Skip to Content

How To Fix Cheesecake Mistakes

Cheesecake is a favorite of many people, but some common mistakes happen when making it. These mistakes can turn cheesecake into an unenjoyable mess. Continue reading as you will learn how to fix cheesecake mistakes.

To fix a cheesecake that overflows out of the pan or shrinks too much while baking, remove the cheesecake out of the pan, spread some more cornstarch on top of the crust where it looks thin, bake for ten more minutes, and test again. 

This mistake may be caused by a lack of enough cornstarch in your cheesecake, resulting in thin cheesecake after mixing. You can also salvage a soggy cheesecake and make it as good as the first time by cutting off the loose parts around the edges of the cake. It will help you work with the cheesecake and ultimately save you from wasting any of your desserts.

The baking time of cheesecake will vary based on the type of oven you are using. If the cheesecake has cracks in it, it is either overcooked or raw in the middle. You can fix this by inserting a knife in the cracks to release the steam and gently pushing the cake back together.

How to fix cheesecake mistakes – Common mistakes and remedy

how to fix cheesecake mistakes

No products found.

There are three easy ways to fix one of the most common cheesecake mistakes:

1. Cheesecake crust not crushing graham crackers enough

If you have under-crushed graham crackers, instead of starting over with fresh, see if gently breaking up the graham crackers in your hand helps. Mix non-cheesecake ingredients ahead so they will still be easy to mix when adding your cream cheese or mascarpone mixture. 

If you are adding fruit to your cheesecake, you can do it in two layers, one when you pour in the filling and another when topping the cake with the rest of the topping ingredients.

2. Cracked cheesecake

The reason why cheesecakes crack is that the ingredients are not baked evenly throughout the whole cake. When mixing your ingredients, be sure to mix on low for at least three minutes. If you see that the mixture has bubbles on top, push them down with a spoon or spatula.

Also, ensure that once you put your formed cheesecake in the oven, it does not move around at all; make sure you have used some butter and freeze some water before placing the springform pan into the oven. 

Cracked cheesecake is a major bummer. You can also prevent these cracks by wrapping the outer edges of the cheesecake in foil before baking, then letting the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature.

3. Avoid low-fat

The most common error is thinking that low-fat cream cheese will work. Don’t make this mistake. When baking with cream cheese, stick with full-fat ingredients for plenty of flavor and sturdiness. It will keep your desserts from falling apart.

4. Avoid using cold ingredients.

Cooking with room temperature ingredients yields optimal results. But if you don’t have time to chill the cream cheese and eggs, separate them and warm them at room temperature before starting your recipe.

If your cheesecake mixture is too cold, your cheesecake will crack on top due to the expanding air pockets on the top of the cake while baking. The perfect temperature for ingredients is room temperature, as this reduces any cracking that might occur.

Keep your ingredients (eggs and cream cheese) out of the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. By then, it would have attained room temperature. It will help ensure a perfectly smooth and creamy cheesecake every time.

5. Cheesecake sagging at the sides

If your baked cheesecake and its sagging at the sides, leaving a ‘trench’ on the top of the surface, here’s a cure:

  1. Chill it entirely, and then run a thin-bladed knife along the side of the cake to release it from the baking pan.
  2. Place it back into the oven for five minutes or so to firm up, then allow it to cool completely in its pan on a rack.
  3. Cover this surface with a topping such as fruit sauce or a mixed sugar and cinnamon mixture; once this topping has set, cut down through it with a sharp knife just enough to expose some cake. 

6. Cheesecake sinking

The best cheesecakes start with a great base, and we’ve got the answer to your problems. Whether it sinks, cracks, or shows any other signs of imperfection, it’s all down to one thing: baking time. Well, that and the presence of an ingredient called bicarbonate of soda (baking soda to us). This chemical reacts with something in cream cheese called tartaric acid and causes the cheesecake to rise when heated.

However, if you over-bake it and remove it from the oven when the center hasn’t fully risen as it should, it can cause the cheesecake to sink.

