Ingredients
- 250 g (8.8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 50 g (3 ½ tbsp) unsalted butter
- 100 ml (about 7 tbsp) milk
- 60 g (½ cup) cake flour, sifted
- 20 g (2 ½ tbsp) cornstarch
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 140 g (⅔ cup) granulated sugar (divided)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar (or a pinch of salt)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the baking tin
- Grease and line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with foil to prevent water from seeping in during the water bath.
- Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F).
- Melt and mix
- In a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, melt cream cheese, butter, and milk together until smooth. Remove from heat.
- Whisk in sifted cake flour and cornstarch until combined.
- Add yolks & flavor
- Whisk in egg yolks, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and lump-free.
- Make the meringue
- In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add sugar in three parts, beating until soft peaks form.
- Fold gently
- Gently fold one-third of the meringue into the cream cheese batter. Then fold in the remaining meringue in two more additions, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
- Bake in a water bath
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Tap lightly to remove air bubbles.
- Place the cake pan in a larger roasting pan and fill the outer pan with hot water halfway up the sides.
- Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 25 minutes, then lower to 140°C (285°F) and bake for another 55–60 minutes, or until the cake is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
- Cool gradually
- Turn off the oven, leave the door slightly open, and let the cake cool inside for 15 minutes to prevent collapsing. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before removing from the pan.
- Serve
- Dust with powdered sugar if desired and enjoy the cloud-like texture!
If you’d like, I can also give you tips for getting the perfect fluffy texture without cracks. That’s the secret to making it look like it came straight from a Japanese bakery.