Christine, a springform pan is a (usually) round cake pan with a removable side, which is held in place by a spring. This makes it easy to remove a cake (such as a cheesecake or coffee cake) from the pan because you simply release the spring and remove the side. If a springform pan is not available, cake can sometimes be baked in a greased round or square baking pan, but it may be a bit difficult to remove the cake from the pan. --Grandma Betty