Strawberry Lime Macadamia Cheesecake
A raw vegan strawberry cheesecake with tangy lime accent to underscore the richness of the macadamia base filling. Sure to be a crowd pleaser. Gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6" cake
- Category: Cake
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
*Make sure ALL ingredients are at room temp before starting -- important!
Crust:
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 3 soft medjool dates, pitted
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (or raw sweetener of choice, like agave)
- ½ tbsp coconut oil, liquefied
Filling:
- 1½ cups raw macadamia nuts, presoaked and strained*
- 9 tbsp maple syrup (or raw sweetener of choice, like agave)
- 5 tbsp coconut oil, liquified
- 7 tbsp lime juice
- zest of 1 lime (optional, for extra zing)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled**
Extra Strawberry Layer:
- 1 cup more fresh strawberries, hulled
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, liquified
Optional Decorative Toppings:
- Use any toppings of choice, such as fresh strawberries or other berries. I used freeze-dried strawberries, dried lavender, dried rose petals, and jasmine flowers on mine.
Instructions
- Place all crust ingredients into a food processor and process into a fine sticky crumble. Transfer the mixture into your 6" springform pan and press down into a crust shape. Place in the fridge while working on the filling.
- Blend all filling ingredients into a smooth mixture (a power blender like a Vitamix works best, or just pause frequently to scrape down the sides and keep blending). Transfer most of this mixture, leaving about 1-2 tbsp in the blender, into the pan over the crust. Set aside.
- Add extra strawberry layer ingredients into the blender and blend into a smooth mixture. Carefully pour this over the filling in the pan (I like to use a spoon and just plop the mixture bit by bit over the filling rather than pour it straight down so that it's distributed a bit more evenly). Use a skewer to swirl in the top layer into the bottom layer a little (optional). Top with any decorative toppings if using.
- Cover the pan (I like to cover it with paper towel then a sheet of plastic wrap and an elastic to help it not get too much of a frost bite, but it's optional) and place in the freezer for approximately 5-6 hours or preferably overnight for the cake to set. Remove the cake from the freezer and thaw out a little before serving (about 1 hour in the fridge or 15-20 minutes at room temp). Enjoy! (Freeze any leftovers).***
Notes
*To pre-soak the nuts: place in a glass bowl, cover with water, and leave to soak for 4 hours (or overnight in the fridge). Then strain and discard the water. For a quick pre-soak, cover with boiled water and soak for 15 mins, then strain and discard water. (Note: this technique doesn’t preserve the nutrition of the recipe as well as the traditional soaking technique above). Note: the purpose of soaking the nuts is to re-hydrate them and plump them up for blending into a smooth, cheesecake-like consistency. Proper soaking techniques also maximize nutrition and digestibility. If you’re interested in learning more about nut soaking and other dessert prep tips and tricks, I delve into these subjects in detail in my book Unconventional Treats.
**If using frozen strawberries instead, make sure they are thawed out to room temp)
***Storage note: raw cakes behave much like ice cream in consistency. They are firm when frozen, should be thawed out very lightly (about 10 mins typically) for serving, and then anything not served should be put back in the freezer. Otherwise, as the cake warms back up to room temperature it will turn into the consistency it was in your blender, and that's not a good outcome.