Are you getting full yet? If you have been traveling through the Vegan Virtual Potluck, I’m sure you’ve seen some AMAZING vegan food but I hope you saved some room for this almost raw Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake. Soy-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free, this rich, cashew-based cheesecake is one that all your friends will enjoy and LOVE. I, for one, will be bringing this to my family’s Thanksgiving, excited that it will feed everyone’s eclectic dietary restrictions. The only problem: with a cake this good I can almost guarantee there will be no leftovers.
(Almost) Raw Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake
gluten & grain-free, soy-free, refined sugar free
makes (1) 8” cake
Crust
2 cups pecans
1/2 cups packed dates, pitted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
1 1/2 cup cashews, soaked overnight
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
Coconut Whipped Cream
1 can full fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
2 tbsp agave nectar
1-2 tsp cinnamon
Pecans for decorating
Prepare a 8” (9” works too, end result will just be thinner) springform cake pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper.
In a food processor, blend together the pecans and dates until uniform. Add vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and blend to combine. Spread on prepared cake pan and press evenly into the bottom. Place in refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Thoroughly rinse the soaked cashews. Drain. Blend in a food processor or blender until cashews become a very smooth paste. This may take awhile, depending on the strength of your blender. Scrape down the sides as you process, adding a little bit of water if cashews seem too dry. Once the cashews are smooth and creamy , add the remaining filling ingredients and process until uniform.
Scrape pumpkin filling onto chilled crust and smooth top. Stick in freezer for at least 1 hour.
To make whipped cream topping, open chilled coconut milk and scoop out the solid coconut meat into a small bowl. Whisk in agave nectar and cinnamon until combined and spoon onto the top of frozen pumpkin cheesecake. Spread evenly. Return to freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours, until frozen all the way through.
When ready to serve, top with pecans and allow to thaw for 30 minutes. Slice and serve.
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Thanks for stopping by! The Sweet Life is a vegan food blog combining my love for good food, beautiful pictures, and compassionate eating. I am a long time vegan, trained in both photography and French Patisserie, excited to share my passions. Take a look around and enjoy The Sweet Life
This cheesecake sounds amazing! I almost made a pumpkin cake this weekend too, but ended up making a pumpkin coffeecake instead. This is so perfect for the equinox!
yum, pumpkin coffee cake! Are you going to be posting the recipe on Fragrant Vanilla Cake?
Hmmm…Looks yummy! I just might have to try this to see if it will work for Thanksgiving. How long did it take to make? Start to finish?
Hey, sorry about the delay i response…site maintenance. I would say you should start the cake 8 hours before you want it so that it can properly set up in freezer, but the actual time you’ll spend working on it is about 30-45 minutes.
This looks sooo good!, and I love that it doesn’t have packages of vegan cream cheese in it–that stuff is pricey! Definitely getting bookmarked for after I buy a food processor!
I used to use the packaged cream cheese for cheesecake, but it always seemed so processed. Now I make an effort to eat more whole foods, and these cashews are just the perfect cream or cheese replacer
This looks so delicious. I love the layers. I am going to try this!!:)
This looks great! I have two events this weekend and I think I’ll double the recipe and make one of these for each
I just need to make enough room in my freezer…
I hope they go over well at your events! I had a freezer problem up until recently when I bought a chest freezer…but I know how it goes.
OK just made two of these. Super easy even though it was my first time using soaked cashews as cheesecake or making coconut whipped cream. I haven’t tasted the final result yet but all the parts tasted great along the way! I think next time I’d make more filling than called for, since that layer seemed a little thin (and it tasted sooo good.) Otherwise, great recipe, thanks!!
I’m glad you tried and found it easy! Did you use 9″ or 8″ pans? The recipe is for an 8″ but maybe I should adjust it to a 9″ since that’s what is more common. Thanks for the feedback!
This cheesecake looks so good, and I had Joelle’s question about time because it looks really involved (for a novice like me). I’m excited to give it a try. Keep the soy/grain/sugar-free recipes coming.
Hey Tammy! I looked at all your pics on your trip out east. I’m glad you made it.
Also, in case you don’t know let me give you a few links to other soy/gluten/sugar free recipes:
http://www.thesweetlifeonline.com/2012/06/04/coconut-lime-cream-cake/
http://www.thesweetlifeonline.com/2012/05/06/raw-chocolate-hazelnut-cheesecake/
http://www.thesweetlifeonline.com/2012/05/09/raw-coconut-almond-truffles/
http://www.thesweetlifeonline.com/2012/09/06/raw-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Saw this on FoodGawker. This looks incredibly decadent!
do you think walnuts would be ok in place of pecans?
Yeah, just make sure you lightly toast them first.
