A springform pan will make your life much, much easier when making a cheesecake. Simply run a knife around the edges, then release and you're all set! However, if you don't have one, lightly grease a regular 9" cake pan and line with plastic wrap or parchment paper. The edges won't be perfectly crisp and smooth, but it works in a pinch. You can also use a rectangular or square pan and turn these into cheesecake bars.