Sometimes the strangest things give you ideas, don't they? No, these blueberry spirulina cheesecake slices were not inspired by my love of blueberries. Nor by any health claims that spirulina often feels entitled to. Nor because there's a shortage of cheesecake around here... Really, my main motivation for making this cake was some color inspiration. I just went through a phase of slight obsession with the pretty teal and green shades that spirulina can impart to a dessert. I added some blueberries in because I had them on hand, so why not... But when I sliced those slices for eating I was in for a total surprise!
Notice anything special about those blueberries on the inside? ? Have a closer look...
They look GALACTIC! Like tiny nebulas and star clusters hiding within the perfectly spherically microcosmos of blueberries. My respect for these little berries and their mysterious hidden internal world just went up about a thousand notches!
Ok, well that little point of interest aside, the cheesecake did turn out lovely. I put some spirulina in the crust and a bit in the top layer. The flavor is not noticeable at all though, in case you're wondering :) Just lends pretty colors and a spec of nutrition into this little dessert.
Note: This recipe makes 4 of these small slices. I just used a tiny tupperware container lined with parchment paper to make mine. You can alternatively make it in a round 4″ pan. To make it a 5″ cake, multiply the recipe by 1.5. To make it 6″ triple or quadruple the recipe (depending on how tall you want your cake).
P.S. If you need more tips on how to make raw cheesecakes like a pro, check out my book Unconventional Treats.
PrintRaw Blueberry Spirulina Cheesecake Slice
Creamy raw vegan cheesecake slices made with blueberries and a hint of spirulina for added color and nutrition. Gluten-free, grain-free, no refined sugar!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 slices
- Category: Slices
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Crust:
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 soft medjool date, pitted
- ½ tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp spirulina powder
First Layer:
- ½ cup raw cashews, pre-soaked and strained
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
Second Layer:
- ¼ cup fresh blueberries
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tbsp coconut oil
- ⅛ tsp spirulina powder
Toppings:
- 12 fresh blueberries, a few hemp seeds for sprinkling
Instructions
- Process all crust ingredients in a food processor into a sticky crumbly mixture. Transfer into a small parchment-lined tupperware container (I used one that's 3" x 5.5") or a 4" springform pan and press down into a flat even crust. Freeze while working on the next layer.
- Blend all filling ingredients in a power blender until smooth. Pour ¾ of this mixture over the crust (leaving the remainder of the mixture in the blender) and allow to sit for 3-4 minutes.
- Carefully place blueberries in rows over the white layer in the container (I placed mine in rows of 4 and close together).
- Add remaining second layer ingredients into the blender and blend to combine. Spoon this mixture over the blueberries. Decorate the top of the cake as you like and then freeze for 5-6 hours or overnight to let the cheesecake set. Prior to serving, Remove from the pan, trim off any uneven edges, slice and enjoy!
Teresa says
Hi Audrey,
I am on The Gaps Diet and cannot use maple syrup - Would raw honey work?
Thanks,
Teresa
Audrey says
Hi Teresa, yes it would work well, but will add a bit of its own "honey flavor" -- if you don't mind that, you're good to go.
Petra says
Hi!
Excited to try your recipes :) What can I substitute for cashews if I'm allergic?
Thanks!
Audrey says
Hi Petra,
Sorry I missed your question entirely! You can use another nut, such as blanched almonds or macadamia nuts. Just keep in mind that you'll need to add more sweetener (as cashews are naturally sweeter) and also the texture will be a little bit more grainy (as cashews grind down smoother).
That said, not sure if you saw, but there is a nut-free cake section on the recipes page where there are lots of cashew-free alternatives :)
Chanàl Kruger says
Thank you sooo much for your beautiful blog and sharing these wonderful, healthy, low carb, no dairy etc recipes, I lovvvee it and can't wait to try them all!!!
Audrey, do you have a cookbook with all these recipes??
Audrey says
Hi Chanàl,
Thank you so much for your lovely comment. Always happy to share these recipes :)
I have a digital book called Unconventional Treats, which you can find out more about here: https://shop.unconventionalbaker.com/
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says
Space berries haha!!! Blueberries are already so small I rarely cross section them, but they do look awesome. And it makes perfect sense why they don't really color things blue, the inside is very purple. The spirulina crust came out quite a fun color too!
Audrey says
Yes, very space-y!! ? Is there anything not to like about them?
Kara says
P.S. How long did you soak the cashews?
Audrey says
YOu can do a quick soak by covering them in boiled water for 15 mins. If you want to keep the recipe raw, or maximize the nutritional benefits of the nuts soak them in room temp water for 4 hours.
Kara says
Looks so beautiful and yet simple to make! Definitely going to try next time I grab blueberries!
Audrey says
Thanks so much, Kara! :)
Stina Pettersson says
Beautiful! There are two kinds of blueberries, the bigger ones (called American here in Sweden) you've used, that grow on bushes and can be grown in the garden, and the smaller ones, that are purple all the way through and grow wild on the ground in the forest (blueberries cover 17% of Sweden!). I suspect the smaller, wild ones would make more of a mess of the cakes, since they tend to get rather smashed when put in a cake. :)
Audrey says
Ah, yes, we have wild blueberries and regular ones (garden). The ones I used in the cake are the garden variety, but I have tons of bushes of the wild ones in my forest here. I think because they freeze whole they won't make a mess when you slice either way, unless they are over-ripe.
valentina | sweet kabocha says
I'll have a closer look to blueberries next time I eat some! *____*
Btw, I love the colors in this cake <3
xo
Audrey says
Hehe. Thanks so much, Valentina! They are such interesting berries, especially once frozen!