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Baking Cheesecake, Step by Step

By: Allrecipes Staff

The way a cheesecake is baked is the key to its perfection.

Professional pastry chefs bake cheesecakes in a water bath. This method bakes the cake very gently so that it does not darken, curdle, or crack. A springform pan is the best choice for baking cheesecakes because you can remove the cake from the pan easily, but muffin tins or any other cake pan will work fine. If you use a plain cake pan, grease it well and line the bottom with parchment paper.

1. Preheat your oven to the temperature recommended in your cheesecake recipe. To prevent water from seeping into the removable bottom of the springform pan, wrap aluminum foil completely around the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Place the cheesecake into a jellyroll pan (or any baking pan with sides) and place the pans into the oven. Use a teakettle to fill the outer pan with hot water. Cheesecakes usually bake for about 1½ hours, so check the bath after the first hour and refill if necessary.

Our Top 20 Cheesecake Recipes

2. Because cheesecake is very soft, it can be difficult to judge when it is done cooking. One way to check for doneness is to take the cake's internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. The ideal temperature for a cheesecake is around 160 to 165 degrees F (70 to 72 degrees C). You can also insert a small knife into the center of the cake and if it comes out clean, the cake is done. Some bakers turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in it for an additional hour to ensure that it sets completely.

3. Once the cheesecake has been removed from the oven, it needs to chill thoroughly--preferably overnight. The cake will have pulled away the edges of the pan. Carefully run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen any bits that might stick to the pan.

4. Unclip the clasp at the side of the pan, watching for any areas that stick. Carefully lift the outer ring over the top of the cake. If you used a plain cake pan and don't want to serve dessert in the pan, invert a plate covered with a sheet of waxed paper over the pan. Tip the cake pan over the plate, and remove the pan. Invert a serving plate over the bottom of the cheesecake, and flip it over. Remove the top plate and paper, trying not to peel off the "skin" on the surface of the cheesecake. Any imperfections can be covered by chocolate ganache, a fruit sauce, or a layer of lightly sweetened sour cream.

5. For a seamless look, you can smooth the sides of the cheesecake with a hot, wet knife. Any toppings or garnishes can be added at this point.

Related links:

Dessert Sauce Recipes

Chocolate Ganache

For tips on slicing and serving, read Slicing Cheesecakes and Layer Cakes.

Comments

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Bronwyn

Jun. 30, 2009 8:36 pm

I usually let my cheesecake cool slowly in the oven once it's done cooking, so that it does not crack on top!

bojangles

Jul. 11, 2009 7:28 am

From the pictures you can tell that the cheesecake stuck to the sides of the springform. To prevent this from happening, grease the sides well with butter and let the cheesecake cool for five hours in the oven. This way it won't stick to the sides and removing the springform is easy.

cstolinski

Jul. 14, 2009 3:27 pm

I am getting ready to bake a cheesecake for the first time and need to know if cooling in a gas oven with a pilot light will over cook the chhesecake?

scottyd_o_double_g

Jul. 20, 2009 3:39 am

I don't think the pilot light will warm the oven enough to make a significant difference. Open up your oven sometime when only the pilot has been on, and you will find that the inside of the oven is relatively cool.

Mayoona

Aug. 11, 2009 5:37 am

i made it tis yummy

Kary

Aug. 19, 2009 3:07 am

The cheese cake of all recipe staffs looks soft and creamy, but I don't know why everytime my cheese cake is very hard and middle part dropped down. Please give me some advice.

Gilly

Sep. 12, 2009 6:58 am

It would be great if you could show a video of how much the cheesecake should jiggle in the middle when done. That way I would know when to turn off the oven to allow for complete cooking.

squawk93

Sep. 14, 2009 10:18 am

Our first cheesecake was a succes because of this article. Thanks for the great advice!

