There is no crust and almost no flour. The structure comes from six separated eggs: the yolks go into a warm cream cheese base, and the whites are beaten with sugar to soft glossy peaks.
Folding the two together in three additions keeps the air in. A water bath at 300°F bakes it gently, and the oven door is cracked for the first half hour of cooling so the cake settles instead of collapsing.
Why This Recipe Works
- Warming the cream cheese with butter and milk gives a lump-free base that folds easily into meringue.
- Soft glossy peaks, rather than stiff ones, fold in without tearing the batter.
- A water bath keeps the oven humid so the surface stays tender while the centre sets.
- Cooling in the turned-off oven slows the temperature drop that makes souffle cakes sink.
How to Make It
Pan lined and wrapped
Heat the oven to 300°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment and wrap the outside in foil.
Warm base whisked
Warm the cream cheese, butter and milk over low heat, whisking until smooth. Cool slightly, then whisk in the egg yolks, lemon juice and vanilla.
Flours sifted in
Sift in the cake flour, cornstarch and salt and whisk until smooth.
Meringue beaten to soft peaks
Beat the egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the granulated sugar and beat to soft glossy peaks.
Folded in three additions
Fold the meringue into the cream cheese batter in three additions, keeping as much air as possible.
Baked in a water bath
Pour into the pan, set it in a larger roasting pan, add hot water halfway up the sides and bake 65 to 75 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the centre springs back gently.
Cooled in the oven, then finished
Turn the oven off, crack the door and cool the cake inside 30 minutes. Remove from the pan, cool fully, dust with powdered sugar and garnish with the strawberry and mint.
Where the Height Comes From
Four stages decide whether the cake stands tall or sinks.
Warm baseNo lumps at all
Cream cheese, butter and milk whisked smooth, then yolks off the heat.
MeringueThe peak folds over on the whisk
Whites beaten with sugar only to soft glossy peaks.
FoldNo white streaks, no deflation
Three additions, cutting through and lifting rather than stirring.
Bake and coolThe centre springs back gently
Water bath at 300°F, then 30 minutes in the turned-off oven.
Success Tips
- Let the warm base cool slightly before the yolks go in so they thicken rather than scramble.
- Use hot water in the roasting pan so the bath does not lower the oven temperature.
- Resist opening the door during baking; the sudden draught is what deflates the crumb.
Ingredient Notes
- Eggs, separated
- Six, with the yolks in the base and the whites beaten into the meringue.
- Cake flour and cornstarch
- Three-quarters of a cup with two tablespoons of cornstarch, sifted for a fine crumb.
- Cream cheese
- Eight ounces only, warmed with butter and milk rather than beaten cold.
Serving Ideas
Cut tall wedges with a thin knife and serve plain, with the powdered sugar and strawberry on top.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate
Refrigerate leftovers covered; the crumb stays tender for a day or two and eats well brought back toward room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a biscuit crust?
No. This cake is crustless; the parchment-lined pan is all that holds it.
How do I stop it sinking?
Fold gently, bake in the water bath and cool in the turned-off oven with the door cracked for 30 minutes.
