Can You Bake A Cake In A Springform Pan?

Springform pans are incredibly handy tools for bakers, no matter what your experience level might be! The chances are you have used a springform pan at least once if you have ever baked anything before.

It tends to be used for cheesecakes, but is also able to be to bake items such as pies and pizzas. But can you bake a cake in a springform pan?

When it comes to baking cakes, it can sometimes be a little bit difficult to do so with a springform pan. Cake batter has a habit of being particularly runny, which can make it tough for the cake batter to stay sealed within a springform pan.

That being said, there are ways that you can bake cake in a springform pan if you are careful when doing so. With this in mind, let’s take a look at how you can go about baking a cake in a springform pan. 

What Is A Springform Pan?

These rounded baking pans are unique thanks to the inclusion of a latch on the side. This latch allows the sides and the bottom of the pan to separate from each other.

The rounded nature of the pan allows it to be tightened to keep the shape of your food as the baked goods are in the oven, whilst the easy-to-use latch releases the springform pan with ease.

This means that it can be much easier to take your baked goods out once they are cooked, but it can be a little tricky to cook cakes in because of this.

As the sides are removable, and the base is detachable, the seals are not particularly strong, making that most springform pans leak quite a bit when it comes to cake batter.

This could lead to the batter of your cake running out of the pan and leaking all over your oven, which is a less than ideal situation!

That being said, there are ways that you can go about baking a regular cake in a springform pan, so let’s take a look at how to do this. 

Choosing Your Springform Pan

The type of springform pan that you choose will make a difference if you want to try and bake with it. The two types that are available are a metal springform pan and a silicone springform pan. 

Metal Springfrom Pans

For a crusty cake, a metal springform pan is more suitable. This is because the metal of the pan will offer much more support and compress the cake.

This compression will allow the cake to get a thick crust on the top, but make sure that you pick the right size of springform pan for this so that you can get that perfect level of compression.

This being said, if you are planning on making cake in a springform pan, silicone is the better option.

Silicone Springform Pans

The runniness of cake batter is the biggest problem when it comes to using a springform pan to bake a cake but silicone springform pans can help with this, making them the best option when it comes to making cake in a springform pan.

These springform pans tend to have glass bases, which can aid with the maintenance of the batter by keeping it in one place and preventing leaks more easily.

These kinds of springform pans are also incredibly flexible, which can make them easier to remove from the oven- or move in general- without any mess. This flexibility also makes it a handy piece of bakeware when it comes to storing it in your kitchen. 

Testing Springform Pans For Leaks

If you have a silicone springform pan and are thinking of trying it out in order to bake a cake, you can do a small test with water to see how if you run the risk of cake batter leakage. Follow these steps to perform the most accurate test possible:

• Ensure that your springform pan is clean.
• Lock the springform pan by using the latch and securing the sides to the base. Make sure that the seal is as tight as you can get it. 
• Hold the pan over your kitchen sink and fill it with water. Don’t forget to hold it over the sink, or you could end up with a rather wet floor if the test is unsuccessful!
• Once the pan is full of water, look carefully at the area where the sides meet the base of the pan and see if any water is spilling out. If there is a lot of water coming out, the pan will not be suitable for cake baking as it is likely to release the cake batter and cause it to leak out into your oven. However, if the edges are a little wet, do not count it as a failure. Almost every single springform pan will leak a little because of its design. If the edges are wet, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the batter will leak excessively. 
• Make sure to check the area around the latch closely as well, as this area is more prone to leaking. 
• If these tests and checks are successful, you should be ready to try and bake your cake in a springform pan!

Tips For Preventing Leakage With A Springform Pan

There are a few tips that you can take note of when it comes to purchasing springform pans and avoiding leaking when using one. Let’s have a look at a few:

• Try to invest in the best quality springform pan that you can afford. These higher-quality springform pans will minimize any issues that you might have with leakage.
• Aluminum foil is a great way to aid with leaks with a springform pan, acting as a quick fix. Simply wrap the areas of the pan that are prone to leakage- or the entire pan if you so choose- in the tin foil to contain any runny batter that might emerge. 
• Make sure to opt for silicone springform pans if you want to bake a cake with them, as we mentioned above!

Final Thoughts

The answer to the question of “can you bake a cake in a springform pan” is as follows: it is doable, but might not work best for you.

The biggest issue with this is that springform pans leak, and you are likely to face a cake batter leak when using it.

You might be better off using a regular cake pan if it is just cakes that you are interested in making. There are- as we talked about- preventative measures and tests that you can do to

Springform pans might not be the perfect piece of bakeware to use to bake cakes and are certainly not better than a regular cake pan or a standard baking pan.

That being said it is very much possible if you want to give it a try! Follow our instructions above, and you should be able to bake a cake in a springform pan with minimal leaks, as long as you are careful and precise.