Regular Pan

• 1). Run a table knife around the edges of the baked cheesecake to loosen it from the cake pan.
  
  
• 2). Place plastic wrap tightly around the cake pan.
  
  
• 3). Carefully flip the pan over onto a large plate and tap the bottom of the pan to make sure that the cake has released from the pan. The pan will sound hollow if the cake has transferred completely onto the platter.
  
  
• 4). Lift the pan off of the inverted cake. The bottom crust of the cake will be on top as the cheesecake is now upside down and the plastic wrap will be between the plate and the cheesecake.
  
  
• 5). Cover the upside-down cheesecake with an inverted cake platter and flip the plate, cheesecake and cake platter all at once.
  
  
• 6). Remove the plate, which is now on top of the cheesecake, and discard the plastic wrap.
  
  
• 7). Smooth the sides and the top of the cheesecake if any of the crust has become crumbly, and if the top of the cheesecake has gotten a little messy from all the flipping.
  
  
• 8). Add toppings if you would like, such as cherry compote or whipped cream, then slice and serve.
  
  

Springform Pan

• 1). Cool the cheesecake in the oven for about an hour after it is finished baking. This helps the cheesecake stop from sinking in the center.
  
  
• 2). Run a table knife around the edges of the cheesecake to loosen it from the sides of the cake pan.
  
  
• 3). Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator to chill, still in the springform pan. Allow it to chill for about 12 hours to allow the cheesecake to firm up properly.
  
  
• 4). Place the chilled cheesecake on a cake platter and release the latch on the side of the springform pan and carefully lift the sides of the pan from the cake. Slide the bottom of the pan from the underneath the crust.
  
  
• 5). Smooth the sides and tops of the cheesecake with a knife if there are any crumbly areas of the crusts or the top of the cheesecake is uneven. Slice and serve.