Raw Raspberry Rose Cheesecake (Vegan, Paleo, Gluten Free)
I made this diminutive ombre Raspberry Rose cheese cake as a good bye to my wayfaring daughter. It mimics her in many ways, from tiny stature to her balance of sweet and tart.
A rich, dulcet, cashew cream blended with tart raspberries and infused with lemons and rosewater, rests snugly on a crunchy chocolate almond base and is topped with fresh raspberries. The moment you think to put down your spoon, you are craving another silken bite. We shared it at the counter, with one spoon between us, as she packed.
“Have fun storming the castle!” -The Princess Bride
The snow was falling hard on the 14th of March, while I made my good-bye cake, and I listened to a podcast while I cooked. The subject was grand gestures. The grand gestures of adulthood pale (I think) in comparison to the grand gestures of youth.
The falling snow transported me back in time to the snow covered Vejle Fjord of 30 years ago. Three friends had walked to my Aunt’s house and scooped me up for an after Christmas walk. There was Klaus the Tall, an architecture student and as easy going a young man as I’ve ever met. Anne Lone, the Self-Contained, lovely as a fairy tale, stalwart friend, and future fashion designer. Then there was Jens, The Exuberant, Klaus’s 14 year old younger brother with a ranging mind and generosity of spirit. Both Klaus and Anne Lone were my flat mates and Jens spent a good bit of time practicing his english on me at our house. He had developed a bit of a puppy dog crush on me.
“It was one of those fantastic mornings with pink light over the lake – yes, it was something of unearthly beauty, and I suddenly got a strong experience, a sort of vision of the dawning light of humanity, and I felt something lit inside. This may turn into something, I thought“.
-Astrid Lindgren, on her inspiration for The Brothers Lionheart
As we walked across the iced over fjord, Jens decided the time was nigh to make his grand gesture. He unzipped his pants and proceeded to write my name in the snow in large, wobbly, yellow letters.
Unfortunately for him my name is not Sue, or Jan, it is J-O-H-A-N-N-E. That is a lot of letters for one bladder to manage. Halfway through he left off with a dribble. Klaus, well hydrated on Christmas beers, unzipped and in a gesture of fraternal largess finished what Jens had started.
“My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage.”
– Aunt Frances, Alice Hoffman
Berries, berries, berries. They elevate dessert from yummy to enchanting like my Berry Ice-cream Cake.
While you are at it why don’t you wash down that cake down with some homemade Strawberry Almond Milk.
Check out my new Aquafaba page! For tips, tricks and to see all of my Aquafabulous recipes.
A perfect dessert for two to share. It keeps days in the freezer and needs only a quick defrost. For this recipe I used a 4 1/2" inch spring form pan. I believe you might have enough "batter" in this recipe to get away with a 6" but definitely no larger.
- 4 Medjool dates pitted
- 2 tbsp almonds
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp coconut flakes
- 1/2 tbsp cacao nibs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup cashews, soaked 6-8 hrs
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2-1 tsp rose water
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 3/4 cup raspberries, if frozen then thawed
- 1/2 ripe banana
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Place all of the crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a you have crumbly mass that holds together if you squeeze it in the palm of your hand.
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Press your dough along the bottom and a bit up the sides of your spring form pan. Press it well and good until you have a thin layer coating the bottom of you pan and rising up the sides as far as you want esthetically.
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Save any extra for sprinkling on top of the cake or roll them into energy balls.
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Soak your cashew (yesterday) in water at least 6 hours or over night is best. Drain of the water.
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Add the cashews and melted coconut oil to your high speed blender (I used a Vitamix) or food processor and blend until completely smooth.
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Add the rest of your ingredients Except! for the raspberries and blend until a smooth cream has formed. Take out a little and rub it between your fingers. If you feel any grit you need to blend longer.
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Remove the cashew cream and separate it into 4 bowls as you see I did in my photo above. Now wash your blender and then puree your raspberries until smooth.
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Now add a bit to each of the 4 containers of cashew cream until you have 4 pleasing shades of pink.
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Layer them carefully one after the other into your spring form pan, smoothing with an off set spatula between layers.
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Freeze for 2 hours. Slice and enjoy. If it gets too firm in the freezer allow it to sit out for 10-15 minute on the counter. Decorate in what ever way floats your boat.
Pins
I can’t believe I missed this beautiful moment. For the cake and for Liv.
What a heartwarming story. Love you.
I love you!
Oh gosh! I just love anything with rose water, so lady like and lovely. The colors of this are next level, girl, looks amazing!
Cara thank you! Blossom waters are just magical elixirs or so it seems. Your blog is lovely. I enjoyed your lemon water “experiment” great idea.
Let them eat and eat and eat. And let it always be luscious cake. Beautiful!!!!
And eat. and then maybe a sip of water. and then eat some more!
This is the sweetest, most beautiful gift for your Livy, your very own petite raspberry rose scented cheesecake. Your ombre girl. Wonderful. She’s off! Bon Courage!!!
Leigh the giver of all things damask and frippery. Love you.
What a delightful culinary send-off for your Wayfarer. When we walk along the snowy paths, your niece and I sometimes amuse ourselves by reading the wobbly messages dogs have written to each other on the snow banks. We imagine weighty conversations, elaborate social networking, like that recorded here on your neice’s blog: https://2bloggingcats.wordpress.com/2016/02/14/valentines-in-the-snow/
A a funny fabulous or should I say furbulous blog it is!
this cake is crazy good, and I have become crazy for more….
The batter is a treat in itself – and the rest of the cake: So many flavors.
In Denmark, it isn´t yet season for strawberry or raspberry, so I had to come up with something else.
I used plums as substitute ( one layer) and raspberry jam for the second layer.
Look forward to summer and all the berries. I think gooseberry will do fine too
Mette
Oh Mette,
Plums and raspberry jam sounds like a danish fairytale dessert. The dark purple from the plum must have been so pretty. Gooseberries? I have three bushes in the garden. I will be trying that if summer ever arrives. xox Johanne
Tiny pink cake for a tiny pink daughter. I started with a spoon, and then just ate it with my hands. Sweet with the strange exotic taste of rose petals, similar to the taste of the beginning of a journey.
The magic of a journey started. You left soft and pink and smelling of rose petals, you will return dusty and gold and smelling of dessert broom.
Hi Johanne
Made your version with mango instead of raspberries tonight. .
– it is more than crazy good. The texture of the filling is perfect, smooth, creamy and thick, – and the balance between sweetness and lemon juice makes me crave for more. SIX stars !
Fist pump! Success! I think we have the same palate. Wonderful!