Cotton Cake (Japanese Cotton Cheesecake–Style Sponge) ☁️🍰
Cotton cake is an ultra-light, fluffy cake known for its soft, airy texture—almost like cotton. It’s similar to the famous Japanese Cotton Cheesecake but can also be made as a plain sponge without cream cheese.
Ingredients
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4 large eggs (separated)
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½ cup sugar
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½ cup milk
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¼ cup butter
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¾ cup cake flour
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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½ tsp lemon juice or cream of tartar
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Pinch of salt
Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare the batter
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Preheat oven to 150–160°C (300–320°F).
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Melt butter with milk and let it cool slightly.
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Whisk egg yolks with the butter–milk mixture and vanilla.
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Sift in cake flour and mix until smooth.
2️⃣ Make the meringue
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In another bowl, beat egg whites with lemon juice.
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Gradually add sugar while beating until soft peaks form.
3️⃣ Fold the batter
Gently fold the meringue into the yolk mixture in three parts to keep the batter airy.
4️⃣ Bake
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Pour batter into a lined cake pan.
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Place the pan in a larger tray with hot water (water bath).
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Bake 50–60 minutes until set and lightly golden.
5️⃣ Cool
Let the cake cool slowly before removing from the pan to keep its fluffy texture.
Serving Ideas
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Dust with powdered sugar
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Serve with fresh Strawberries or Whipped Cream
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Add lemon zest for extra flavor
✅ Tip: The key to cotton cake is gentle folding and low-temperature baking, which creates the signature soft, jiggly texture.
If you’d like, I can also show you a 3-ingredient cotton cake recipe that went viral because it’s even easier to make. 🍰