Did you find a recipe for a delicious, beautifully-crafted dessert only to find out that a springform pan is needed? I’ve been where you are. Since the price of nearly everything these days is crazy inflated you’re probably asking yourself what springform pan alternatives you may already own.
The good news is that there are worthy substitutes you can use instead of a springform pan. You’ll just need to be creative and have a little patience.
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Luckily, I do have a springform pan now. However, years of only having whatever cookware I could find in a thrift store or borrow from a friend helped me find some of the best substitutes for springform pans.
What is the Difference Between a Springform Pan and a Regular Pan
The word “springform” is in reference to the construction of the pan. This type of pan is round with the sides held together by an interlocking band.
It’s used for delicate dishes such as cheesecake, quiches and other dishes that cannot be removed from the pan easily. The band is opened once your dessert has been baked and cooled. The construction of the pan keeps the shape and integrity of your completed dish.
You’ll also find that a springform pan is beneficial for baking in an Instant Pot. You can bake lasagna, pizza, brownies or cakes. And without worrying about your foods falling apart upon removal.
A regular pan will not have an interlocking band that opens. This makes it difficult to remove delicate dishes. If you’re not careful or take additional precautions, a delicate cake will fall apart once you try to remove it from a standard baking pan.
Top Springform Pan Alternatives
The great thing about baking and cooking is the fact that you can improvise. In fact, many great food recipes were the result of using ingenuity to end up with something truly spectacular. Here are some of the best substitutes for a springform pan.
A Round Cake Pan
As long as you have a round cake pan with fairly high sides it can be used in the place of a springform pan. The ideal substitute will be similar in size to the springform pan being substituted.
But you’re not just merely plopping your batter in the round pan and hoping for the best. In order to get the same benefits of a springform pan (removing your finished dish intact), you’ll need to line the pan with parchment paper.
How to line the round cake pan as a springform pan substitute
You can line the round cake pan one of two different ways to enable you to remove your dessert intact.
- Option 1 – Cover the bottom of the round pan completely with the parchment paper. Alternatively, you can use greased foil (but only as a secondary option). Leave enough parchment paper to hang over the sides of the pan because you’ll use this to lift the dessert from the pan once cooled.
- Option 2 – I actually prefer this option as it’s yielded the best results because it gives you more flexibility. It’s the same process as above except you’ll cut the parchment paper into 3” strips that slightly overlap one another. Again, leave enough room to hang over the sides and lift the ends to remove your completed dish once cooled.
Serve Straight From the Baking Pan
Let’s face it. The big reveal of a beautifully-crafted dessert being released from the springform pan is what we love from this unique cookware. However, if you’re not overly concerned with the look of your finished cake or dish, you can serve it right from the baking pan.
A square or rectangular baking pan would work great for this as you can simply slice your dessert into squares. Then carefully use a cake server or spatula to remove slices to serve.
What To Use Instead of a Springform Pan for Firmer Dishes? Consider the Silicone Cake Pan
When searching for a springform pan alternative for baking sturdy cakes or desserts, look no further than a silicone cake pan. Just make sure to grease or flour the pan for easy release and you’re good to go. This is a good choice for firmer cakes like flourless chocolate cake or even a quiche.
However, we tried to use a silicone cake pan for a cheesecake and we ended up ruining the dessert as it just wasn’t sturdy enough to handle the inversion from the pan.
Disposable Aluminum Pan
Okay, this is seriously ingenious and leaves you with no pan to have to clean-up. My strawberry cheesecake is requested at nearly every family function and I always make it in a round disposable foil pan. However, I don’t remove the cheesecake until I arrive.
How to Remove the Cheesecake or Other Dish From the Foil Pan
- Be sure that the dish has cooled completely
- Place the pan on top of a cake dish or sturdy dish where the loosened cake will be placed
- Run a knife around the entire edge of the aluminum pan in order to loosen the cake
- Use sharp, clean scissors to make a vertical cut down a loosened edge of the pan
- Starting at the bottom of the vertical cut, use scissors to cut the foil edges from around the cake
- You can leave the bottom of the pan intact
Removable Bottom Pan – Possibly the Best Substitute for a Springform Pan
When researching what cookware I can use instead of a springform pan perhaps the best alternative was a removable bottom pan. Just make sure the inside rim is adequately greased or floured and your dessert can be removed intact.
Using a removable bottom ban couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is push through the bottom to remove your cheesecake or any other dish that’s delicate and requires the top to be preserved. Check out the below video to see how easy a removable pan releases your dessert.
Ensuring Success With Springform Pan Substitutes
It can be slightly nerve-wracking whenever you don’t have the suggested cookware for any recipe. But, it can be especially worrisome for baking which notoriously requires precise measurements and accuracy. These tips will assist you in ensuring baking success with using alternatives to springform pans.
1. Grease or Flour the Cookware Thoroughly
If you are using a substitute for a springform pan that you’ll be removing your finished dish from then it’s imperative to properly oil or flour the pan for easy release.
2. Adjust Measurements as Needed
If you’re following a recipe for an 8” springform pan and you plan to use a larger cake pan as a substitute then you may need to add more sugar, butter, eggs, etc. Conversely, if the pan is smaller you may have to add a lesser amount of ingredients.
3. Pay Attention to Baking Time
A substitute baking pan will likely be more shallow than a springform pan (with the exception of a removable bottom pan). For instance, a cheesecake recipe may call for 75 minutes of bake time in a springform pan. However, you may need to adjust it for 10 – 15 less minutes as shallow pans will bake items more quickly.
If you’re unsure of the correct baking time when using an alternative to a springform pan then the best idea is to pay close attention to your dish in the oven. You’ll want to be sure to remove it as soon as it’s done to avoid overbaking.
You’ll know a cheesecake is done when it jiggles like set Jello when you shake the pan. You can test other cakes by sticking a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, then the cake is done.
Our Final Thoughts On What Can I Use Instead of a Springform Pan
We are glad to have provided you with this list of the best substitutes for a springform pan for cheesecakes or other dishes. As you can see, you have a variety of alternative choices from just leaving the dessert in the baking pan to getting creative with parchment paper and a regular round cake pan.
At some point you may choose to purchase your own springform pan. But until then, remember that baking is a fun experience and as long as your dessert tastes good the “required” tools may not be so important!
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