Raw Strawberry Cheesecake
I always say that I’m not a raw person but that isn’t exactly true. When I’m in SF I’m practically tethered to Cafe Gratitude and one of the best meals I had in LA was at Cru. Brooklyn used to have a hole in the wall (almost literally) restaurant where I would enjoy soggy dehydrated pancakes. Yeah, I said soggy and enjoy in the same breath.
I think I just don’t have the patience for the preparation techniques, like dehydrating and spiral slicing. And while raw is all wonderfully healthy, I’m not positive that cooked spinach is going to kill me, despite the wacky emails I get from time to time. Luckily for us vegans, raw food is almost exclusively free of animal products and so that opens up a whole world of experimentation. I love, for example, using soaked cashews to create creaminess. In fact, many of my favorite vegan desserts have been raw. I’m just not into that vegan cheesecake, loaded with telltale, groan-worthy tofutti and confectioner’s sugar. My favorite cheesecake from Cafe Gratitude contains coconut, dates and Irish Moss. So gather your ingredients and…wait. Irish Moss?
Yeah, so I wanted to make a minimum hassle recipe that was easy enough to create from ingredients you could procure from any health food store. I scoured the internet for hints on how to go about it and I decided on my beloved soaked cashews and coconut oil. The oil is solid at room temperature so ensures that everything stays together. No special equipment needed, this cake came together in a snap. The only prep you need to do is to remember to soak the cashews in advance. Also remember that the cake will need at least 4 hours to set.
The end result was a really, really rich and creamy cake. And you’ll believe me when I say I am not rich-dessert phobic, but the cake really does serve 16. It’s got plenty of strawberry flavor and a little tang from the lime. It needed a little extra strawberry blast at the end, so I threw together a quick strawberry sauce. The crust was modified from the Cafe Gratitude desserts cookbook. I Am Pilfering. To melt your coconut oil place it in a small covered container and place that in a bowl of very hot water. Melt it right before using so that it doesn’t solidify.
Raw Strawberry Cheesecake
Serves 16
Crust
1 cup pecans
1 cup almonds
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 medjool dates, pitted and chopped
Filling
3 cups raw cashew pieces, soaked overnight (or at least 3 hours)
1/2 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (alcohol free is preferred for raw desserts)
32 oz strawberries (reserve 9 for decorating), hulled and halved - about 4 cups
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
Raw Fluffy White Frosting Recipe
1/2 cup raw cashew pieces, soaked overnight
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons agave syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (alcohol free is preferred for raw desserts)
1/4 cup raw coconut oil, melted
Strawberry Coulis (Coulis is a fancy word for pureed sauce)
2 cups chopped strawberries
3 tablespoons agave syrup
Lightly grease a 9 inch spring form pan with coconut oil and set aside.
To prepare the crust, pulse nuts and salt in a food processor fit with a metal blade. When nuts are fine crumbs, add the dates and pulse until the dough holds together when squeezed between your fingers. Firmly press crust into the bottom of prepared cake pan. Set aside.
To prepare the filling, pulse cashews in food processor until crumbly. Add agave, water, lime juice and vanilla and puree until very smooth, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to make sure you get everything. Feed the strawberries through the top of the food processor and puree until incorporated. The filling should turn a pretty pink. With the processor running, add the melted coconut oil in a steady stream.
Pour the filling into the cake pan. It will look like a smoothie and you’ll think no way it will set, but it will! Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to set. Make sure it’s level so that your cake doesn’t come out wonky. Let set for at least 4 hours.
Prepare the frosting in basically the same way as the cake. Pulse the cashews in the food processor until crumbly. Add the water, agave and vanilla and blend until smooth. With the food processor running, stream the coconut oil in through the top until combined. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill until set, about 2 hours.
Prepare the sauce when you’re close to serving. Just mash the strawberries up with the agave until it’s all red and syrupy.
To assemble
Release the cake from its springform prison. Use a mini scoop to place 8 mounds of icing around the perimeter of the cake and one in the center. Slice the tops off the reserved strawberries and gently smush them upside down into the frosting mounds. If you don’t have a mini scoop, just use a spoon and make them as pretty as you can, they’re gonna get smushed anyway.
