You guys are going to love me for this -- a paleo, gluten-free, and raw vegan neapolitan cake! So perfect for a hot summer day. So fun, wholesome, and of course, so yummy! Tastes just like the real deal too. A win-win all around.
P.S. Pardon the lack of a picture of the whole cake. It accidentally got eaten by some eager guests before I had a chance to snap a photo! I guess they really needed their neapolitan pastries fix :D Luckily, I managed to rescue a slice to take this shot for you so that you at least know what to expect -- phew! :) . Does that ever happen to you?
PrintRaw Vegan Neapolitan Cake
This raw vegan neapolitan ice cream cake is a delicious way to satisfy that neapolitan pastries hankering. The recipe is also gluten-free, and paleo.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 6″ mini cheesecake
- Category: Cake
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Base Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups cashews, pre-soaked for at least an hour or overnight
- 5 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup liquid sweetener of your choice (I used maple syrup)
- ½ cup coconut oil, liquified
- ¼ tsp raw ground vanilla bean (or 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract, but the ground vanilla tastes amazing)
- a pinch of salt
Additional Ingredients for Chocolate Layer:
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup liquid sweetener of your choice (I used maple syrup)
- 3 tbsp cocoa butter, liquified (white chocolate butter; not coconut)
Additional Ingredients for Strawberry Layer:
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
Chocolate Topping:
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp liquid sweetener of your choice (I used maple syrup)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- cacao nibs for garnish
Instructions
- Place all base ingredients in a blender (I used my Vitamix for this; a strong blender is best for smooth consistency), and blend until the mixture is smooth. Remove one third of the mixture into a small bowl and set aside. Remove an additional one third of the mixture into another bowl and set aside as well.
- Add in additional chocolate layer ingredients to the blender. Blend until smooth. Using a spatula, scrape out contents into a small springform pan. Smooth out into an even layer. Place the pan in the freezer and allow it to chill for at least 10-15 minutes before adding the next layers (it helps with keeping the layers from mixing up).
- In the meantime, rinse out the blender. Add the base mixture from one of the bowls that were set aside in step one into the blender. Add the strawberries and blend until smooth. Once the chocolate layer has chilled a bit, remove the pan from the freezer. Carefully pour the strawberry mixture on top of the chocolate layer, trying not to press down too hard to avoid the layers from mixing up. Smooth out the strawberry layer carefully and place the pan back in the freezer for an additional 10-15 minutes to chill.
- In the meantime prepare the chocolate topping by following the directions in this DIY Vegan Magic Shell Recipe (except, as per the ingredients above, you’re only making half of that recipe for this cake).
- Remove the pan from the freezer and pour the remaining third of the original base mixture (from the bowl that was set aside in step one) over the strawberry layer. Once again do this carefully to avoid the layers from mixing up. Smooth out the layer gently with a spatula.
- Pour the chocolate topping over the vanilla layer. Top with some cacao nibs. Place in the freezer to firm up for at least 2-3 hours.
Notes
{Note: I actually added a bit more of the strawberry mixture on top of the final chocolate topping (before topping with cacao nibs) — it felt wasteful to leave whatever I couldn’t scrape out of the strawberry layer in the blender (since it was so yummy), so I added 2 tablespoon almond milk to it and blended it quickly, which made it more runny. I then transferred the mixture into a small drizzling bottle and drizzled it on top. This part is totally optional, but it does add a whimsical effect to the cake}
Store the cake in the freezer, but leave it out for 15 minutes to thaw out prior to serving. Or serve straight from the freezer for a neapolitan ice-cream cake. Enjoy!
Chris says
Wow, I'd love to try this! How do you think 1/2 cup of melted cacao butter would work in place of the coconut oil? Maybe I could increase the vanilla so that flavor wouldn't be lost.
Audrey says
Hi Chris, you can definitely use cacao butter instead of coconut oil, of course bearing in mind the added chocolatey flavor to the cake. You can taste the mixture in the blender and adjust the vanilla to taste.
Mia says
Is the cake ok in the freezer for 2 days?
Audrey says
Hi Mia, yeah for sure. You can actually keep it frozen for months even, so long as it's protected from freezer burn.
Michelle says
Hi! I was wondering if you could use freeze dried strawberry powder instead of frozen strawberry and how much would you recommend? I would love to make this cake but strawberries aren't in season right now and I would rather not use expensive imported strawberries!
