“Using a water-bath when baking a cheesecake ensures that the cheesecake will bake evenly throughout, stay moist and have less cracking. The top will stay nice and flat … perfect every time.”
I always use a water-bath when I bake a cheesecake and I can not recommend them enough. Believe me … I bake A LOT of cheesecake … Just check out the Cheesecake section of my recipe index!
A water-bath is kind of like a sauna for your cheesecake. It keeps the hot air in the oven moist which ensures your cheesecake stays moist as well. The warm water surrounding the pan keeps the temperature even so that the edges of the cheesecake don’t over bake and the inside doesn’t under bake.
It’s very simple to do. Once your cheesecake is ready to put into the oven, place a large roasting pan in the oven.
Now it’s time to put the cheesecake into the roasting pan … but … you need something to keep the water from seeping into the bottom of the spring-form pan while it’s baking.
Some people wrap the bottom of the spring-form pan with layers of foil … but that technique has NEVER worked for me.
So …. What’s my #1 tip to create the perfect LEAK PROOF water-bath for cheesecakes??
Buy a cake pan that is at least 1 inch larger in diameter than your spring-form pan. Set the spring-form pan into the cake pan before you put it in the water-bath.
This cake pan will prevent any water from getting into your spring-form pan while it’s in the water-bath!
They are easy to find too. I picked this one up at Walmart in the baking section. My spring-form pan is 9″ in diameter and my cake pan is 10″ in diameter. Perfect!
Here are a couple of links for Amazon.
Wilton 9-Inch Springform Pan
Wilton Aluminum Performance Pans 10-Inch by 2-Inch Round Pan
Cook N Home 16 by 12-Inch Nonstick Roaster Pan with Rack, Black
(Remember that the roasting pan needs to be wider than your cake pan and spring-form pan)
Trust me … if you’ve ever gone through the trouble of making a cheesecake in a water-bath only to have a soggy … gross crust that just falls apart … you will be thanking me!
Now it’s time to fill the roasting pan with hot water. I fill a pitcher with the hottest water from my tap and carefully fill the roasting pan making sure not to splash any water into the cake pan or spring-form pan. The water level should be about half way up the side of the cake pan. Close the oven and set your timer!
Watch the video below for more detail!
I highly recommend water-baths because the final product always turns out just the way I want it to!
If you’d like more tips and tricks for the perfect cheesecake … check out my recipe for Simple Cheesecake. I’ve got tips listed through out the post!
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Brian says
Does this work just as good as wrapping in foil and placing that into the water?
Amy Duska says
Hi Brian, this method works much better than wrapping in foil. I’ve never had success with the foil method. I’ve always ended up with a soggy wet crust!
Kathlene says
Amy! You are brilliant! I’m so mad at myself for having never thought of this! I’m off to make your Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd Topping! Thank you so much!
Amy says
Thank you Kathlene! Good luck with the cheesecake 🙂