To serve, place some Strawberry Coulis on the plate and serve the cake over it. Dig in!
May 5th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
I was about to say ‘You Go, Girl!’, but then I realized you didn’t offer me a piece.
May 5th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
This looks so fresh and delicious and amazing. This is a thing of beauty.
May 5th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Come over, Jess, there’s plenty left.
May 5th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Cashews are so great. They can do anything.
May 5th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Dangit! Maybe it’s because I’m allergic to them, but it feels like a vegan’s love for cashews is rivaled only by his/her tofu-adoration. Can I substitute in any nut for the cashews in this recipe? (Raw) Almonds? Walnuts?
This looks delicious.
May 5th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
I love raw cheesecakes. Now if I can just figure out how to make the filling in my Magic Bullet. And that frosting has possiblities. I wonder if that would be good with some cocoa added and spread on some brownies.
May 5th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Beautiful! I love how the frosting looks, don’t think I’ve seen one set up so firm before. Nice.
To the post who asked about a cashew sub, they might want to try macadamias?
May 5th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Yuummmmmm! Bookmarked for when I get a bajillion strawberries in my CSA!
May 5th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Have to try it, looks so amazing and delicious!
May 5th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Oh wow, this is phenomenal!!! I must make this in the summertime =)
May 5th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
This looks beyond amazing.
May 5th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
I love raw desserts, this looks awesome
May 5th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Rock on sister. Nice dessert.
May 5th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
it looks pretty good, i must try to make my own : )
May 5th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
I’ve never liked cheesecake. Vegan ones made it seem like I could finally have a cheesecake that would be palatable to me, but truth is I’ve yet to have one, because like you “I’m just not into that vegan cheesecake, loaded with telltale, groan-worthy tofutti and confectioner’s sugar.” So thanks for this fabulous recipe - it looks like it will become the very first cheesecake I’ll be able to enjoy!
May 5th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Hey Dom Deluise, first off, RIP. Next off, try a mix of almond and macamia. Bet it’ll be slammin!
May 5th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Omigod! Isa, I seriously love you. I am saving this so I can make it later. Yum!
May 5th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
I think this might well be the strawberry pie that I have been craving for thirty three years. I can’t wait to try it!
May 5th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Wow! I’m not even into sweets or desserts… but this is ridiculous. I’m craving it now. Amazing pictures!!
May 5th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Isa, this looks so good! I am trying to experiment more with raw foods. I can’t wait to try this! I am just wondering do you always have to soak raw cashews?
May 5th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Hey Jay! No, you don’t always have to soak raw cashews. I often do because you want to break them down into the smallest particles possible so that they’re as creamy as possible. For this dessert I think it’s important and for cream sauces I think it’s important. But if I’m making, say, a pesto with cashews then I won’t necessarily soak.
May 5th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
That is one of the most beautiful deserts i have seen in my life. I have no idea what coulis is but it looks slammin’ to.
100% lovely! are those starberrys from yr garden?
May 6th, 2009 at 12:47 am
OoOo! Yes, please!
May 6th, 2009 at 4:13 am
Looks gorgeous! Can you taste the coconut… I’m a rare coconut hating vegan!
May 6th, 2009 at 5:08 am
This looks WONDERFUL! I might just try it for our next potluck… Feeds 16, did you say? We’ll see! (I’m a bit too fond of rich desserts for my own good…)
May 6th, 2009 at 5:54 am
Gorgeous! dang. I wish I was there to share with you.
May 6th, 2009 at 7:08 am
wow, i never thought raw food could look so yummy! i’ll make sure to try this recipe for our midsummers party(typical swedish tradition) in june.
and btw, thanks for a wonderful blog!
May 6th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Oh wow. This looks amazing, and I am totally going to make a raspberry version very, very soon.
May 6th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Meagan, I wanted it to be raspberry! The raspberries at the store didn’t taste too sweet, though.
