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Springform pan

Cookware & bakeware · Bakeware

Springform pan

A round cake tin whose side unclips from the base, so cheesecakes and delicate cakes come out intact.

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Photo: RibbonsOfIndecision, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

A round tin, often 20–26 cm, made of a flat base and a separate ring with a latch. Closing the latch tightens the ring around the base; opening it releases the side so the cake can be served on the base without inverting. It differs from a loose-bottomed tart tin by being much deeper.

What it’s for: Unmoulding fragile or chilled cakes that cannot be turned upside down.

How to use it

  1. Fit the base in the ring and close the latch; line with baking paper.
  2. Wrap the outside in foil if baking in a water bath, as the seam can leak.
  3. Fill and bake or chill as the recipe directs.
  4. Run a knife round the edge, open the latch and lift the ring away.

Good to know

Tasks
baking cheesecakes, making torte and mousse cakes, baking deep-dish pizza, setting no-bake desserts
Cooking methods
Oven-baked, No-cook
Materials
non-stick steel, aluminium, glass base
Care and cleaning
Wash both parts, dry well and keep the latch clean of batter. Store closed so the ring stays round.
Limitations
Thin batters may leak at the base seam.

Safety

  • The latch can be hot; open it after cooling a little.

If you don’t have one

  • Cake tin — Line well with paper slings so the cake can be lifted out.
  • Tart tin — For shallow cheesecakes only.

Equipment guide

How it works: A ring held closed by a clamp around a separate base. Opening the clamp widens the ring so delicate cakes such as cheesecakes can be released without inverting. Heat transfer is the same as any metal cake tin.

MaterialGoodWatch out
Non-stick (PTFE or ceramic sol-gel coating on aluminium)Eggs, fish and pancakes release with little fat; easy to clean; forgiving for beginners.Coatings wear out (ceramic often faster than PTFE); PTFE should not be heated empty or above about 260 °C; poor at building fond; needs non-metal utensils.
Glass baseCan serve on it; non-reactive.Heavier; slower heating base.
Aluminium (plain or hard-anodised)Light, conducts heat about 15 times better than stainless steel and heats quickly; anodising hardens the surface and stops reaction with acids.Plain aluminium reacts with acidic and alkaline foods and can discolour them; thin gauges warp; not magnetic, so it needs a steel base for induction.
Standard springform
20–26 cm; cheesecakes, tortes.
Leak-proof springform
Sealed base for water baths.

Buying guidance

Starting out: A 23 cm springform; wrap the outside in foil for water baths.

  • Tight seal between ring and base
  • Sturdy clamp
  • Flat base with a lip that can be used either side

No brands or prices — check current reviews before buying.

Techniques:Baking

Related tools

Recipes that use it