Thank you!
Audrey says
Hey Michelle. I'm so sorry for the delayed reply. I've been sick the last few months so haven't been able to stay on top of all the blog comments properly and just finally catching up on them all now.
Yes, you can definitely use strawberry powder -- not a problem at all. As for how much, that's an interesting question :) There's 1 cup fresh strawberries in the recipe, which is about 145gr whole. From what I could look up online, one company mentions that 50gr freeze dried strawberry powder = 550gr fresh strawberries. So in this case, for this recipe I'd probably use about 14gr powder.
Michelle says
Thank you so much! And I made your tiramisu a few days ago for my birthday and it turned out amazing! My mum even had two bites when normally she only has one because she's a tough person to please! And I hope you get better soon!
Audrey says
Aw, that's awesome -- thanks for sharing and I'm glad your mom enjoyed a tiny bit of the cake too :)
Lori Simmons says
Looks yummy! Can you sub the cashews for another ingredient? My son has a severe cashew allergy
Thanks
★★★★
Audrey says
Hi Lori, you could sub the cashews for something else like macadamia, but it would change the flavor of the cake a lot, and you'll need to add a fair bit more sweetener and also probably a bit more lemon juice to make macadamia work.
Audrey says
Whoops, sorry, I hit reply before I was done typing :)
There is a cashew-free cake you can try out from the blog as well (macadamia-based): http://www.unconventionalbaker.com/raw-strawberry-lime-macadamia-cheesecake-dairy-free-gluten-free-refined-sugar-free/
Or alternatively, there is a nut-free cake section on the main recipes page where you'll find some more options.
I'll be sharing a cashew-free Neapolitan-inspired recipe soon as well, so stay tuned...
Hope these help your sun enjoy some cake :)
Jen says
Where do you find cocoa butter to bake with. It is not available near me.
Audrey says
Hi Jen,
I usually buy mine at local health food shops. Most of them tend to carry it. I use the Giddy YoYo brand or jkGourmet most frequently, but only because they are the ones most common where I am. You can also order it online though. Here's a good one from Amazon, and at a pretty good price.
If you can't find it, you can use coconut oil instead. The cacao butter adds a good dose of flavor -- it's got a subtle chocolate liqueur taste and smell that goes really nicely in this cake, and of course great nutritional specs. But coconut oil will work just fine here too. Or even a mix of coconut oil & coconut butter would be nice.
Jen says
Thank you very much. I have wanted to buy some in the past but wasn't sure what to get. I ordered it and plan to try it out.
I have seen this same recipe with an almond crust. Have you made it with the crust, and if so, do you think it's better without it?
Audrey says
Hi Jen,
I know the recipe you're thinking of -- it's from a lady that used my recipe but with that addition as her adaptation. I normally add almond crusts to these types of cakes as well, but in this particular case didn't intentionally because I liked how the look of it mimicked what a slice of neapolitan ice cream looks like. I also didn't think it was needed per se as the cake is already very flavorful on its own. But I'm sure it would be delicious with it too (can't go wrong with more nuts ;) ). For my almond crusts I usually process about 1 1/3 cups almonds with 3 dates, a tiny splash of maple syrup or agave, and about 1 tbsp coconut oil into a sticky crumble. Then press it into the pan before the other steps. That ratio / combination works best for me.
Enjoy it whatever way you choose to make it though! :)
Jen says
Made this for Thanksgiving (your version -not with crust) and it was an enormous hit. Gave the recipe to two families. All who ate it couldn't believe it was made of cashews. In my opinion, the chocolate topping isn't even necessary. It is quite rich and a small piece goes a long way. Fantastic creation!
★★★★★
Audrey says
Aw, I'm so happy to hear that Jen. So happy everyone liked it! :) And you're right -- a little goes a long way with these types of desserts. Thanks for coming back to share -- much appreciated!
Bo says
Oh my god, it looks absolutely amazing!
Question: Can cashews be substituted with coconut flour? And in what ratio?
★★★★★
Audrey says
Thanks so much, Bo. I don't think coconut flour would work in this recipe as it wouldn't have the creamy smooth texture of the cashews. Coconut flour has a strong flavor and a gritty texture. I'd go with something like macadamia nuts or sunflower seeds instead -- would either of those work for you? Another option is coconut butter, but it will taste coconutty {a good thing if you're into coconuts :) }
Smadar says
Dear Audrey,
Your recipes look amazing, and as I am on a gluten-free, sugar-free way of living, these provide with a great alternative. I do have one question though, since I'm allergic to cashews and see that they're being used in many recipes, with what can I replace them without affecting the out come of a cake/dessert.
Thanks,
Audrey says
Hi Smadar,
Thanks so much and I'm glad you're finding recipes to suit your needs :)
I know I already replied to you on this question on Facebook, but figured it's worth posting a response here also in case anyone else is in the same boat. So the cashews give this cake a nice cheesecake-like texture and white color. The immediate substitute for those who are cashew intolerant would be macadamia nuts, but since you mentioned you can't do those either I'd go with sunflower seeds instead.
For other recipes other substitutions might work sometimes -- for example if it's just a creamy frosting then I often use warmed coconut butter instead of blended cashews, etc. Hard to give a blanket alternative for all though -- sometimes it can be just any other nut or seed, otherwise it needs to be something more precise. I say just leave a comment on specific recipes and I'd be happy to make suggestions as needed each time.
Audrey says
Hey Smadar,
Not sure why I haven't thought of it earlier, but you could try coconut butter instead of the cashews / nuts / seeds option. It will have a coconutty flavor and be a little richer, but I can see that working in this as an alternative.
Shonalika says
WOW. I don't think it matters that you didn't manage to get a picture of the whole cake. That slice has AUTHORITY. Seriously. I don't think I've ever seen such an authoritative slice of, well, anything. I was trying not to procrastinate on Pinterest but the authority was overwhelming.
It also looks delicious :P I've actually never had a "Neapolitan Cake," and so don't fully understand it - is the texture basically ice-cream, or is it more like a cheesecake?
Audrey says
Hi Shonalika -- thanks so much! :)
"Neapolitan" is a pretty North American thing {though it's Italian in origin} -- it's actually a very basic kind of ice cream you buy at any grocery store and I think it's the stuff that makes most kids' childhood around here ;) . It's like a tub of tri-coloured/flavored ice cream: with a layer of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream. So this raw cake is like having that, but in an icebox cake form instead {and of course free from the dairy, sugar, and all the other junky stuff that goes into supermarket Neapolitan ice cream}. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neapolitan_ice_cream
shonalika says
Oh, haha, we have Neapolitan ice-cream round here too - I'd just never seen it in cake form :P (Or any ice-creams in cake form really, for that matter.) Sounds and looks like an awesome idea though!:D
Audrey says
Oh, I see :) Well, pardon the lengthy explanation then ;) Yeah, I just got inspired to make it into a raw vegan cake form one day and it worked a treat!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
this cake looks amazing.. love how its paleo, gluten free and vegan! it's so hard to find recipes that cater for all three.. thanks for sharing the recipe!
Audrey says
Thanks so much, Thalia! :) It's always exciting for me when a recipe that's gluten-free, vegan, and paleo come out well because then I know more people can enjoy it (myself included ;) ).
adrienne @ whole new mom says
I so need to pick your brain on how you make your desserts look so lovely - wow!!!
Audrey says
Thanks so much, Adrienne! :) I so need to pick your brain on how you keep up with all the social media stuff, in addition to running your lovely blog and being a mom ;)
Vanessa - Natural Family Today says
Wow, that looks amazing! I love neopolatin ice cream, so I'm sure I would love this. Thanks for linking up to Natural Family Friday!
Audrey says
Thanks so much, Vanessa! Enjoy it :)
Judee @ Gluten Free A-Z says
What a wonderful healthy version of a Neopolitan cake. This could be perfect even for a birthday celebration. Thanks for the recipe
Audrey says
Thanks so much, Judee! :) Enjoy it!
Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts says
Audrey, your creations NEVER cease to amaze me! This cake looks phenomenal! I hope there's a book of these raw, vegan, and paleo creations in your future. Really, I do. For all of us!
xo,
Shirley
Audrey says
Thanks so much, Shirley! I'm thinking about it ;)
Julia says
This Neopolitan cake is so pretty! I cannot believe how healthy it is!
Audrey says
Thanks so much, Julia! :)