May 6th, 2009 at 11:33 am
I am unfamiliar with the properties of coconut oil - if you leave the cake out at room temperature for awhile before serving (say, at a potluck), is it going to get too soft?
That looks totally yummy. Thanks Isa!
May 6th, 2009 at 11:48 am
oh, YEAH!!!!!! we’re getting to you over here on the West Coast now, aren’t we!!
making toDAY.
May 6th, 2009 at 11:49 am
p.s. i am so thankful that you are bringing your yumminess to the raw food style. it could use a little isa!
May 6th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
This looks so great! For those of us who might be just a wee bit lazy, or making a whole dinner and a bit short on time, do you think it would still be pretty good without the frosting and coulis?
May 6th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
I saw your tweet about this - damn…why don’t I have any cashews in the house!!! Looks delicious.
May 6th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Mark, I think leaving the frosting off would be totally fine. But the strawberry sauce takes like 3 minutes and really boosts the strawberry flavor so I would just go for it.
May 6th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
oh my god. This is on my “must make” list as soon as I finish eating all the chocolate peanut butter pillows I made this week…
May 6th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I went to Cafe Gratitude last summer and it was amazing. We went for lunch and had to swing back by before we left SF for a few goodies to go. I got their (un?)cookbook and was bummed about the Irish Moss thing too. Your Cheesecake looks great and I was planning on taking my boys strawberry picking in the next week or so anyways, so I will be trying this out. Thanks!
May 6th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
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May 7th, 2009 at 12:25 am
Ooh Yum!! I absolutely love the cream on top - will have to try that next time! Convieniently I have some cashews soaking… hmmm
I think I know what I’ll be doing this afternoon!
May 7th, 2009 at 12:52 am
cafe gratitude does have incredible desserts, so I can’t wait to try this simpler, unfettered version. and it’s not something I am forced to order in the form of an affirmation…radical.
May 7th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
i’m totally making this for mother’s day
May 7th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
ISA!!
i love you!
when is Vegan Brunch coming out????????
ive been looking all over the internet and your site for a date.. and i can’t find it! but i feel like everyone else knows when it is…. lol so im missing something
May 7th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
I am so excited to make this during strawberry season at the end of June! Maybe I’ll drizzle chocolate on top. Mmm….
Thanks for the recipe!
May 7th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
anissa, Brunch is out on May 25th, maybe a little earlier even.
May 8th, 2009 at 3:55 am
Wow im so happy i stumbled upon your blog! I was actually considering to buy your book just a couple of days ago.
I will have to try it! What is it that makes it set so well?
This cheesecake looks so great! I have tried to make vegan cheesecakes twice before, they both contained tofu and turned out horribly. But your recipie has no tofu
May 8th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Wow, that looks so amazing!
May 8th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Isa, you are my hero.
May 8th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Rose - blended cashews set up really nicely on their own but coconut oil is solid at room temp, and that seals the deal!
May 8th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
What would you suggest as a cashew replacement? This looks fantastic, but I’m super allergic to nuts (allergic to sesame, too! It’s a tough life, vegan cooking wise)
May 8th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
COOKED SPINACH WILL KILL YOU!!!!!11!1
May 8th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Rcahel, try a mix of macadamias and almonds.
May 9th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
That is beautiful…
I love making raw desserts.. .. coconut oil and cashews are magical!
May 9th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
I just got done preparing this and everything is chillin’ in the fridge. It was a really easy recipe for me, and I’m kind of a spaz. The only change I made was using lemon juice. I think it’s going to turn out perfect!!!
May 10th, 2009 at 6:27 am
I’ve been put off raw cheesecakes because I’ve heard Irish Moss is hard to use, but this raw cheesecake looks much easier and gorgeous. Thanks for the recipe, Isa,
May 10th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Isa - Do you think this would freeze well? I can’t imagine boyfriend and I downing all of this within a few days.
May 10th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
does it get any more decadent?
May 11th, 2009 at 2:42 am
I made it and it was a huge success. I was really easy to make and tasted awesome. I like the intense fruitiness.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:39 am
This looks great! Can you find Irish Moss anywhere? I’d love to make something with that goo, I only had a drink once at a jamaican rastafarian place in florida and I was impressed with the texture. I can’t imagine how awesome it would be in a cheesecake.
