Description
This baked vegan cheesecake features a creamy, cashew-based filling with vegan yogurt, sweetened naturally and baked atop a buttery vegan crust. Topped with a luscious cherry compote, this dessert combines rich textures with fruity zest, perfect for a dairy-free, plant-based treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 300 g plain flour
- 150 g vegan butter (room temperature, cut into small chunks)
- 70 g brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- 200 g cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight)
- 600 g vegan vanilla Greek soy yogurt (or vegan plain soy yogurt with 2 tsp vanilla extract)
- 118 ml pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 40 g cornstarch
- 80 g aquafaba (chickpea brine, whipped)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
Cherry Compote
- 550 g frozen cherries (or frozen berries of choice)
- 60 g caster sugar (or maple syrup)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 170°C (340°F) if using a fan oven or 190°C (375°F) for a conventional oven to get it ready for baking the crust and filling.
- Make crust dough: Line a 9.5-inch springform cake tin with parchment paper on the base and sides. Combine plain flour, vegan butter, brown sugar, soy milk, and vanilla extract in a food processor and blend for about a minute until a dough forms.
- Form and bake crust: Press the dough evenly into the base and about 2 inches up the sides of the prepared cake tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes until the crust begins to brown lightly.
- Prepare filling base: While the crust bakes, place soaked cashews, vegan yogurt, maple syrup, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, lemon zest, salt, and cornstarch into a blender. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. Transfer this to a large bowl and mix in the baking powder with a whisk.
- Whip aquafaba: In a medium bowl, whip the aquafaba using a hand-held electric whisk for about 5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form and it looks foamy and firm.
- Fold aquafaba into filling: Gently fold one-third of the whipped aquafaba into the cheesecake batter using a spatula, being careful not to over-mix. Repeat with the remaining aquafaba in two more increments until fully combined.
- Bake cheesecake: Pour the combined batter into the cake tin over the baked crust. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, until the top is slightly browned and the cake is mostly firm but still slightly jiggly in the center. Remove from oven and allow it to cool in the tin for at least one hour.
- Chill cheesecake: Once at room temperature, carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight to let it set fully.
- Make cherry compote: Combine frozen cherries, caster sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan over low to medium heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the cherries release their juices and start to soften.
- Thicken compote juice: Strain the cherries, reserving the juice in a bowl. Whisk cornstarch into the juice until smooth. Return the juice mixture to medium-high heat and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking constantly until it thickens slightly. Pour thickened juice back over the cherries, stir gently and allow the compote to cool to room temperature for about an hour.
- Serve: Slice the chilled cheesecake and top each serving with a generous amount of cherry compote for a fruity finish.
- Storage: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator and consume within 3 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Soak cashews for at least 4 hours or overnight to ensure a creamy, smooth filling texture.
- Aquafaba is the liquid from canned chickpeas; whipping it mimics egg whites for vegan recipes.
- You can substitute frozen cherries with any frozen berries of your choice.
- Using vegan vanilla Greek-style yogurt adds creaminess and flavor, but plain soy yogurt with added vanilla extract works well too.
- Ensure you do not overmix the aquafaba into the batter to keep the cheesecake light and airy.