7. Water bath error

A water bath is essential for cheesecake making because it provides the ideal temperature, moisture, and gentle cooking that ensures your dessert will not crack or otherwise fail to turn out correctly. Cooking cheesecakes in water baths provide the proper consistency by gradually releasing steam throughout the cooking process.

When the water in the pan accidentally spills into your cheesecake pan, you can quickly fix it. To fix cheesecakes with water bath issues, add a mixture of 1 cup water and 2 tsp of cornstarch to your cheesecake batter. It prevents the cheesecake from cracking or cracking apart after you have cut it or stored it.

8. Wrinkled edges

A well-made cheesecake is not smooth as wrinkly edges are the signature of a delicious cheesecake when baked at the proper temperature long enough for the center to cook but still stay soft. After you remove it from the oven, let cool, then refrigerate until chilled before serving.

To fix wrinkly edges during baking, touch up your edges using a pastry brush dipped in frosting to cover any sharp edges. You can also use a doughnut-shaped acetate ring with a 1-inch hole by placing the doughnut hole on top of your cheesecake before adding the glaze and ganache toppings. As these toppings cool, they will contract and suck in some of the wrinkles but will not impress on the texture of the cheesecake underneath.

9. Don’t overbake the cheesecake.

Overcooked cheesecake will not only fall in the middle, but it won’t be creamy either. The dessert will taste dry and grainy because of the starch that has cooked out of the cake. It’s best to avoid overbaking if you want a great-tasting cheesecake, so take note of the baking time according to the recipe you used.

The key to a perfect cheesecake is not to open the oven door during baking. Because once the temperature inside your oven rises above 325°F (163°C), the cheesecake may start to crack on top due to rapid temperature changes or an internal temperature rise.

10. Crumbled cake

Cheesecakes are generally easy to prepare and bake, but they can turn out runny and crumbly if you aren’t careful. There is a solution for fixing these common cheesecake problems: bake at a lower temperature and pre-bake the crust before adding the filling.

11. Don’t leave cheesecake out.

The process of baking a cheesecake can be threatening with the water bath and all. Just remember never to leave cheesecake out, and use your timer instead of your fingers to test for doneness. These simple and easy tips will get you on the path to the perfect cheesecake every time.

Related Post: Methods on How to Thicken Yogurt

No products found.

How to fix burnt cheesecake top

How to fix burnt cheesecake top

1. The first step is to take the cheesecake out of the oven and allow it to cool down. During this time, give the cheesecake a chance to dry off a bit so it won’t be as likely to have a soggy crust. Once it’s cooled, use a spatula to scrape off any excess crust off of the top.

2. Reheat the burned cheesecake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, turn the oven off and crack open the door. Leave the cake inside until it reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes; cover your cake with a cold, creamy topping, like whipped cream or another cheesecake, to hide the burnt top.

3. To remove the hard and scorched cheese top from the cheesecake, turn the cake out onto a board and dredge with icing sugar, then cover your hands with cling film and gently roll over the cake until the top is clean. If it does not budge, do it again.

4. You can also remove the cheesecake from the oven while it is still lightly browned. Use aluminum foil to cover the crust while the cheesecake is cooling, and let the cheesecake cool for an hour before serving. For a softer crust, try using a water bath when baking your cheesecake in the oven.

5. An essential thing to make sure your cheesecake turns out well is to wrap it in foil while baking. It causes a barrier between the cake and the heat source. It’s also important not to open the oven door while the cheesecake is baking, adding any time your cooking time will increase.

How to make cheesecake less dense

How to make cheesecake less denseJust follow these steps to make cheesecake less dense: 

1. Fill a bowl with 1 cup of water.

 2. Add one teaspoon of baking soda into water, and stir until it is completely dissolved. 

3. Pour the water into a small zip lock bag.

 4. Put the entire cheesecake into the bag, making sure the water covers it, and close tightly to prevent any air from finding its way in.

 5. Wait 1 hour, then open to serve your delicious cheesecake that is now less dense.

There are other remedies you can take: 

First, you have to mix the ingredients properly. Continue mixing till the ingredients are blended. If your crust is too dense, bake it a little longer, but not so long that the crust begins to burn or change color. The edges should be golden brown.

