Japanese Cotton Cheesecake Cupcakes (Cotton-style)

Japanese Cotton Cheesecake Cupcakes (Cotton-style)

Ingredients (makes about 10–12 cupcakes)

For the cheesecake batter:

• 225 g cream cheese, softened
• 60 ml whole milk
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 3 large egg yolks
• 65 g cake flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt

For the meringue / egg white foam:

• 3 large egg whites
• 30–35 g (or ½ of 65 g, i.e. ~32–35 g) granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Prep & preheat oven + water bath
   • Preheat oven to 160 °C (320 °F)
   • Line a muffin / cupcake tin with liners
   • Fill a baking tray (larger pan) with hot water and place it in the lower rack of the oven — you’ll bake the cupcakes in a steam / water bath environment to keep them moist and prevent cracks.
2. Make cream cheese base
   • In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cream cheese, milk, and butter. Stir until it melts and becomes smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
   • In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar (≈ 30–32 g) until pale.
   • Slowly pour in the cooled cream cheese mixture into the yolk mixture, mixing gently.
   • Sift in the cake flour, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla extract. Fold gently until just combined (do not overmix).
3. Make meringue / whip egg whites
   • In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy.
   • Gradually add the remaining sugar while beating, until you achieve stiff peaks (meringue that holds shape).
4. Fold meringue into batter
   • Take about one-third of the meringue and gently fold into the cream cheese batter to lighten it.
   • Then fold in the rest of the meringue carefully in two additions, using a spatula and doing gentle “cut and fold” motions so as not to deflate the air.
5. Fill & bake
   • Transfer the batter into the cupcake liners, filling about ¾ full.
   • Place the cupcake tin into the water bath (on top of the tray with hot water).
   • Bake at 160 °C (320 °F) for 20–25 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and the centers are mostly set (a little jiggle is okay).
   • (Some recipes suggest starting at a higher temperature for a short time then reducing, but 160 °C consistent works well in many ovens.)
6. Cool gently
   • After baking, let the cupcakes sit in the oven (with door slightly ajar) for ~10 minutes to reduce sudden temperature changes.
   • Then remove and let them cool completely on a rack. They may shrink just a little — that’s normal.
7. Serve / garnish
   • Dust with powdered sugar, top with fruit (berries, sliced strawberries), or add a dollop of whipped cream if you like.

Notes / Tips & Troubleshooting

• The water bath (steam) is critical — it helps the cake bake gently and prevents cracks.
• Be very gentle when folding the meringue — deflating too much will make the cupcakes dense.
• Use cake flour (rather than all-purpose) for a lighter texture. If you don’t have cake flour, you can substitute all-purpose flour but remove about 2 tbsp of it per cup and replace with cornstarch.
• The cupcakes should have a “jiggly” feel when they’re first done — like a soft cheesecake.
• Oven temperatures vary. If the tops brown too fast, cover loosely with foil.
• Let them cool slowly; abrupt cooling can cause them to collapse.
• These are less sweet and lighter than regular cheesecake — part of their charm.