“Cake is happiness! If you know the way of the cake, you know the way of happiness! If you have a cake in front of you, you should not look any further for joy!” - C. Joybell C.
This cheesecake was a hit at Big Spoon HQ, both for vegan and non-vegans alike! The lemon juice adds the "tang" reminiscent of traditional cheesecake, while a crust made from oats and almond butter tastes surprisingly like graham crackers (but better). We topped it with our June featured jam, Blake Hill Wild Blueberry with Lavender, and a little extra nut butter (who'd've guessed!) but any jam, fruit, nut butter, or combo of all will work beautifully—this cake makes for a pretty delicious (vegan, gluten-free!) blank canvas.
INGREDIENTS
Filling
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup coconut cream*
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese (we used Tofutti)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil for extra creaminess)
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
Crust
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup Big Spoon Roasters Toasted Coconut Almond Butter (or any BSR nut butter of choice)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp coconut oil
PREPARATION
- Add raw cashews to a mixing bowl and cover with boiling hot water. Let rest for 1 hour (uncovered). Then drain thoroughly.
- In the meantime, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a baking dish (we used a glass, 8” round dish) with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add oats, Almond Butter, and sugar to a high speed blender or food processor and mix on high until a fine meal is achieved.
- Remove lid and add 1 Tbsp coconut oil, adding more if it's too dry. Pulse/mix on low until a loose dough is formed, scraping down sides as needed. You should be able to squeeze the mixture between two fingers and form a dough similar in consistency to a traditional graham cracker pie crust. If too dry, add a bit more melted coconut oil.
- Transfer mixture to parchment-lined pan and spread evenly to distribute. Then place parchment paper on top and use a flat-bottomed object, like a drinking glass, to press down firmly until it’s evenly distributed and well packed. Let it come up the sides a little, otherwise it can be too thick on the bottom.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and there is some browning on the surface. Remove from oven to cool slightly, then reduce oven heat to 325 degrees F (162 C).
- Wipe high speed blender/food processor clean. Once cashews are soaked and drained, add to the blender along with coconut cream, vegan cream cheese, cornstarch, vanilla, maple syrup, coconut oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Blend on high until very creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed. We added a bit more lemon juice to mimic the traditional “tang” of dairy cream cheese.
- Pour filling over the pre-baked crust and spread into an even layer. Tap on counter to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges look very slightly dry and the center appears only slightly “jiggly” but not liquidy. When you shake it, it will have some give to it, but it shouldn’t all look liquid – only the center should jiggle.
- Let rest for 10 minutes at room temperature, then transfer to refrigerator to let cool completely (uncovered). Once cooled, cover (waiting until cool will prevent condensation) and continue refrigerating for a total of 5-6 hours, preferably overnight.
- To serve, lift out of pan with parchment paper and cut into slices. We topped ours with June’s featured jam, Blake Hill Blueberry with Lavender, and a bit more almond butter.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, up to 3-4 days, though best within the first 2 days.
Recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker.