I bake cheesecakes. I do not overbeat the batter and I bake it at 300degrees and I have doen it at 325 degrees. I have done the water baths and I have left oven open for 30 minutes, but I still have huge cracks in the middle of my cake. What can I do to prevent this from happening?

Hi, please read this. Haven,t tried it, but gives great info. Love key lime anything. it says to use cornstarch to prevent cracking, etc.

http://www.life123.com/food/baking/cheesecake/the-secret-to-key-lime-cheesecake.shtml

It's been my experience that a cheesecake will crack if it's over baked - too much moisture escapes and a crack forms. Remove cheesecake from oven before the center is set. ... For any cheesecake with a crack, use a sour cream topping to hide the crack.

It drives me nuts.

I spent many, many, many years perfecting cheesecake.  Seriously, I started as the cheesecake lady....cakes came MUCH later.

Here's the real deal.  You do NOT need a water bath or cornstarch or any of that other stuff.  The real reason you get cracks is the cake cake puffs as it bakes, sinks/contracts as it cools.  Mimifix is correct, this is usually overbaking.  It can also happen if you cool it too quickly.

I bake my cheesecake until the middle is still a bit jiggly.  Then, depending on size, I either turn down the heat & cook an additional 10 or I turn the oven off completely.  Once the oven is off completely, I let it cool a bit then open the door.  I leave it there a bit, then take it out of the oven & leave it on the counter.  I do not move it to the fridge until it is room temp.  Sounds alot more complicated than it is.  Haven't had a crack (knock on wood) in over 10 years.

2.5"  bake 325 for 10, in off oven for 10

6" bake 325 for 20, in off oven for 10

9" bake 350 for 30, bake 325 for 20, in off oven for 15

You'll have to play with your oven, but that works for me.

AThank you all so much. So far my keylime cheesecakes cracked the worse. I tried the Delicious Desserts method and NO CRACKS!!! Thanks again all of you because I took something from each posting.