Japanese Soufflé Cheesecake

February 22, 2026

Ever since I shared this recipe, my inbox has been flooded with requests for the full step-by-step instructions. The jiggling clip of Japanese soufflé cheesecake goes viral on social media. It is the perfect blend of a classic creamy cheesecake and an airy soufflé. It has a melt-in-mouth texture and a subtle sweetness. Luckily, it's surprisingly easy to make even if you don't have baking experience.

If you're looking for a dessert that brings a 'wow' moment for your loved ones, or a perfect treat that you can enjoy to the last bite, THIS IS IT! You don't want to miss out. Let’s start baking!

📝 Ingredients (for a 6-inch round pan, or a heart-shaped pan)

Cream cheese 150g
Milk 65g
Eggs 3 (Chilled)
Unsalted butter 35g
Low-gluten flour 25g (Or 25g cornstarch for gluten-free cake)
Sugar or sweetener 40-50g (Depends on your taste)
Lemon juice 4g (Only for stabilizing the whites and reduces eggy smell, not for flavor)
Vanilla extract 4g (Optional)

🥣 Tools you need

Hand mixer
6-inch round baking pan, or a heart-shaped pan
Parchment paper/Pan side liner
Mixing bowls
Whisk and Spatula
Aluminum foil (to wrap the pan)
Bigger pan for water bath

🍳 Step-by-step Instructions

1. Preheat:

Preheat the oven to 150°C (302°F). If you have a convection oven, then 135°C (266°F).

2. Prep the eggs:

Separate the eggs into yolks and whites and make sure there is no yolk in the whites, otherwise it will be difficult to whip the whites.

Put the egg whites in the freezer while you prepare the batter.

3. Make the batter:

Add cream cheese, egg yolks, milk, butter, and flour into a bowl over warm water. Keep low heat to nicely melt the ingredients but not to cook the yolks. Whisk until smooth and no lumps.

4. Whip the whites:

Take the egg whites out of the freezer. Add sugar, a few drops of lemon juice, and vanilla extract if you like, whip until soft peaks.

5. Combine:

Gently fold 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into batter. Mix well. Then fold in the remaining egg whites gently.

6. Prepare the pan:

Line the bottom and sides of the pan. If you are using a loose-bottom pan, wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in during the water bath.

7. Bake:

Pour the batter into the pan (a 6-inch/18cm round pan, or a 18cm*10cm loaf pan, or a heart-shaped pan).

Place the pan inside a larger pan with hot water inside (the water bath baking method). Bake with top and bottom heat at 150°C (302°F), or convection oven at 135°C (266°F), for about 70 minutes.

The perfect temperature and baking time vary from oven to oven. Please monitor and adjust based on your oven's actual performance.

8. After baking:

Once the baking is done, turn off the oven and let the cake sit inside for extra 20 minutes with the door closed to prevent shrinkage.

9. Serve:

Enjoy it warm straight out of the oven or chill it in the fridge for a denser, ice-cream texture. If you want to cut it into piece, warm the knife and cut very carefully because this the cake is so light and so fragile.

10. Reheating Tip:

Microwave 800W for just 10-15 seconds to make it jiggly again!

Please do try this recipe, share with your friends and family, and comment below if you like it!

🙋 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why does my cake crack on top?

Cracking usually happens if the oven temperature is too high. This causes the cake to rise too fast and "pop" before the structure is settled. Stick to a gentle temperature and ensure your water bath stays full. But cracking is not a big problem because the taste stays the same!

Why does my cake shrink so much after I took it out?

This can be resulted from difference reasons, the most common 3 reasons are as below:

If the center is not fully baked (still "soupy" inside), it will collapse under its own weight as it cools.
The egg whites is not whipped well. If the egg whites haven't reached a stable soft peak, they won't have the "backbone" to hold up the heavy cream cheese.
Moving the cake from a hot oven to a cold counter too fast. Try let it sit in the turned-off oven for another 20 minutes.

My cake is too "eggy"?

Normally you won’t taste the eggy smell with that much of cream cheese. If you are sensitive to eggy smells, the lemon juice is your best friend here! It neutralizes the sulfur in the eggs. You can also add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or fresh lemon zest for extra aroma.