Cal Giant | February 18, 2016
I must admit, this vegan “cheesecake” made me nervous. Could this vegan substitute really compare with the real thing? And calling this a cheesecake is a little misleading, because my friends, there is no cheese in this cake.
I started off by making the crust, which only consists of pecans and medjool dates. The second I lifted the lid off of my food processor, I knew this cake was a homerun. The crust smells absolutely heavenly. I literally took the crust around to all of my coworkers and made them smell it. Someone said it reminded them of fresh baked pancakes with maple syrup. If anything, just make this cake for the crust :)
The whole process to make this cake is surprisingly simple. All you need is food processor and blender. The only caveat is it has to freeze for four hours, so plan accordingly.
The outcome is undeniably delicious, even for those of us that aren’t fans of vegan or paleo. It’s a delicious, creamy concoction with the perfect amount of crunch from the crust. Will you give it a try? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
Disclaimer: this recipe was adapted from Dreamy Leaf
Ingredients for the crust
1½ cup pecans
¾ cup medjool dates, pitted
A pinch of sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredients for the filling
½ cup coffee
2½ cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours
¾ cup maple syrup
½ cup almond milk
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 pint of California Giant Blueberries
For the crust
Grind all the crust ingredients in a food processor until you get a sticky paste.
Between two sheets of parchment paper, knead the paste into the shape of your springform pan. Then take the bottom of your springform pan and trace around it with a knife, and cut the paste into the exact size of your pan (I then simply slid the crust onto the bottom of the springform pan).
Place the pan in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
Filling
Blend all the filling ingredients in a high speed blender.
Take the cake pan out of the freezer and add the filling. Then pour the one pint of blueberries on top. Place back in the freezer for at least four hours.
Remove just before serving. I prefer to serve it right out of the freezer, but you can let it sit out for at least one hour.
Feel like venturing to the dark side? I decided to pour chocolate shell syrup (I know, not vegan) all over the blueberries at the end. I love the effect it gave the cake, and it taste pretty darn good too :)