Oh YUM. I reallyreallyreally want to eat this right now. Your photos are WAY too good, making me so hungry!
Out of this world! What a fantastic and delicious contribution to the Potluck. Thank you so much for participating!
Thank you for coordinating.
This looks amazing! Cashews seem to feature a lot in vegan cooking, which is fine by me as I love them. I also love the pecans round the edge, the whole thing looks fantastic.
Just making my way through the VVP & wanted to say hey
I think I’m in love!! I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Looks divine! Saved this recipe to try later! Nice to meet you at the potluck!
This cheesecake is GORGEOUS! The three layers are amazing looking, and so delicious!
This looks amazing! I love it when people make vegan cheesecake sans soy cream cheese. It makes it so much better!
Agreed
Oh my gosh, I saw this circling pinterest a few weeks ago and I thought it must have come from some gourmet vegan magazine! Turns out it was you all along! Go back and update your pinterest links girl, the world needs to know about this incredible cheesecake! So in love!!! xx
That cake looks divine! And I love the topping design of crumbled and whole pecans!
This is definitely one of those recipes that would food any omnivore into thinking they were eating a pie laden with animal products. Sounds like something I need to make for my family!
WOW! Your pumpkin cheesecake looks absolutely decadent and divine! Wishing I could have a big slice, right now.
This is right up my vegan alley. Your beautiful creation as all the raw ingedients and non processd sugar I’m looking for. Thank you for posting. Thinking this will grace my Thanksgiving table.
Mine too!
Fantastic cake – it looks so tasty and so beautiful – wow!!
Thank you!
YUM!! I want to try to make this one! I love cheesecake!!
How long do you think this would keep in the fridge? thanks again for a lovely recipe!
This would keep fine for 5 days in the refrigerator. But if you have the option it would be better to store it in the freezer and take it out several hours before serving, in which case it would last several weeks.
oh my goodness. this looks FABULOUS! I think I’ll have to give you my vvp vote for dessert–even though that’s what I “brought” too.
Thanks
I want to make this so bad for Thanksgiving. Can I use a regular (non-springform) round cake pan? Do you think it would be too hard to remove?
You could do it. Lightly spray the sides and make a round parchment paper for the bottom. Remove it with a hot knife after its been frozen. Let it thaw for just about five minutes first. You may have to whack the bottom a few times but it will come out.
Thanks so much! I appreciate it.
Yay! I work at an all-Vegan restaurant in and our company Thanksgiving potluck is Monday. This is the perfect wow-factor for our party! Thank you.
Hi! This looks absolutely amazing and I will be making it for Thanksgiving dessert! Just wondering, how long can this cake be out of the freezer at room temperature? Will it start to get goopie if it is out for an hour or two? Also, do you think it would be okay if I made this a few days beforehand (like tomorrow or the day after), and then served it Thursday?
It will be totally fine if you make it tomorrow and store it in the freezer until thanksgiving. It will also be fine at room temperature for an hour or so. It would be best if it was pulled out of freezer and into fridge Thursday morning and served from the fridge. But if that isn’t an option you want to make sure to give it 30 min at room temp to thaw. Good luck and enjoy!
i made this as a test for thxgiving, but ran into an issue with the coconut whipped cream. i put the coconut milk in the frig overnite, but it was still liquid the next day. i used light coconut milk. is that the problem?
Yes, you should have used full fat, and I’m sorry for not clarifying that; I usually do. I will go back into the post and make sure to add that. Sometimes even full fat doesn’t fully separate, but that’s okay. Just scoop off the top and use it according to directions. It may be kind of runny, but it will firm up in the freezer and shouldn’t be a problem as long as you let the cake thaw before you eat it (the coconut milk will keep it’s shape). Sorry again for not clarifying that earlier!
Sarah, this looks amazing! I bought all the ingredients an plan to make it for thanksgiving. Could I add chocolate in there anywhere? Maybe cocoa powder to the filling or maybe a ganache layer? It looks perfect as is but someone else is bringing a pumpkin desser so I thought I could get away with makin this if I added some chocolate???
you should do a ganache layer! that sounds amazing. if it were me I would probably sub out the coconut whipped cream for the ganache, but there would be no harm of doing both.
and if you need it here is my vegan ganache recipe: http://www.thesweetlifeonline.com/2012/08/29/diy-ice-cream-sundae-bar/
i use coconut milk so that it is creamier, fattier, and more like the classic recipe.
enjoy!
You are AMAZING!! Thank you for the recipe and encouragement. I appreciate it!!!
this looks amazing. no cream cheese, say what? i love how you incorporated cashew nuts. brilliantly done.
The filling was so light and creamy- my favorite pumpkin treat this season. Thank you!