Did you just feel the urge to bake a cheesecake? Did the unavailability of a springform pan bring you here?
Well, you’ve reached the right place. If you don’t have a springform pan readily available to you, don’t worry! You don’t have to put your cravings on hold. Just keep reading.
Springform pans are essential when you are thinking of baking something that can’t be inverted out of its pan. Normally, cheesecakes, layered desserts, and cakes with several loose toppings are baked in springform pans.
Being excited about a recipe only to find out that you’re missing an ingredient or a type of baking pan can be very disappointing. But no need to lose hope, even if you don’t have a springform pan, there are some fantastic springform substitutes that you can try.
Let’s help you get started with a bit of background.
Why do some recipes require the use of springform pans?Â
Before we get started on the alternatives, let’s first learn why some recipes require springform pans.
A springform pan is round and comes with a clutch that holds its sides together.
Once the clutch is opened, the sides of the pan get removed, and you can easily take out your baked item. The buttoned clutch allows you to take out your cakes without the need to invert them.
Springform pans ensure that you don’t make a mess of your baked item. They are not only good for cakes but also keep your tarts, ice-creams, pies, and even lasagnas intact.
If presentation is your top priority, then springform pans will become your best friends.
Now that you understand why springform pans are required, you may be losing a bit of confidence in your recipe.
We’ll stop you right here. Even if you don’t have a springform pan available right now, you can use our recommended alternatives for baking your flawless dish.
What’s better is that you can substitute the springform pan with the things that are available in most kitchens. Without further ado, let’s dive right in!
What are the Substitutes for springform pans?
In this article, we are going to offer 4 substitutes for springform pans.
You can choose to use any to bake a flawless recipe. Take a look below!
Use a Disposable Aluminum Foil Cake Pan
A simple substitute for a springform pan is to use a disposable aluminum foil pan. When your cake is done baking, you can just cut off the foil with scissors or a knife once it’s cooled and it will be ready to serve.
The disposable foil saves you the trouble of inverting the cake or having to keep it intact.
Pro tip: To flawlessly release your cake from the foil, keep it in the fridge for an hour to cool down. Then, use a knife to run around the edges before cutting the foil away apart from the cake.
The disposable aluminum foils are a great substitute for springform pans, especially if you want to take a fresh cake to an event or a party.
That way, you don’t have to worry about brings your pans back home. It’s also a great option for serving your guests at home because it requires less cleaning on your part.
Disposable aluminum foils pans are readily available in stores, local markets, and supermarkets. If you’re a hobbyist baker, you’ll probably have it available at home. Although it’s not a perfect replacement, this option is great for temporary use and your sudden cravings.
If you’re planning on baking regularly or starting a cake business, you must invest in a springform pan.
Use a Silicone Cake Pan
If you are baking a cake that doesn’t necessarily keep your from inverting it, then this option is for you.
You can use a silicon cake pan instead of a springform pan if you are open to inverting your cake. Silicon pans come in various sizes and shapes.
These pans are easily available, and you might have one in your kitchen right now.
The fun thing about silicon pans is that they come in shapes like hearts, flowers, and other types of creative shapes. So, you can match your cake with the theme of the occasion.
If you want to bake a firm cake, then it would be a great substitute for springform cakes. However, silicon cake pans aren’t the best choice for cheesecakes.
Pro tip: When you’re using a silicone cake pan, make sure that you generously spray vegetable oil on it. This will prevent your cake from sticking to the pan, and it will be easier to release your cake.
Serve your cake straight from the pan
What could be better than serving fresh cake straight from the pan?
If you don’t have a springform pan, but need your cake to stay intact and noninverted, just serve it in the pan.
Simple, right? If you’re having people over, just put your cake up for grabs in the pan. It keeps the cake fresh and also shows your guests that you baked it, especially for them to enjoy fresh.
You don’t need to add to your worries by trying to figure out how to separate your cake from its pan. This option is excellent for casual meetups or if you’re just baking for your family. People will hardly remember the pan once they have tasted your delicacy.
Pro tip: If you’re really concerned about presentation, don’t bake your cake in your workout pan. Consider using a pan that you haven’t baked it every frequently.
Another convenient option would be to serve that cake in plates, to begin with. You don’t need to put your entire cake on display. Keep it in the kitchen and bring cut slices to serve your guests.
Use a parchment paperÂ
If you can’t try any of the options that we have mentioned above, then we still have one last substitute for you.
You can use your regular pan instead of a springform pan if you have parchment paper at home. Take any traditional cake pan that you use for baking things.
Make sure it’s the same size as mentioned in your recipe because it will have to hold the amount specified for a springform pan.
For instance, if your recipe requires you to use a 12-inch springform pan, make sure your substitute pan is also that same size.
Now that you’ve chosen your preferred or available cake pan, you need to take out some parchment paper.
Cut out a slightly bigger piece of paper than the size of your pan, so that it’s easier for you to use the extra paper to pull your cake out.
Make sure you grease your parchment piece generously, so it doesn’t stick to the batter. Once the baking is done, you can use the edges of the parchment to pull up the cake gently.
Pro tip: Cut a bigger parchment piece than the size of your pan. Ask someone to help you pull your cake up with the parchment edges. To play it safe, use two layers of parchment, so it doesn’t tear down when you’re pulling the cake up.
Do you need to adjust your recipe for a substitute pan?
The one thing that might need adjustment when you’re baking something in a pan different from the one recommended in the recipe is the baking time.
If your substitute pan is deeper than the recommended springform pan size, then you’ll have to increase the baking time.
In the case of a shallower substitute pan, the baking time will have to be shorter.
The best way to go about this is to keep checking your baking item while its in the oven. You don’t want it to be undercooked or burnt.
One way to figure out whether some is done is to put a toothpick or a metal rod in through your cake. If it comes out with stuck batter, it means it’s undercooked. If your toothpick comes out clean, then it means that your cake is baked.
If you don’t have the same sized pan as recommended in the recipe, you might have to split your batter into two smaller pans. Smaller pans usually mean shallower pans, so you’ll have to shorten the baking time for each pan.
Baking time is the only thing that you need to adjust when you’re using a springform substitute pan. There is no need to change the temperature or the number of ingredients.
Final words
There is no perfect substitute for springform pans, but some options come close in times of emergency cravings and temporary use.
It will be ideal if you invest in a springform pan. Until then, you can try the substitute options to meet your baking needs.
We hope this article helps you bake flawlessly. Good luck!
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