4 Ingredient Lemon Cottage Cheese Cake
This cake is creamy and light and tastes like traditional cheesecake but is made with cottage cheese instead. The cake needs just 4 ingredients and doesn't require any flour, butter or oil.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups (300g) 4% cottage cheese, brought to room temperature, see note before starting
- 4 large eggs, brought to room temperature
- 1 cup (177g) white chocolate chips
- 1.5 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease the interior of a 6-inch round cake pan that is 3 inches tall. Make sure to use a one-piece pan and not a springform pan. The cake batter is very thin and will leak in a springform pan. Line the bottom with a parchment round and also line the sides with strips of parchment paper. If your cake pan is not at least 3 inches tall, make the parchment paper that is lining the sides of the cake pan extend 1 inch above the cake pan to help prevent the cake batter from overflowing during baking.
- Add cottage cheese and eggs to a blender and blend until cottage cheese is smooth and there are no egg streaks. Make sure your cottage cheese and eggs are brought to room temperature before blending. If they are still cold, when you add in the melted chocolate, it will cause the chocolate to seize.
- Add chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 20 second intervals, stirring in between with a silicone spatula, until the chocolate is smooth. Let the chocolate cool slightly, about 3 minutes.
- Add melted chocolate to the blender and blend until you have a smooth batter that is uniform in color, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed to help everything blend evenly. Add in the lemon zest and blend for a few second to evenly mix in.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared cake pan. Bake for about 40-55 minutes or until cake is set in the center. Please note: I have updated/changed the cooking instructions. When this recipe was originally published, the cake was baked in a water bath. The photos and video also use a water bath. I removed the water bath step because a few readers had issues with the cake rising with a water bath but that problem was resolved without a water bath. I'm not sure why some readers are having issues with the cake rising with the water bath but to help ensure that everyone has a successful cake, I removed the water bath. I personally prefer baking the cake in a water bath because the cake will bake more evenly and won't deflate unevenly once cooled.If you have made my other cottage cheese cakes with a water bath successfully, you can do so for this cake as well. To do so: Place the cake pan in a slightly larger baking pan, such as a 9 inch square pan. Fill the outer pan with room temperature water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake batter, creating a water bath for the cake. Place cake with water bath into the oven and bake for about 50-55 minutes or until center is set.
- Remove cake from the oven. Allow it to cool completely. The cake will deflate once removed from the oven, similar to a souffle. You can level off the cake once cooled if you plan on adding frosting. I also recommend letting the cake sit in the fridge for a few hours to help the flavors develop better. To remove cake from the pan, gently loosen the sides with a thin spatula. Then carefully flip the cake pan upside down onto a plate and the cake should slide out. Then flip the cake onto another plate to make it right side up again. If desired, frost cake before serving. I added whipped cream frosting, white chocolate shavings and raspberries to mine. Cut the cake with a sharp knife. Store uneaten cake in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Cottage cheese note: This recipe works best with a high protein cottage cheese that contains between 13 to 14 grams of protein per 1/2 cup (110g) serving. High protein cottage cheese will absorb more liquid and prevent your cheesecake from being too moist. You also want to avoid using low fat cottage cheese which is too watery. I tested this with Amazon Grocery cottage cheese.*
- White chocolate note: I've made this with both white baking chips and real white chocolate bars. If using white baking chips, use a premium brand and a fresh new bag because some of the cheaper brands and older white baking chips do not melt well. I used Nestle white baking chips.* For white chocolate, I tested with Whole Foods white chocolate.* The cake does set better with white chocolate chips. When I used white chocolate bars, the cake separated a little, creating a custard layer at the bottom. It was still delicious though.
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Lemon note: The cake has a light lemon flavor. If you prefer a stronger lemon flavor, you can add 2-3 drops of lemon extract.
- Optional whipped cream frosting:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2-3 tbsp sugar
- Add heavy cream and sugar to a mixer and mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Spread frosting over surface of the cake. You can also garnish with white chocolate shavings and fresh berries.
- Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 199kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Sodium: 181mg, Fiber: 0.04g, Sugar: 16g, NET CARBS: 16
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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