Strawberry Cheesecake

This Strawberry Cheesecake is the perfect excuse to go strawberry picking and then invite your friends over!

There are several things about this post that make me exceedingly happy. One, I got to go home and connect with my family last weekend. It has been a year or so since I have seen my loved ones and now I can say my cup is full. Two, it is strawberry season here in Ontario. The strawberries may not be the prettiest this year but they sure are delicious. We had several frost’s in early Spring that wreaked havoc on the little berries making them a little gnarley and mishap-pen but nevertheless incredibly delicious. Number 3, it is SUMMER. The sun is warm, the skin is tanned, people are OUT, restrictions are lifting, life as we knew it is slowly creeping back to a sense of normalcy and that brings me all sorts of joy.

I’ve been strawberry picking twice; once in the Toronto area and once near my moms house. Two very different experiences. Near Toronto there were lineups and a cover charge to get in and near my moms in Tincap (yes, that’s an actual place) it was wide open with nary a human to brush shoulders with. Both times I had my mister by my side, a hat on my head and strawberry stained fingers. Literally perfection.

Many of you have made my cheesecakes in the past. If you haven’t, you need to. They’re rich and creamy and all sorts of tasty. You won’t miss the dairy, I can promise you that. At the beginning of this week I asked the question of what to do with my last batch of fresh berries in my stories this week and while I received some clever responses none of the answers included cheesecake. I plan on picking again next week (obsessed) so I promise I will get to the suggested recipes but I couldn’t think of a better way to use up these than one of my cheesecakes..

person slicing cake. strawberry cheesecake vegan

Strawberry Cheesecake

Teri-Ann Carty

This Strawberry Cheesecake is the perfect excuse to go strawberry picking and then invite your friends over!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 12

Cook Time 4

Course Appetizer & Starters, Desserts & Sweets

Servings 8 slices

Equipment

6 1/2” springform pan
food processor or blender
oven
freezer

Ingredients

CRUST INGREDIENTS

¼ cup granola (any flavour will do)
1 cup graham wafer crumbs
½ cup oats
1 tbsp lakanto
¼ cup melted vegan butter
pinch of salt

FILLING INGREDIENTS

1 cup cashews (soaked overnight)
2 tbsp lemon juice + zest of one lemon
¼ cup maple syrup
½ can coconut milk
2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1 cup fresh strawberries (sliced)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut a round for a 6 1/2” springform pan. I place the paper over the bottom, secure the springform around the paper and tear the remaining paper. Not technical, but it works for me! Spray or grease the sides of the springform and set aside to make a crust.
Place the ingredients for the crust in the base of a food processor. Pulse machine to get started and then process for about a minute. The granola and the oats should break down. Transfer into the prepared springform pan and press the crust firmly. I use the bottom of a ramekin to do this. Place in the oven for 15 minutes to bake. Transfer to a cooling rack and then into the freezer (once cooled) while you make your filling.
Drain and rinse the cashews. Place into a high speed blender. Add remaining ingredients up to the sliced strawberries and blend on high scraping down sides as needed. Tap the blender several times to release air bubbles. Pour 3/4 of the mixture onto the prepared crust. Tap again to release air bubbles. Place into the freezer for approximately 30 minutes to loosely set.
Add the sliced berries into the blender, and blend again. Once the bottom layer has loosely set, pour the strawberry layer on. Tap if you notice air bubbles. IF the layers start to blend, embrace it. I use a toothpick to make swirling designs. The cake is not ruined! You will end up with such a beautiful result once you slice it. Place back in the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours. or until solid.
Once you are ready to eat it, remove from the freezer and gently remove the springform. Place on a serving plate. Decorate your cake with fresh strawberries or perhaps a combination of blueberries and raspberries. Get creative and have fun! Place in the fridge for about an hour to de-thaw. If the cake is still frozen, place on the counter at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing. Once ready to eat, use a hot knife and a clean towel (to wipe the knife in between slices) to slice into your cheesecake.
Store the remaining in the fridge (uncovered is fine) for up to 3 days.

Keyword cheesecake, dairy free, gluten free, no bake, plant based, raw, strawberry, vegan

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