the pan in the steam tray. Bake for 30 minutes.

Then turn the oven down to [f 248] and bake for another 45 minutes.

Turn the oven off but keep the cake inside to rest in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes. This helps the cake cool and set during its most unstable stage, when it’s fully souffléd. Note that the cake will shrink a little bit, and that is expected.

Step 8: Whip cream 
Whip the cream using a stand mixer or by hand, until soft peaks form. Feel free to add sugar to taste, if you like.

OPTIONAL: While the cake is baking, warm the heavy cream in a medium pan. Soak a bag of your favorite tea in the warmed cream for about 1 hour. (We love Earl Grey.) Strain and chill thoroughly before whipping.

TIP: For best results, the cream (plain or infused) should be very cold before whipping.

Step 9: Assemble
Once your cake is fully cooled, dust it lightly with powdered sugar. Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream and a few berries to make it a beautiful dessert.

Bonus! Turn this cake into French toast
Slice cooled, leftover cake into approximately 1-inch-thick slices. Toast in a pan on the stove or simply in the toaster. The interior has a custardy texture, while the outside crisps. Top it with berries, powdered sugar, and syrup. Now that’s a date night done right.

Cake flour

Sugar

Vanilla bean

Xanthan gum

Butter

Corn syrup

Milk

Salt

Heavy cream

Powdered sugar

Fresh berries

The original recipe

Cheesecake can be made in advance, wrapped tightly in plastic, and refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Make-ahead and storage

Japanese cheesecake is often called “cloud cake” because, well, putting a forkful in your mouth is like eating a cloud. Airy and light, with the characteristic tang that cream cheese provides, Japanese cheesecakes owe their unique texture to the fact that they’re basically a super-aerated foam. A sweet and cream cheese-y custard base is lightened up with a meringue, and there’s just barely enough flour and starch to give the whole thing structure. It’s as if a sweet cloud was given just enough heft to anchor it to a plate just long enough for you to devour it. EDITORS’ NOTE: We’ve updated this recipe to improve its flavor and texture, while removing unnecessary ingredients. The recipe no longer calls for xanthan gum or cake flour; the total quantity of eggs has been reduced to temper the egginess of the cake; the amount of sugar has been increased to improve the cake’s moisture retention; and the ratio of egg yolks to egg whites has been altered to produce an airier and lighter texture. If you prefer to use the original recipe, we’ve included it as a tip at the end of the recipe before the make-ahead and storage instructions.

Ultra-Fluffy Japanese Cheesecake