What makes a cheesecake dense or fluffy?

What makes a cheesecake dense or fluffyA cheesecake is a baked dessert with cream cheese as one of the primary ingredients. You can make cheesecakes without creaming the cheese, resulting in a dense, less airy texture. Conversely, adding whipped cream causes air to incorporate into the batter through mechanical action and makes for a lighter and fluffier cheesecake. 

Therefore, the type of cheesecake depends on how much cream and eggs you added to the cream cheese mixture and how vigorously you whipped it before baking. All other considerations being equal, a denser cheesecake will taste sweeter than a lighter, fluffier cheesecake because of the air.

A dense cheesecake has trapped water in the fine network of its crumb, like a sponge. A fluffy cheesecake is made with whipped cream in addition to the custard base. During baking, steam escapes from between the heated walls of the oven. It causes large air bubbles within the uncooked custard. When the cake cools, the air bubbles get trapped within its structure.

 If you are using a water bath for baking your cheesecake, try inserting a pan of boiling water into the oven while cooking through the last baking steps. It helps loosen any remaining steam so it can escape instead.

How to Fix Overcooked Cheesecake

When cheesecake is overcooked, it becomes impossible to serve. This can be very frustrating as a cheesecake can only be eaten when it is perfectly baked. Here is how to fix overcooked cheesecake

Run the cheesecake under very hot water. Run the back of a small knife around the inside of your springform pan to loosen the cake. Place it in the refrigerator for approximately 6 to 8 hours, slice, and serve.

How to Fix Burnt Cheesecake Top

Here is how to fix a burnt cheesecake top:

1. Cool the cake pan. Run cold water over the cheesecake, or place it in the freezer until it is cool. 

2. Flip the crust off of the cooled cake by removing the springform side ring and sliding a spatula under the crust. 

3. Spread the remaining batter evenly to cover holes in a previous layer or gapping areas that may have formed during filling or cutting. 

4. Bake until you achieve a set center.

For a beautiful finish, you need to let your cheesecake cool in the oven with the door open, just leave it sit until it reaches an internal temperature of 135F. Then remove and wrap loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.

Why Is My Cheesecake Leaking Liquid?

 If your cheesecake is leaking liquid, don’t be concerned – it’s completely normal. Crystallized or granulated sugar gets added to the base when you make a traditional cheesecake recipe.

It can also leak because the temperature of the oven used was set too high or the baking time was too long.

Moreso, cheesecake drips down more during cooling than baking due to the high moisture content of the cake. Sometimes you may over-beat the batter or add too much liquid which will make it moister in general and make a mess when it cooks.

What Happens If You Eat Undercooked Cheesecake?

The problem with eating undercooked cheesecake is that you may become paralyzed from the neck down. This unfortunate and painful condition is called “lock-jaw.”

Moreso, eating this delight can lead to indigestion and diarrhea. Both symptoms can be caused by eating cheesecake that has not been cooked enough so it becomes contaminated with bacteria. 

The best time to serve cheesecake is when it reaches 155 degrees, or the center part of the cake is just barely done, with no wiggle. This is also safe to do if your guests have special food allergies, or would be happy with a plain pastry instead.

No products found.

How Do You Fix a Watery Cheesecake Batter?

Fixing a watery cheesecake batter is not always easy, but there are tricks that your cheesecake could soak up the liquid if you slow down the baking process and remove the cheesecake from the oven before it is fully baked.

Here’s how to fix a watery cheesecake batter: 

Watery cheesecake batter is a common problem when preparing cheesecakes. It is usually caused by over-mixing. After adding all of the ingredients, you must beat them for about another minute just to avoid this.

Use less liquid. The cream cheese and eggs are going to release some liquid as they warm, so you’ll want to be somewhat sparing with the water. 

In addition, keep all of your ingredients at room temperature before starting, this will help minimize the amount of liquid introduced to the batter.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

How do you fix a cheesecake that didn’t set?

