Not to be dramatic, but this cheesecake is about to change your life. I do not have a huge sweet tooth, but I would happily have a piece of this vegan cheesecake everyday.
The beauty of this recipe is that it doesn’t take long to make and it’s raw – meaning you do not have to bake it!
What is Pitaya?
Pink Pitaya, also known as Dragon Fruit, is a delectable fruit of a cactus that originates from Central and South America.
The fruit has a beautiful pink colour and tropical taste.
Pink Pitaya is known as a superfood and has lots of amazing benefits and properties:
- high in fibre and vitamin C
- rich in antioxidants, omega 3, and omega 6
- supports healthy hair, skin and nails growth
- helps improve the balance of good bacteria in your gut
- can improve digestion
- and more!
Equipment You Will Need
You will need a food processor and high speed blender in order to make this recipe.
See in the below pictures, the dates and bottom layer nut will have to be processed.
Why Dates?
Medjool Dates make the perfect combining ingredient for our base layer. Because dates are sticky they perfectly work as an adhesive and hold all the ingredients of the bottom layer together.
Dates are also amazingly good for you. They are high in several nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants.
Why Cashews?
Cashews when boiled and blended make a beautiful, smooth, and creamy consistency. It’s similar to cheesecake and therefore, makes the perfect plant-based alternative to regular cheesecake.
Achieving That Pink Colour
This is where the Pink Pitaya Powder comes in!
I added approximately 3 1/2 tsp’s of the powder, you can add as much as you want until you get your desired shade of pink.
If you don’t have Pink Pitaya powder on hand, Açai Powder will also work. I recommend this one.
Açai Powder is more dense so I would guess you have to add less powder. It’s best practice to add 1 tsp at a time!
More Recipes You Might Like…
- Raw Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake
- Raw Vegan Gooey Maca Cheesecake Bars
- Coffee Wafer Protein Balls (raw vegan)
No-Bake Pink Pitaya Vegan Cheesecake
Ingredients
Base Layer
- 2 cups nut of choice cashew, almond, walnuts, etc.
- 10 dates
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp cocoa powder
White Cake Layer
- 2 cups cashews
- ½ cup coconut milk shaken
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Pink Cake Layer
- 2 cups cashews
- ½ cup coconut milk shaken
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 lemon the juice
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 3 tsp Pink Pitaya Powder
Instructions
Prep
- Begin by de-pitting the dates and soaking them in hot water for about 5 minutes.
- At this point you will also want to soak the cashews for at least 30 minutes in hot boiling water (ONLY soak the cashews for the cheesecake layers – do not soak the nuts you use for the base layer) .
Bottom Layer
- Place the dates in a food processor until they are blended well.
- Next, process your nut of choice until they become finely “chopped”.
- Mix the dates, your nut of choice, cocoa powder, and cinnamon with your hands until it becomes combined and press it down onto the bottom of a springform pan.
White Cheesecake Layer
- Blend the two cups of soaked cashews, with the 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1/3 cup maple syrup, and 1 tbsp of vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour the mixture over the date layer. Set in freezer for approximately 20 minutes.
Pink Cheesecake Layer
- In the meantime, make the top layer. Add the two cups of soaked cashews, with the 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1/3 cup maple syrup, and this time add the juice from 1 lemon, the zest from 1 lemon, and the Pink Pitaya powder.
- Pour the pink cheesecake mixture over the white cheesecake layer that is now slightly frozen. Place bake in freezer.
- Wait approximately another 20 minutes for the entire cake to set. Once it comes out you can add fresh fruit on top!
If you tried this recipe make sure to leave a comment/rating below! I would love to hear your thoughts!
And tag me in your re-creations on Instagram, I will feature you on my stories! xo
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