Out of all the different kinds of desserts that you could make in an evening, there are very few that tend to be as fickle as cheesecake.
Cheesecakes tend to be quite troublesome when it comes to making sure that you have all of the right kitchen equipment, not to mention all of the steps you have to double check if you want to ensure that the cheesecake turns out the way it is supposed to on the first go.
Because of all the trouble that many people go through to get the right cheesecake, there are quite a few different ways that you can go about making it.
Of course, there will be the traditional methods of making a cheesecake. These methods typically involve using specialized pans and recipes that are modified to accommodate what the cheesecake needs when it is cooking.
One example of this is that if you want to make a traditional cheesecake, you are going to need to invest in a springform pan.
Whether you simply don’t want to add another pot or pan to the kitchen cupboards or you want to make a cheesecake and don’t have a springform pan with you, you may be more inclined to learn how to make a cheesecake without this type of pan.
While the base of the recipe is going to be a little bit different, as you will have to alter the recipe to be able to stand without having a springform pan as a support, the final result of your cheesecake is going to be just as good as any traditional recipe could be.
In fact, there are still a few different methods that you can try if you are looking to make a cheesecake without needing a springform pan.
Finding the Best Alternative
When all is said and done, the springform pan doesn’t actually offer anything specific to the cheesecake that you are going to have to make up for.
Springform pans are best for dishes that you need to bake, as you would with most cakes, but the cake itself cannot be inverted when you are ready to take it out of the pan. Cheesecakes fall into this category heavily, as you cannot overturn a cheesecake and have it come out the way that it should.
However, this also highlights that while springform pans can make it easier to serve up your cake, they are not a complete necessity to the cake.
In fact, you can use just about any type of baking pan for your cheesecake. The one thing that you will have to keep in mind when trying to decide which pan is going to be the best for you will be the fact that different pan shapes and sizes are going to affect the cooking time and you are going to need to adjust accordingly to that.
Generally, all you will have to change will be the amount of time that the cake remains in the oven. You shouldn’t have to change the temperature of the oven, or where the cake is placed inside the oven (aside from making sure it is in a place where it can cook evenly and thoroughly).
All you will need to remember for this is knowing how to tell when your cheesecake is completely done so that when you check up on the cake regularly, you will be able to get a good sense of how much more time it will need.
The rule of thumb for the amount of time these cakes will take is that the shallower the pan is, the less time it will take for the cake to cook. Pans that tend to be deeper will take longer to cook, and if your cheesecake pan is too deep, then you may end up with an undercooked center or an overcooked crust.
These are a couple of the things you will need to pay attention to when you are trying to decide which pan you will want to cook the cheesecake in next.
Average Substitutes
If you are worried about not being able to match up the recommended size of a springform pan with the pots and pans you have, there are a few estimations that you can make to ensure that you are choosing something that will be close to what was recommended, even if you don’t have a springform pan available for use.
For instance, a very common size of springform pan is about 10 inches, either in diameter or the length of the longest side.
The pans that would work as an adequate substitute for this would be a 9 by 13-inch pan, a 9-inch tube pan, or even a 10-inch Bundt cake pan, as these will all have roughly the same volume for your cheesecake as a springform pan would.
Starting from here, you can get a good estimation of what size pans you will need if your cheesecake recipe calls for a specific size of springform pan.
You can also use two pans or more, although you will have to put in the work of making more crust to accommodate this. With the same example of a 10-inch springform pan, you could also get away with using two deep-dish pie plates of whatever size you need, a 9-inch cake pan, or even some 8 by 4-inch loaf pans.
These can all work well as substitutes for your springform pan, allowing you to have the perfect cheesecake even if you don’t have all of the equipment in the kitchen to get the job done.
When all is said and done, you shouldn’t need to change out ingredients or cooking temperature if you do not have a springform pan by your side to work with.
Instead, you may just need to put a little bit of effort into checking on the pan to make sure that it cooks at a steady temperature, and depending on the type of pan you use, you will also need to make some extra crust.
What About No-Bake Cheesecake?
Considering the number of variations on cheesecakes out there, it should come as no surprise that there are also different equipment requirements for these different cakes. A good example of this is the no-bake cheesecake recipes that some people love.
As the name might suggest, these cheesecake-adjacent recipes aim to mimic the taste and texture of a cheesecake while removing the fickle cooking process from the equation.
With the cooking method that most no-bake cheesecakes require, you often don’t need anything more than a standard baking sheet for you to put your cheesecake on.
Because you don’t really need a springform pan in the first place for no-bake cheesecake (since you do not have to put it in the oven at all), you can easily get away with relying on a recipe for this if you find that you do not have a springform pan at your disposal.
To many people, the no-bake cheesecake is a much easier and quicker alternative to the traditional cheesecake recipe. It is easy for beginners to handle and it can produce desserts that taste almost exactly like the original cheesecake, making it a beloved recipe all across the country.
What makes it even better is that if you choose to rely on this recipe, you won’t have to think twice about the idea of using a springform pan, as you likely won’t need any pans for this recipe.
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.
Mitch
Thursday 22nd of June 2023
So how do you get the cheesecake out of a round cake pan?