Kirsten

Oct. 8, 2009 12:27 pm

Does a taller cheesecake need to bake for longer? I usually use a 10" pan, but am trying out a 7" pan and plan to make the cake taller. Any Tips?

nina

Oct. 23, 2009 1:53 pm

This may be a dumb question, but how do they make those fancy cheesecakes with layers of regular cake between? Can you bake both batters at the same time in the same pan? Or do you have to bake them separately and stack them? Always looking to save a step whenever possible! :-)

Tyscookbook

Nov. 9, 2009 4:30 pm

I make cheesecakes a lot but they seem to crack on the top a lot. I dont know how to stop this from happening

Pinkie

Nov. 11, 2009 10:19 pm

I was told that if cheesecake crack ie 1) oven temperature too hot 2) incorporate alot of air.

kardoula

Nov. 18, 2009 2:34 pm

anyone know anything i can use in a cheesecake instead of sour cream?

SARASHA

Nov. 19, 2009 10:20 am

I usually use whipping cream instead of sour cream.

DUFF7501

Nov. 22, 2009 8:37 am

I've used plain yogurt in place of sour cream in many recipes

rwladywolf

Nov. 25, 2009 11:04 am

Well, this is my first cheesecake and it did crack on top! That's what the whipped cream topping is just perfect for, hopefully! HAPPY THANKSGIVING

fegundez

Nov. 26, 2009 7:30 am

I have made many cheesecakes and instead of using the water bath I just put a seperate baking pan filled with water on a lower shelf it raises the humidity just right. also allowing the cake an hour in the oven after usually works perfectly.

barbnaples

Dec. 6, 2009 4:54 pm

How do you take the bottom pan off before serving??

BFY8967

Dec. 9, 2009 7:23 am

hi,does anybody know what would happen if i separate the egg's white and yolk,and beat the egg's white separately and then mix it with other ingredients?would it affect my cheesecake?

Christine

Dec. 11, 2009 5:36 am

In my opinion if your going to use yoghurt instead of sour cream in a cheesecake, you should separate out some of the whey first. Let the yoghurt sit out at room tempurature in a strainer with a coffee filter in it. Voila, yoghurt cheese

Neese

Dec. 12, 2009 1:49 pm

barbnaples: To easily remove the cheesecake from the bottom of a springform pan, I trace the bottom on parchment paper; cut it slightly smaller, and stick it to the pan with a bit of butter. There's no need to butter the parchment paper.

MSALLYSA

Dec. 27, 2009 9:56 am

you all should try rose beranbaums (sp?) cake bible. it has the perfect cheesecake recipe spelled out in plain engligh.. measurements AND by weight. baked in a bain marie for 45 minutes with the heat on, then left in the oven for an hour with the heat off. my cake (which is actually a custard b/c that's what cheesecake really is) never cracks.. ever. The top never browns, and the texture is always silky smooth. Cake Bible, people.. invest!! It's worth it :-)

katyee

Jan. 18, 2010 5:54 pm

If you use a springform pan for your cheesecake and want to bake it in a water bath, how do you stop the water from leaking in to your cake?

Gretchen

Jan. 19, 2010 9:34 pm

katyee - cover the bottom and halfway up the sides of your pan with aluminum foil.

Elcidia

Jan. 23, 2010 6:11 pm

Yep, it is possible to botch a cheesecake. I learned that you can overbeat and add too much air. After beating the ingredients, I had excess batter that I could not pour into the pan. I did the right thing and ate it raw. Nom, nom, nom. Wondered for a moment about that, then just shrugged. With no special protection, I baked it at 500 degrees for 10 minutes, then set the temp to 200. After one hour I took a temperature reading, and the temp was 155 degrees. It came out a bit scorched on the edges and top. It didn't even taste that good. I think I am about to pitch in the composter.

Emily

Jan. 28, 2010 9:39 am

I generaly use the standard Philly recipies. They don't call for sour cream at all. What is the purpose of adding it? I also find the top of my cakes crack. I find lowering my temp. to 325 for 1 to 1 and a half hours, that seems to help. I use a dark metal springform pan. I usually loosen the edges after about 10 min.s, is this wrong?

Makenzie

Jan. 30, 2010 3:22 pm

What are the ingredients to this pudding?

Julie Williams

Feb. 7, 2010 9:05 pm

If I don't have a springform pan and I use a cake pan, how do I get the cheesecake out of the pan? I suppose I can't flip it upside down. LOL. Any suggestions?

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