The first thing to do is check the recipe. The next step is to check your ingredients. Here you will find some tips for common mistakes. If the cheesecake was over-baked, overcooked, or made in a water bath, you will need to adjust it. Sometimes just adding a little more cream cheese will help, but it may be necessary to alter the amount of flour or corn starch.

What causes cheesecake not to set?

Cheesecake not setting can be due to several factors, including the right recipe, the type of pan, the oven temperature of the cheesecake, and how long it is in the oven. Cheesecake will not set if the oven temperature and humidity are too low, if the ingredients are not fresh, or if there is too much liquid in the batter. If this happens, the cheesecake should be refrigerated and served as a cold cheesecake with fresh fruit or sauce on top of it.

What happens if you overbake a cheesecake?

Over baking, a cheesecake will result in a piece of cake as hard as a brick because you have broken down the proteins, fats, and sugars so much that there is no moisture left in the cake. It might crack, and the filling will be loose. It could even fall out of the bottom of the pan.

How should cheesecake look when done?

It should be white on the outside and still creamy in the middle; ridges should be visible in the center of the cake to tell whether it is done. When in doubt, use a food thermometer to test its core temperature (test until 10 degrees F below the cheesecake’s serving temperature). The center of the cheesecake should be 150 – 155 ºF (66 – 69 ºC).

What makes cheesecake too dense?

Cream cheese contains more water than other cheeses, so if you want a light texture in your cheesecake, add no more than 4 ounces of cream cheese for every 8 ounces of cream. If you add more, your cheesecake will be very dense.

How do you lighten a cheesecake?

Lighten up your cheesecakes with the springform pan release. The unique silicone rubber base flexes to fit all pans, making it simple to open yet firm when the pan is open. Plus, the nonstick release adheres to nonstick coatings, giving you an easy way to remove your perfect Pie.

Conclusion

Cheesecakes are a delicious dessert that everyone loves. They are creamy and taste delicious if done correctly. There is a unique way of making a cheesecake that ensures the result is good. There are just so many things that can go wrong if you’re not careful. One minute it can be perfect, and the next minute it’s full of mistakes. If our guide on how to fix cheesecake mistakes is well followed, you can no longer ruin your cheesecakes.

 

What makes a cheesecake dense or fluffy

Cheesecake Recipes

A cheesecake is a baked dessert with cream cheese as one of the primary ingredients.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2
Calories: 2296kcal

Ingredients

  • 904 g full-fat cream cheese
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3 large eggs

Instructions

  • Cream cheese should be added to a stand mixer bowl or a big bowl and stirred with a hand mixer until it is smooth and creamy; do not overbeat as this will introduce too much air.
  • Stir again until smooth after adding sugar.
  • Stir in the salt, vanilla essence, and sour cream until thoroughly blended. If you’re using a stand mixer, be careful to pause occasionally and use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that all the ingredients are mixed in evenly.
  • One at a time, gradually add softly beaten eggs while running the mixer on low speed, stirring only until each egg is barely integrated. After all the eggs have been added, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl once more with a spatula to make sure all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
  • Put the prepared springform pan with the cheesecake batter inside. Place the pan on a cookie sheet that has been coated with foil to prevent leaks.
  • Place on the center oven rack and bake for about 75 minutes at 325F (160C). The center should spring back to the touch while remaining Jello-jiggly, and the edges are likely to have slightly expanded and may have just started to become a light golden brown.Avoid overbaking because if you do, the texture will deteriorate and we all suffer.
  • Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes on top of oven3. After 10 minutes, gently loosen the crust from the springform pan’s interior using a knife (this will help prevent cracks as your cheesecake cools and shrinks).
  • Before transferring to the refrigerator and leaving to cool overnight or for at least 6 hours, allow cheesecake to cool for an additional 1 to 2 hours or until about room temperature. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 2296kcal | Carbohydrates: 131g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 184g | Saturated Fat: 105g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 48g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 770mg | Sodium: 1550mg | Potassium: 842mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 121g | Vitamin A: 7144IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 593mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Follow me