Ingredients
Scale
Cheesecake:
- 1 cup (150g) – raw cashews
- 1 cup (245g) – silken tofu
- 1 cup (230g) – vegan cream cheese, I used the Tofutti brand
- 1 cup (230g) – granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) – lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons – natural cocoa powder
- Red Gel Food Coloring, I used Americolor (See Notes)
- Hot water (see notes)
Crust:
- 20 – Oreos, fillings removed (see notes)
- 4 tablespoons (56g) – vegan butter, melted
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ¼ cup – vegan butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup 85g – vegan cream cheese
- 2 cups – powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon – vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons – non-dairy milk, optional
Equipment:
- High-speed blender
- Food processor
- 6-inch springform pan (you can use a 9-inch as well, see notes)
- Roasting pan/baking pan with deep sides (like a brownie pan)
- Parchment paper
- Aluminum foil
- Piping bag
- Piping tips
Instructions
Crust:
- First, soak the raw cashews in hot water for 10 – 30 minutes to soften, and then set aside. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit and line a 6-inch springform pan with parchment paper and for good measure, wrap the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil. This is just in case the pan leaks!
- Take 20 Oreos and remove the cream filling. (You can save the cream for something else!) In a food processor, crush the Oreos until you get a fine sand-like texture. While the food processor is running, slowly pour in the melted butter until the mixture starts clumping together. Pour the mixture into the springform pan lined with parchment paper, and evenly spread it on the bottom. Pat down until smooth using the bottom of a flat glass cup or a measuring cup. This will ensure that the crust has an even thickness.
- Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes, then allow it to cool fully before adding the filling.
Cheesecake:
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Drain the soaked cashews and add it to the blender along with the silken tofu, cream cheese, and lemon juice. Blend on high until creamy and smooth. Then add in the cocoa powder and the red food coloring, and blend until the batter has been mixed thoroughly. Pour the cheesecake batter over the cooled Oreo crust.
- To prep your water bath, heat up water until boiling. Remove from heat and pour the water in a deep roasting pan or a deep baking pan (a brownie pan will work) to a depth of 1 inch from the springform/cheesecake pan.
- Make sure that the foil is still wrapped around the springform pan, this will prevent the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Place your cheesecake in the roasting pan with water and carefully transfer it into the preheated oven.
- Bake for 60 – 65 minutes. This is a thick cheesecake, and it will need time to fully bake through. If you see that the top of the cheesecake is turning brown, take a piece of aluminum foil, cover the top and continue to bake. The cheesecake will be done when it slightly jiggles in the middle. It will firm up as it cools.
- Remove from the oven, and allow it to come to room temperature (Do not remove the cheesecake from the pan). Cover with a plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight to completely set.
- The next day, carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan and place it on a serving plate. Serve and enjoy!
Frosting:
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and well combined. Add in the vanilla extract and sifted powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth. If it seems too thick, add one tablespoon of milk at a time until it is soft enough to pipe or spread. Frost your cheesecake!
Notes
- If you do not want to use dyes in your cheesecake, you can use Beetroot Powder. It will give it a slight beet taste, but it isn’t overpowering.
- Americolor gel food coloring is vegan-friendly. Please check their FAQ here.
- You will need hot water for two things:
1. To soak the cashews
2. Water bath to bake with the cheesecake, this will prevent the cheesecake from forming any cracks. - The fillings need to be removed from the Oreos, otherwise, you will get a very hard and chewy crust. It is not pleasant to eat at all. Save the filling for something else!
- I chose to do a 6-inch cheesecake, however, you can opt to use an 8-inch pan but you will need to double the measurements!
Keywords: vegan, cheesecake, recipe, valentine’s day, red velvet
