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{This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almondmilk!}
Strawberry season is back!
Last week I picked up some of the prettiest strawberries and I’ve been eating and baking with them non-stop ever since. They taste like candy and I could not be happier for their sweet return…as if this strawberry coconut carrot cake and these pop-tarts didn’t already give you that idea. Like I said, a little bit excited about strawberry season, and the fact that this is just the beginning of all the berries yet to come! Now, if only it would stop snowing here. