I haven't had real cheese cake in years. I don't even really remember what it tastes like, well, maybe a little. I do remember that I LOVED it, and miss it. So ever since I found this recipe I've been sort of obsessed with this tasty alternative to the tasty (but super unhealthy) traditional version. I also recently came cross this site, which is FULL of amazing raw "cheese" cake recipes. There appears to be two basic ways to use the cashews in a raw "cheese" cake (okay, enough with the quotations...we get it Amber, it's not REAL cheese). So the two ways are to use raw unsoaked cashews or raw soaked cashews. I am very curious about these two methods, so decided to try them both. I started with the unsoaked cashew method (basically, cashew butter like the first recipe mentioned) next I will try raw soaked cashews. I will be sure to test these two methods and cakes extensively on my husband and children. So far I'm loving the texture of the raw unsoaked cashews...but we will see how the other method measures up - stay tuned.
Raw Cherry "Cheese" Cake
Recipe slighted adapted from The Detoxinista
Ingredients:
Crust
-2 cups raw walnuts (soak and dry for optimal digestion)
-1 cup pitted and chopped dates (make sure they are soft and at room temp)
-2 teaspoons coconut oil
Filling
-8 ounces cashew butter
-1/4 cup honey (vegans use maple syrup or 30 drops of vanilla, lemon or plain stevia).
-5 to 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
-1/2 teaspoon lemon flavor (optional)
Cherry Sauce
-1 cup pitted cherries
-1 tablespoon honey (vegans use maple syrup or 7 drops plain or flavored stevia)
How To:
1. For crust, in a food processor pulse walnuts a few times, add in dates and coconut oil. Blend until well incorporated. I used an 8 inch spring form pan. You can put some wax or parchment paper down on the bottom if you wish. Press walnut and date crust mixture into pan.
2. For the filling, in a blender or food processor, blend cashew butter, lemon juice, honey and vanilla (and optional lemon flavor). Blend until creamy. Add to the crust and smooth out. Then smooth some cherry sauce on top of the cashew butter mixture.
3. For the cherry sauce: in a blender (I used a Vitamix) blend the cherries and honey until a smooth sauce forms.
4. After assembly, place in freeze for a couple of hours, then transfer to fridge.
Shared on: Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Motivate Me Mondays, Monday Mania, Mealtime Monday, My Meatless Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday, Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Whole Foods Wednesdays, Raw Foods Thursdays, Wellness Weekend, Tastetastic Thursday, Keep It Real Thursdays, Pennywise Platter Thursdays, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Freaky Friday, Friday Food, Whole Foods Friday, Sweet Saturday,