May 12th, 2009 at 12:15 am
It looks so yummy. I prefer vegan baking over omnivore baking any day. I will have to try making this sometime,but I think I will do blueberries instead.
May 19th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Do you think I could make this without the agave syrup? Or perhaps suggest something instead of agave? I don’t have any in the house and have had a hard time finding any in the small town I live in. Thanks!
May 20th, 2009 at 3:11 am
Maple syrup?
May 20th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
I made this and it was great. Then I froze it and let it thaw just about 15 minutes before serving so it was sort of like an ice cream cake. So good like that! (I might even prefer it.)
May 23rd, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Wow that looks yum!
May 26th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Just a quick question about this badass cheesecake–is the texture more like ‘cream cheese pie’ (soft, creamy, cannot stand up a fork in it) or is it more of a dense, brick-like NYC/Vegan Treats cheesecake?
I happen to prefer the latter, so if it’s not super-dense, do you have any tips on how I might make it firmer (more cashews or non-liquid sugar maybe)? Thanks so much! I can’t wait to bust this out.
May 26th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Ang, you can certainly stand a fork up in it! It’s dense. Wouldn’t call it a brick, though.
May 31st, 2009 at 2:10 pm
[…] from the Post Punk Kitchen Blog […]
June 3rd, 2009 at 9:19 pm
[…] about a raw vegan strawberry cheese cake? Yeah, I know it sounds like an oxymoron to me too. But I like Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s other […]
June 7th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
raw desserts intimidate me, but i pulled this bitch off. thx for the easy breezy recipe! it’s delicious and creamy and just wonderful.
June 8th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
I made this pie two weekends ago and served it each weekend to different people. This is an awesome dessert that is totally luscious and should be served in slim pieces. It freezes well (to serve more people the following weekend). I put some hemp seeds and pistachios in the crust. Wonderful. Thanks for the recipe!
June 14th, 2009 at 8:19 am
[…] about a raw vegan strawberry cheese cake? Yeah, I know it sounds like an oxymoron to me too. But I like Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s other […]
July 3rd, 2009 at 5:35 pm
[…] I really want to make this raw strawberry cheesecake recipe sometime soon. http://theppk.com/blog/2009/05/05/raw-strawberry-cheesecake/ […]
July 27th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
[…] and paste from The Post Punk Kitchen, except I used (local!) raspberries and skipped the frosting (don’t even click. Isa’s […]
September 12th, 2009 at 11:58 am
i actually have tried this cheesecake, and yes, it hits the ball way out of the f’in park. texture is amazing, you won’t believe it’s not animal by-product!
October 3rd, 2009 at 12:05 pm
I know this is a tad bit late, but this is the first I’ve stumbled across a raw recipe on your blog (I’ve been a little out of the loop lately). I used to make your cooked recipes before going raw again. Now, I just make raw versions on my blog. I hope you don’t mind, but your “Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World” book provided a lot of inspiration for me toward the end of last year. I’ve even gotten back to making more raw cupcakes recently. You should check them out
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Thanks for the recipe! I got Irish Moss, gonna try making it with out using the cashews. Hugs an thanks again from Hong Kong
Moy
November 14th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
This recipe rules! Made it for a potluck/show and everyone loved it. Definetly making this again, probably for thanksgiving.
January 15th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
This is fantastic! i was thinking of turning my strawberries here into jam but after I saw this, perhaps a cake recipe will be great. I love the pictures by the way.
January 26th, 2010 at 2:09 am
[…] to splurge and buy a big bag of cashews a little while ago, and one of the recipes I tried was the Raw Strawberry Cheesecake from the Post Punk Kitchen Blog. The cheesecake was creamy and luscious, and the fruity flavor […]
January 27th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Finally, an issue that I am passionate about. I have looked for information of this caliber for the last several hours. Your site is greatly appreciated.
January 31st, 2010 at 5:18 am
Oh, I have not really tried using raw strawberry except in salads..but I think it will be great!