Matcha Japanese Cheesecake Recipe by Kat Lieu

Matcha Japanese cheesecake recipe and photo by Kat Lieu and modernasianbaking.com, all rights reserved

The Japanese cheesecake took me three years to perfect, so don’t feel too discouraged if your Japanese cheesecake is not perfect the first time. When a nearly perfect Japanese Cheesecake comes out of the oven, it’s an ethereal experience. You’ll want to bake this airy, melt-in-your-mouth showstopper repeatedly. I made a matcha version of my Japanese cheesecake and it’s floral and leafy with a hint of umami. Add a bit of yuzu or lemon juice, and it’ll be the most refreshing and addictive Japanese cheesecake you’ll ever make.

Note: Once refrigerated and “aged”, the cake will transform into a denser yet still light cheesecake.

xoxoxo, Kat

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Modern Asian Baking at Home: Essential Sweet and Savory Recipes for Milk Bread, Mochi, Mooncakes, and More; Inspired by the Subtle Asian Baking Community

By Lieu, Kat

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Yield 6-8

Author Kat Lieu

Prep time

20 Min

Cook time

65 Min

Total time

1 H & 25 M

Print

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Matcha Japanese cheesecake

The Japanese cheesecake took me three years to perfect, so don’t feel too discouraged if your Japanese cheesecake is not perfect the first time. When a nearly perfect Japanese Cheesecake comes out of the oven, it’s an ethereal experience. You’ll want to bake this airy, melt-in-your-mouth showstopper repeatedly. I made a matcha version of my Japanese cheesecake and it’s floral and leafy with a hint of umami. Add a bit of yuzu or lemon juice, and it’ll be the most refreshing and addictive Japanese cheesecake you’ll ever make.Note: Once refrigerated and “aged”, the cake will transform into a denser yet still light cheesecake.

Ingredients

For the batter

• 1 cup (225 g) cream cheese
• 1/4 cup (55 g) butter
• 5 eggs yolks
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (30 g) cake flour
• 2 tablespoons (about 16 g) cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon or yuzu juice
• 1/2 cup (120 g) milk
• 1 to 2 teaspoons culinary matcha

For the stiff peaks meringue

• 5 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

For the toppings

• 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, optional
• Matcha for dusting the top of the cake

Instructions

Make the batter

1. In a pot over low heat, mix the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Remove from heat. Whisk in the sugar and egg yolks until incorporated. Add the flour, corn starch, baking powder, vanilla extract, lemon juice, matcha, and milk and whisk until incorporated, scraping the sides of the pot as needed. Set aside.

Make stiff peaks meringue

1. 🥚To beat egg whites into stiff peaks, gradually increase the mixer speed, starting at medium, to medium-high, to high, each speed taking around 2 to 3 minutes. 🥚Add cream of tartar when you see some white foam. Gradually add sugar when the beaten egg whites have become very white and foamy. Mix until stiff peaks form.

Make the final batter and bake

1. Add one-fifth of the meringue to the batter. Gently whisk until incorporated. Repeat 2 more times. Then pour all the batter into the bowl with the meringue. Gently fold in the remaining meringue to the batter, until homogenous, thick, and creamy. There should be no white streaks remaining in the batter. Use the whisk to fully incorporate all the meringue into the batter.
2. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan against the counter a few times. Swirl the whisk over the top of the cake to smooth out. Put the pan in a large baking dish. Place the dish on the oven rack. With oven mitts on, pull the rack out. Fill the dish with about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) of hot water. Bake for about 18 minutes, until the cake rises a bit. Crack the oven door open slightly for 10 seconds. Lower the oven temperature to 285°F (140°C) and bake for an additional 50 to 60 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
3. With the door ajar, keep the cake in the oven for 20 minutes after baking.
4. Remove from the oven. The cake will deflate a little.
5. To remove the cake from the pan, place a plate over the cake. If the pan is still hot, use oven mitts. Flip the cake out onto the plate. While the cake is upside down, remove the parchment papers. Quickly place a serving plate on top of the cake (it’s the bottom part of the cake). Carefully flip again. Alternatively, if the parchment collar is supportive enough, hold two opposite sides of the parchment collar and simply lift the cake out of the pan.
6. Dust with the optional confectioners’ sugar and matcha. You may top with fruits of choice. Serve while the cake is still warm and jiggly. (Or chill the cake overnight and enjoy it denser (aged) but still very good (my preferred way of eating Japanese cheesecake.

Notes

Kat Lieu, dubbed the “doyenne and Queen of Asian baking,” is the founder of Subtle Asian Baking and modernasianbaking.com. Her debut cookbook is Modern Asian Baking at Home. Currently, Lieu is a full-time author, activist, and recipe developer. Follow Lieu on Instagram.

Recommended Products:

Mooncake Molds

Wilton Aluminum 8-Inch Round Cake Pan Set, 2-Piece

Modern Asian Baking at Home Cookbook

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About the baker

Kat Lieu is the founder of Subtle Asian Baking and this website modernasianbaking.com, and she is the author of Modern Asian Baking at Home. Currently, Kat is a full-time author and recipe developer. Follow her on instagram and check out her blog Phil and Mama.