Does Cheesecake Rise? When And How Much Is Needed

By Lindy Van Schalkwyk, last updated on March 6, 2022

If you are wondering, “Does cheesecake rise?” or even whether or not it should and how much, we have got some surprising facts for you!

Today, we will not only discuss whether or not these baked goods rise but also does cheesecake rise when it is made differently! We will also look at reasons it didn’t rise enough or at all, and how to fix these common problems.

Does Cheesecake Rise? What Is Cheesecake?

Cheesecake is probably one of the most decadent, creamiest cakes of our time! Cheesecake is usually served as a type of cake or dessert item, but can also be made into a savory little appetizer.

Cheesecakes also often have a crust at the bottom of the filling, but this crust is completely optional. The texture of these unique cakes should be completely smooth and creamy. But, this does vary depending on the type of cheesecake you are making.

For example, you get cheesecakes that are made with whipped egg whites which have a much lighter and airier consistency as compared to a New York of Philadelphia cheesecake.

Types of Cheesecake

There are many different types of cheesecakes. They are mainly divided into baked and unbaked cheesecakes. Then, they can be further classified according to specific characteristics.

Some of these include whether they have a crust, the ingredients they contain, how they are mixed, and the region they come from.

Baked Cheesecake

Baked cheesecakes are sometimes referred to as flourless cheesecakes. The mixture used for this cheesecake closely mimics the ingredients used to make a custard. So, in a sense, these baked cheesecakes are very similar to baked custards.

The cheesecake is usually baked in a springform tin and then unmolded.

Unbaked Cheesecake

An unbaked cheesecake is a cheesecake that never undergoes any baking. The mixture is made using a gelling ingredient, like gelatin, which keeps it stable. The cheesecake is poured into a mold before being refrigerated so it can set. Then, finally, it gets unmolded and served.

The texture of this cheesecake is especially creamy and very soft. These unbaked cheesecakes can only be kept in the fridge and will fall flat when kept at room temperature.

Does Cheesecake Rise When Baked?

Usually, when baking any type of cake, the amount of rising it needs is one of the most important factors to consider! With a cheesecake, it’s a bit more complicated!

Does cheesecake rise when being baked? It definitely rises a bit but also falls back down.

How this works is as follows. When an item is being baked, naturally it does contain moisture and air pockets. When heat is applied, these air pockets expand and the moisture turns into steam. This causes the structure to rise.

However, because the ingredients of a cheesecake aren’t made to support this structure, the rise is never supported and never sets into place. So, the cake falls back down slightly and leaves an indent.

The true art of baking cheesecakes is controlling how much the cake indents and that it doesn’t completely sink in on itself.

What Determines How Much Cheesecakes Sink During Baking?

As we have mentioned, all baked cheesecakes do rise a bit thanks to the expanding air and moisture pockets.

If there aren’t any ingredients (or enough of them) to support this rising structure, the cake will fall back.

So, ultimately, what determines the amount of sinkage is the amount of supporting ingredients the batter contains. This ingredient is mainly flour and eggs. Now, cheesecakes do contain a lot of eggs, but the flour mostly carries their weight.

And, as you may know, cheesecakes don’t contain a ton of flour, to begin with.

To further prevent the cheesecake from sinking, you have to properly cool it to prevent it from contracting too much and causing a crack.

How Much Does Cheesecake Rise?

Since cheesecake does rise when being baked, how much rise is normal? Cheesecake will rise about 1-2 inches depending on how much the batter was mixed. Over mixing the mixture will make the cheesecake rise much more than it should and ultimately, sink much more than you want.

It’s always good to make sure to only fill the pan with two-thirds of the way full. This will leave enough room for the cheesecake to rise slightly.

Overfilling a pan with a cheesecake mixture can be disastrous. The mixture might overflow when being baked or the cheesecake might bake longer, resulting in an unevenly cooked cake.

Different Types Of Cheesecake And How Much They Rise

Japanese Cheesecake

Japanese cheesecakes are the exception when it comes to cheesecake rise. Japanese cheesecakes have a cotton-like fluffy texture. The cheesecake is made in the same style as a souffle, which means the cheesecake will rise more than usual.

Unbaked Cheesecake

Unbaked cheesecakes are not baked at any stage, which means they will not rise at all. They simply set once they are poured into a mold.

Why Your Cheesecake Didn’t Rise During Baking

While a ton of rising isn’t optimal, neither is no-rise for baked cheesecakes. They need to rise a bit to create a soft texture. Here are some common reasons your baked cheesecake didn’t rise.

The Baking Temperature Was Too Low

If the baking temperature was too low, the cheesecake won’t rise or not rise enough. Every oven differs, so make sure to adjust your oven accordingly so it reaches the correct and accurate temperature.

Manual oven temperate gauges work great to determine the actual temperature of your oven!

The Oven Door Opened During The Baking Process

Just like any other cake, cheesecakes are sensitive to temperature change. Do not open the oven door till at least three-quarters of the baking time has passed.

Opening the oven door too quickly will cause the cheesecake to not rise properly or sink in right away!

Improper Mixing

Just as you can over mix the mixture, you can also under mix the mixture. Under mixing can also cause improper rise, especially if the ingredients weren’t incorporated properly.

Improper Cooling

When cheesecakes are exposed to sudden temperature changes, it can cause them to contract instantly, crack, and sink in. Have a look at this article for the proper cooling techniques that should be used for cheesecakes.

Does Cheesecake Rise? Final words

Baking a cheesecake isn’t always as easy as you may think, but with our helpful guide, you will at least have one less thing to worry about!

Make sure to check out some of our other articles for more tips on baking the perfect cheesecake.

FAQs

[rank_math_rich_snippet id=”s-f8fe4e8a-5277-4975-90d7-40b210c8fde6″]