Soufflé Cheesecake
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 7-inch cake 1x
Description
This soufflé cheesecake is a light and airy dessert, sweetened with white chocolate and enhanced with a hint of lemon zest.
Ingredients
- 125g Cream cheese, room temperature
- 120g White chocolate (Meiji brand)
- 3 Cold Eggs, 70g each
- 1/2 tbsp Lemon juice
- Zest of half a lemon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 170 degrees C (338 degrees F). Line the bottom of a 7-inch cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with butter. Set aside.
- Separate the eggs, placing the egg whites in the fridge to chill. This will help make the meringue more stable.
- Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave, stirring until smooth. Allow it to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and mix until well combined.
- Stir in the egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon zest until the mixture is smooth and well incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, beat the chilled egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the meringue into the cream cheese mixture in three batches, being careful not to deflate the meringue.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes at 170 degrees C, then reduce the temperature to 160 degrees C (320 degrees F) and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
- Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside for another 15 minutes with the door slightly ajar.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
- For best results, use room temperature cream cheese and cold eggs.
- Chilling the egg whites helps stabilize the meringue.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before refrigerating to prevent it from collapsing.
- Serve chilled for the best texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 120
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 85
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Tamara’s Ultimate Cheesecake
- No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
- Strawberry and Mint Pavlova
- Shiso Meyer Lemon Tart
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the egg whites need to be chilled before beating?
The recipe places the egg whites in the fridge to chill immediately after separating them, and the notes explain this directly: chilling helps make the meringue more stable. Cold egg whites whip to stiff peaks that hold their structure longer, which matters when you fold the meringue into the cream cheese mixture in three batches without deflating it.
Why does the oven temperature drop partway through baking?
The cake bakes at 170°C (338°F) for the first 15 minutes to set the structure, then the temperature drops to 160°C (320°F) for another 30 minutes so the interior finishes gently without cracking or over-browning. After the oven is turned off, the cake sits inside for another 15 minutes with the door slightly ajar to cool gradually and avoid collapse.
Can I serve this cake straight from the oven?
No — the notes are specific: allow the cake to cool completely before refrigerating to prevent it from collapsing, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. The notes also say to “serve chilled for the best texture,” as this soufflé-style cheesecake firms up properly only once cold. 
170 C = 338 Fahrenheit
160 C = 320 Fahrenheit
For anybody wondering about the conversation :)
Thank you. Trying the recipe out right now :)
Tks for your post. I tried it out, most delicious, however it shrank after coming out of oven. Is that right?
Hi May,
Thank very much for trying this recipe. Yes, most baked cheesecake will shrink about an inch from the top and a little from the sides.
Hi Janet,
Very sorry for the late reply.
Yes this cheesecake soufflé is very small with only 3 ingredients. No flour is needed. You may double the recipe and use a 8 inch cake pan.
Re: cheesecake soufflé
According to conversion tables, this recipe calls for only 1/2 cream cheese and 1/2 cup of white chocolate. Is that correct? Seems like a very small amount of cream cheese. Does this soufflé serve four?
Hi Carmen,
Steam-bake is water bath or bain marie.
A smaller pan with the food is placed in a larger pan with water and baked.
Please explain what you mean by “steambake.” Thank you. This looks elegant but don’t want to ruin it.