I finally perfected a jiggly, cotton-light Japanese Cheesecake in the Instant Pot that rises into a glossy, pillowy dome and slices into impossibly airy layers.
I love how a simple dessert can act like a little miracle. My Instant Pot Japanese Cheesecake somehow ends up airy and jiggly but still has that creamy bite from cream cheese, and those separated eggs give it this lift that makes people stare.
It’s weirdly elegant yet totally approachable, the kind of thing you’ll wanna make again just to see it wobble on the plate. Part of my Desserts Japonais habit, and honestly i call it the Best Instant Pot Recipe for when you want to impress without drama.
Trust me, folks ask questions before they even take a bite.
Ingredients
- Cream cheese: Rich and creamy, high in fat and protein, gives a tangy, silky texture.
- Eggs: Yolks add richness, whites whip into airy meringue, protein rich but cholestrol.
- Sugar: Sweetens the cake and stabilizes whites, pure carbs so dont overdo it.
- Cake flour: Finer than all purpose flour, makes the crumb soft and delicate, less gluten.
- Cornstarch: Light thickener that keeps cake tender not gummy, mostly carbs again.
- Butter: Adds flavor and moistness, small amount goes a long way, high in sat fat.
Ingredient Quantities
- Cream cheese, 250 g (8.8 oz) room temp
- Unsalted butter, 30 g (2 tbsp) room temp
- Whole milk, 60 ml (1/4 cup)
- Eggs, 4 large, separated
- Granulated sugar for yolks, 30 g (2 tbsp)
- Granulated sugar for meringue, 70 g (1/3 cup)
- Cake flour, 60 g (1/2 cup), sifted
- Cornstarch, 20 g (2 tbsp), sifted
- Vanilla extract, 1 tsp
- Lemon juice, 1 tsp (optional)
- Cream of tartar, 1/4 tsp (optional)
- Pinch of salt
- Powdered sugar for dusting, optional
- Water for Instant Pot, about 1 cup
How to Make this
Equipment Needed
Youll need these tools to make it — keep it simple, dont overcomplicate.
1. Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker, 6 quart or larger
2. 6 or 7 inch round springform pan or any heatproof cake pan that fits inside the pot
3. Trivet or steam rack for the Instant Pot
4. Mixing bowls, at least two (one for yolks one for whites)
5. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer for the meringue and batter
6. Rubber or silicone spatula and a flat spatula to fold batter gently
7. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for the flour and cornstarch
8. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you got one
9. Parchment paper to line the pan and a sheet of aluminum foil to tent the top
10. Whisk and a small bowl for tempering yolks and mixing milk and vanilla
FAQ
Instant Pot Japanese Cheesecake Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Cream cheese: swap with mascarpone 1:1 for almost the same richness, or use well-drained ricotta (blend until smooth and add 1 tbsp melted butter if it feels too dry) — ricotta makes a lighter, slightly grainier cake.
- Unsalted butter: use salted butter (omit or cut the pinch of salt), or a neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil at a 1:1 volume ratio for a softer crumb, though flavor will be a bit different.
- Cake flour: make cake flour from all-purpose flour plus cornstarch. For this 60 g amount, use your 60 g all-purpose, remove about 1 tbsp (≈8 g) and put back 1 tbsp cornstarch; sift together. Works nearly identical.
- Whole milk: use half-and-half for extra richness, or use a non-dairy milk (soy or almond) and add 1 tbsp melted butter to mimic the fat if you want the texture closer to the original.
Pro Tips
1. Get the cream cheese totally smooth before you mix the eggs. Cube it, let it sit till soft, then beat with the butter and milk until silky. If you still see little lumps, heat the cream cheese in the microwave for 5 to 8 seconds at a time and stir, or push the batter through a fine mesh sieve. Dont overheat though or youll end up with a greasy, broken batter.
2. Make the meringue stable and glossy so the cake stays light. Use room temp egg whites, add the cream of tartar or a little lemon juice, and sprinkle the sugar in slowly while whipping. Stop when you have glossy, stiff peaks but not dry flaky peaks, and fold the whites into the yolk mixture gently with a spatula using a cut and fold or figure eight motion, only a few strokes until you see uniform color. Overmix and all the air is gone, your cake will be heavy.
3. For the Instant Pot method use hot water to speed steaming and protect the top from drips by loosely tenting the pan with foil. Put the pan on a trivet or make a foil sling so you can lift it out without splashing, and wrap the outside of the pan bottom in foil if it sits low in the water. When cooking finishes let the pot do a natural release for about 10 to 15 minutes before opening so the cake cools slowly and is less likely to crack.
4. Cool, chill and slice like a pro. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack until just warm then chill for several hours or overnight for best texture and flavor. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry it, then slice in between cuts for cleaner pieces, and only dust with powdered sugar right before serving. Store covered in the fridge, and bring to room temp for 20 to 30 minutes before eating for max creaminess.
Instant Pot Japanese Cheesecake Recipe
I finally perfected a jiggly, cotton-light Japanese Cheesecake in the Instant Pot that rises into a glossy, pillowy dome and slices into impossibly airy layers.
8
servings
259
kcal
Equipment: Youll need these tools to make it — keep it simple, dont overcomplicate.
1. Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker, 6 quart or larger
2. 6 or 7 inch round springform pan or any heatproof cake pan that fits inside the pot
3. Trivet or steam rack for the Instant Pot
4. Mixing bowls, at least two (one for yolks one for whites)
5. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer for the meringue and batter
6. Rubber or silicone spatula and a flat spatula to fold batter gently
7. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for the flour and cornstarch
8. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you got one
9. Parchment paper to line the pan and a sheet of aluminum foil to tent the top
10. Whisk and a small bowl for tempering yolks and mixing milk and vanilla
Ingredients
Cream cheese, 250 g (8.8 oz) room temp
Unsalted butter, 30 g (2 tbsp) room temp
Whole milk, 60 ml (1/4 cup)
Eggs, 4 large, separated
Granulated sugar for yolks, 30 g (2 tbsp)
Granulated sugar for meringue, 70 g (1/3 cup)
Cake flour, 60 g (1/2 cup), sifted
Cornstarch, 20 g (2 tbsp), sifted
Vanilla extract, 1 tsp
Lemon juice, 1 tsp (optional)
Cream of tartar, 1/4 tsp (optional)
Pinch of salt
Powdered sugar for dusting, optional
Water for Instant Pot, about 1 cup
Directions
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 94g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 259kcal
- Fat: 16.6g
- Saturated Fat: 9.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.12g
- Polyunsaturated: 3.35g
- Monounsaturated: 3.75g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
- Sodium: 141mg
- Potassium: 83.5mg
- Carbohydrates: 22.5g
- Fiber: 0.25g
- Sugar: 14.1g
- Protein: 5.9g
- Vitamin A: 300IU
- Vitamin C: 0.2mg
- Calcium: 48mg
- Iron: 0.6mg
