Vegan Cheesecake
Indulge in the luscious delight of creamy Vegan Cheesecake. This dairy-free masterpiece features a velvety cashew base enriched with a zesty blend of lemon and natural sweeteners encased in a crumbly graham cracker crust. Topped with a vibrant assortment of fresh berries, each bite offers a symphony of flavor and texture that's sure to satisfy your dessert cravings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Bake Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 9-inch Cheesecake 1x
- Category: Cakes and Cupcakes
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust
1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs*
1/2 c vegan butter, melted
1/4 c sugar
pinch of salt
For the Filling
1 c raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained
12-14 oz box extra firm silken tofu
1/2 c agave nectar
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cornstarch
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides. In a small bowl stir together the graham cracker crumbs, vegan butter, sugar and salt. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake on center rack of preheated oven for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Make the Filling: While the crust is cooling, begin to prepare the filling. Add all of the filling ingredients to a high speed blender. Blend until mixture is completely smooth. This can take up to 5 minutes depending on the strength of your machine. Let your blender rest periodically so it doesn’t overheat.
- Bake: Pour prepared filling into springform pan over the baked graham cracker crust. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Fill a 9x13-inch pan with water and place it on the bottom rack in your oven. This will create steam while your cheesecake bakes and help prevent cracking. Place cheesecake on center rack of oven and bake for 45-50 minutes.
- Cool Cheesecake: Once time has elapsed, turn off the oven and open the door a crack. Allow cheesecake to cool in the oven for an hour before taking it out to cool completely. Place cooled cheesecake in the refrigerator to chill overnight. Once properly set, slice cheesecake into wedges. Dust with powdered sugar and top with berries if desired.
Notes
*Prepared cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
*When looking for vegan graham cracker crumbs, the main ingredient you will want to avoid is honey as dairy is seldom included. If you are struggling to find crumbs without honey, make your own by pulsing honey-free graham crackers in a food processor until crumbly.
*You can use gluten-free graham cracker crumbs or crushed gluten-free cookies for the crust. Alternatively, use ground nuts (like almonds or pecans) mixed with a bit of sweetener and oil for a gluten-free crust.
Find it online: https://censoredbaker.com/vegan-cheesecake/
