Kitchen rescueBaking and pastryEasy to save

How to fix a cracked cheesecake

A crack only affects how it looks, not how it tastes, so cover it with a topping such as soured cream, whipped cream, fruit or a fruit sauce.

How you can tell

  • Cracks across the top or around the edge
  • A sunken or uneven surface
  • The top has domed up and then split as it cooled

Why it happens

A baked cheesecake is a custard set by eggs, so it needs gentle heat. If it's overbaked or baked too hot, the eggs overcook, the filling puffs up, and then it cracks as it sinks. Beating the mixture too hard adds air, which also makes it rise and fall. As a cheesecake cools it shrinks slightly, and if it's stuck to the sides of the tin, it pulls apart and cracks. Sudden changes in temperature, such as moving it straight from a hot oven to a cold worktop, can cause cracks too.

How to fix it

Option 1Add a topping

  1. Let the cheesecake cool and chill
  2. Spread soured cream, whipped cream or a thin layer of curd over the top
  3. Or cover the crack with fresh fruit or a fruit sauce

Option 2Bake a soured cream layer

  1. Mix soured cream with a little sugar and vanilla
  2. Spread it over the warm baked cheesecake
  3. Return it to the oven for a few minutes until just set

Next time

  • Mix the filling on a low speed and stop as soon as it's smooth
  • Bake gently and take it out while the middle still has a slight wobble
  • Run a thin knife around the edge as soon as it comes out of the oven
  • Let it cool slowly, ideally in the turned-off oven with the door slightly open
General kitchen guidance, not food-safety advice. If food may be unsafe, for example undercooked meat or anything left out too long, follow the Food Standards Agency and throw it away if in doubt.