Rawmazing Cake

Raw cheesecakes are divine, quick and easy to whip up and healthy! Well healthier than your regular cheesecake that is. The idea is not new, vegans and rawatarians have been making these babies for years. I can't believe I hadn't attempted to make one sooner. A seriously impressive dessert which won't make you feel sick after indulging in a slice. If you have a food processor you can make this in 10 minutes, bar soaking cashews and allowing for freezer time.

The main ingredient is cashews, packed with good fats, protein, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and copper. I've also used macadamia nuts to make a raw cheesecake but cashews are my preference. My favourite thing about raw cheesecakes is you can't stuff them up, really! Anyone can do this and feel free to experiment with different flavours and bases - think cacao for a rich chocolatey cake or mint and passionfruit. You can play with the base too - at the moment I'm loving buckwheat groats which I'm also throwing in my home made granola.

Raw Berry & Cashew Cake

Crust

1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
1 cup soft dates, pitted
1/4 tsp salt
Filling
3 cups raw cashews, soaked for 5 hours or overnight (I often buy cashew pieces as they are cheaper per kilo)
juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup raw honey
1 cup frozen berries, thawed

1. Process almonds, groats, dates and salt in a food processor until mixture comes together, but is still crumbly. Press into the base of a 7" spring form pan. Rinse food processor.

2. Warm coconut oil and honey in a small saucepan on low heat and whisk to combine. Blend with cashews and lemon juice until smooth (this may take a few minutes depending on how powerful your food processor is).

3. Spoon half cashew mixture into pan and add berries to the leftover mixture and blend. This will make the final berry layer. Smooth over final layer and cover and freeze until set.

To serve, remove from freezer about 10-15 minutes before trying to slice and serve with more berries.

Tell me what flavours you have tried?

Elise

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