Souffle Cheesecake, Cotton Cheesecake, Jiggly Cheesecake
This japanese cheesecake recipe makes the famous jiggly souffle cake: cream cheese, milk and butter melted smooth, folded into a cloud of whipped egg whites, then baked gently in a water bath until it rises tall and trembles. It tastes like cheesecake crossed with sponge cake — soft, barely sweet, and gone in minutes. One serving is about 105 g.
The light souffle cheesecake took shape in Japan in the 1960s, when Japanese bakers adapted the Western cheesecake with whipped egg whites and a gentle water bath to suit a taste for soft, barely sweet cakes. Osaka became its home: Rikuro Ojisan, a bakery in the city, has sold its freshly baked jiggly cheesecake since the 1950s, and Uncle Tetsu, founded in Hakata in 1990, carried the wobbling cake to shops around the world. Videos of the cake trembling on the plate made it a global viral dessert in the 2010s, but the recipe itself has barely changed — cream cheese, eggs, milk and patience.
Pairs well with: A dusting of icing sugar, fresh berries and a cup of green tea
Provenance
Japan
Osaka Souffle Style
East & South Asia
Time Dedication
1h 20m
25m prep • 55m cook
Batch Yield
6 Servings
316 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 105 g
Technical Skill
Advanced
Hard (Meringue & Water Bath)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Inappropriate
Dinner
Inappropriate
Snack & Tea
Ideal Light Bite
Osaka Souffle Style
Photo: Ocdp, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Low — about $1–2 per serving at home (USD)
Made with full-fat cream cheese, eggs, whole milk, butter and a little flour; nutrition is estimated from USDA values.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Tin Lined, Eggs at Room Temperature
25 Mins • Lining & Separating
Heat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Line the base and sides of an 18 cm springform tin with parchment, letting it rise about 4 cm above the rim, and wrap the outside of the tin tightly in foil so no water can seep in. Bring the eggs to room temperature and separate them, and set the cream cheese out to soften.
Maestro Tip: Any trace of yolk or grease in the egg-white bowl stops the meringue from whipping — wipe the bowl with a little lemon juice first.
8 Mins Low heat — about 60°C (140°F)
Put the cream cheese, milk and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir until completely smooth, about 5 minutes. Take the bowl off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes, until it is warm but not hot to the touch.
Do not let the bowl get too hot — overheated cheese turns grainy and will never smooth out again.
Done when: The mixture is glossy, smooth and pourable, with no lumps.
5 Mins No heat — room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Whisk the egg yolks into the warm cheese mixture one at a time, then add the vanilla and lemon juice. Sift in the flour, cornstarch and salt and whisk gently until the batter is smooth and lump-free.
Whisk, do not beat hard — you want the yolks blended in, not a bowl full of bubbles that will collapse later.
Done when: The batter is smooth, thick and ribbon-like when it falls from the whisk.
7 Mins No heat — room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy, then add the remaining 30 g of sugar a spoonful at a time and keep beating until the meringue forms soft, glossy peaks that flop over at the tip — about 4 minutes. It should look like shaving foam, not stiff spikes.
Soft peaks are the whole secret: stiff meringue makes the cake crack and fall, soft meringue lets it rise and stay tender.
Done when: The meringue is glossy and holds a soft peak that bends over.
5 Mins No heat — room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Stir a third of the meringue into the cheese batter to loosen it, then fold in the rest in two gentle additions with a spatula, cutting down the middle and lifting up the sides until no white streaks remain. Pour into the lined tin and tap it once on the counter to pop large bubbles.
Fold, never stir — every hard stir knocks out the air you just whipped in, and the cake will bake flat.
Done when: The batter is pale, airy and even, with no streaks of meringue.
50 Mins Oven 160°C (320°F)
Set the tin in a deep roasting pan, pour in boiling water to come halfway up the tin, and bake at 160°C (320°F) for about 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cake has risen well above the tin. The centre should still wobble gently when you shake the tin. The eggs set well above 71°C (160°F) during the bake.
Do not open the oven door for the first 40 minutes — the rush of cold air can make the cake sink and crack.
Done when: The top is evenly golden, the cake is tall, and the centre jiggles like jelly.
5 Mins active, plus 1 hour cooling Oven off, door ajar, then room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Turn the oven off, leave the door ajar, and let the cake cool in the oven for 30 minutes so it sinks gently instead of collapsing. Then take it out, remove the foil, and cool fully before chilling in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Dust with icing sugar and slice with a hot, dry knife.
Some sinking is normal — a souffle cheesecake always settles as it cools. A sudden drop means the meringue was overbeaten.
Done when: The cake is cold, set, and slices cleanly with a soft, trembling crumb.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the chilled cheesecake in thick slices with a dusting of icing sugar and a few berries — the jiggle at the table is half the pleasure, so slice it where everyone can see.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
316
kcal / serving
Protein
7g
Complete AA
Carbs
25g
Complex
Fats
21g
Healthy
| Energy | 316 kcal |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 25 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Fibre | 0.2 g |
| Sugar | 17.6 g |
| Sodium | 242 mg |
| Energy | 301 kcal |
| Protein | 6.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 23.3 g |
| Fat | 20.3 g |
| Fibre | 0.2 g |
| Sugar | 16.7 g |
| Sodium | 230 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Provides calcium from the cream cheese and milk, vitamin A from the eggs and butter, and B vitamins from the eggs. Nutrition is estimated.
Light for a Cheesecake
About 316 kcal a slice with 7.0 g of protein — the whipped egg whites make it far lighter than a dense baked cheesecake.
Soft and Gentle
The water bath bakes the cake gently, so the crumb stays moist, soft and easy to eat, with no dry edges.
Vegetarian by Nature
Cream cheese, eggs, milk, butter, sugar and flour — no gelatine, no meat, nothing hidden.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Sides
Fresh Berries
Sharp raspberries or strawberries cut through the creamy sweetness and add colour and freshness to the plate.
Vanilla Ice Cream
A small scoop alongside a cold slice doubles the creaminess without overpowering the delicate cake.
Icing Sugar and Lemon Zest
A light dusting of icing sugar and a little lemon zest lift the top without adding weight or richness.
Drinks
Green Tea
Unsweetened green tea cleanses the palate between bites and is the classic Japanese partner for a sweet cake.
Complete menu
Serve the japanese cheesecake cold in thick slices with fresh berries on the side and a cup of green tea.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Rich in Fat and Sugar
About 21.3 g of fat and 17.6 g of sugar per slice, so one slice is the right portion. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Do Not Leave It Out for Hours
A cream-cheese cake spoils at room temperature, so chill it promptly and keep leftovers in the fridge. This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
Storage & Use
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