Q&A for How to Use a Springform Pan

Yes, you do.

About 15-25 minutes at 350 degrees. Watch it during cooking to make sure it doesn't burn. After the 15-25 minutes, poke a tooth pick in the middle to make sure it is cooked all the way, if you pull it out and if there is batter on it it is not done.

Place a dinner plate (face down) on top of the cheesecake, hold the plate against the cheesecake and flip them upside-down. Set them onto the counter. Gently lift the springform pan bottom off of the cheesecake. Now place your serving platter (face down) onto the cheesecake bottom, grasp both plates tightly and flip them over. Lift off the dinner plate. Now your cheesecake is on the serving platter.

There are a few different things you can use in the place of parchment. Some of these alternatives include cooking spay, butter, oil, and flour.

The only difference between a normal pan and a springform pan is that springform pans come in two pieces. As long as your batter isn't too liquidy, you can bake any cake in a springform pan.

Much like a normal cake pan, you will only need to fill the springform pan approximately halfway.

You can make multiple cakes with your springform pan, then you will only have to stack and ice the cake.

Either way will work fine. I prefer to store mine open, but storing them closed won't damage them.

A springform pan has two main parts: a flat base and a removable ring with a latch (hinge and clamp). To use it, you open the latch to expand the ring and fit it around the base, then fasten the latch to clamp the sides tightly. After baking and cooling, you open the latch to loosen and lift off the ring, leaving the cake on the base for easy removal.

No, it is not strictly required. However, lining a springform pan with parchment paper makes releasing the cake much easier, prevents sticking, and reduces the risk of breakage. For delicate cakes, cheesecakes, or sticky batters, you should line the bottom with a parchment disk and optionally the sides. If your pan is well-greased and nonstick, you can skip this step for sturdier cakes.

No, you should not try to "firm up" the cake in the oven. Instead, bake the first layer fully until done, then let it rest in the pan for 10–15 minutes before carefully releasing the band. If baking the second piece separately, cool it slightly (10–15 minutes) until warm but pliable, then place it on top, align, and reassemble the pan if necessary. If you need to finish baking both pieces stacked, do a final short bake (5–12 minutes) at the same temperature to set seams, working while the cakes are warm to avoid cracking.

After it chills for a short time period in the fridge, it needs time to set fully!

It can slightly increase the cooking time, but it’s usually done to prevent leaks, especially in a water bath. The foil adds insulation, potentially slowing cooking, so check for doneness a few minutes later than the recipe suggests.

Yes, you should chill your cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before attempting to remove it from the pan to prevent cracking or making a mess.

The lip should face up, as it helps the sides latch to seal the pan.

Keep it in the pan to be sure it remains solid, making it easier to transfer to a serving plate without falling apart.

The lip should go up, so that the ring portion can go inside it and it will stay together.

Yes. Depending on what you are baking, you would bake for less time. Try baking for 25 minutes, then doing the toothpick check.

You can bake a cake in a 10-inch cheesecake pan (I would think at least 2-3 inches in high if you have enough batter with enough lift) and cut it into 3 cake layers.