Ohhh yes 😍🍰✨ Japanese Cotton Cheesecake Cupcakes—soft, fluffy, and cloud-like, with that iconic melt-in-your-mouth texture. Here’s a foolproof recipe for cupcakes rather than a whole cake, perfect for individual servings.
🍮 Japanese Cotton Cheesecake Cupcakes
Ingredients (makes ~12 cupcakes)
Cheese batter
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, divided
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar (optional, stabilizes egg whites)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
1️⃣ Prep
- Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C).
- Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Optional: Prepare a water bath (for even, moist baking).
2️⃣ Make the cheese mixture
- In a bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add milk and vanilla, mix until combined.
- Add egg yolks one at a time, then sift in flour + cornstarch, fold until smooth.
3️⃣ Whip egg whites
- In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy.
- Gradually add half of the sugar, beat until soft peaks form.
- Add remaining sugar, beat until stiff peaks.
4️⃣ Fold whites into cheese batter
- Gently fold ⅓ of whipped egg whites into cheese mixture to lighten.
- Carefully fold in remaining whites until just combined—do not overmix.
5️⃣ Bake
- Fill cupcake liners ~¾ full.
- Optional: Place pan in a water bath (hot water in larger pan around cupcakes) for extra moist texture.
- Bake 20–25 min until tops are lightly golden and springs back when touched.
6️⃣ Cool
- Remove from oven and let cupcakes cool slightly.
- Optional: refrigerate 1–2 hours for extra fluffy, creamy texture.
7️⃣ Serve
- Dust with powdered sugar or top with fresh berries.
Pro Tips
- Egg whites are key: gentle folding preserves fluffiness.
- Water bath: optional but helps prevent cracking and keeps the texture light and moist.
- Storage: Keep in airtight container in the fridge; best eaten within 2–3 days.
If you want, I can give a “super jiggly, melt-in-your-mouth Japanese cheesecake cupcake version” with cream cheese glaze and a golden top, basically like a bakery cloud in your hand 😏.
Do you want me to do that?
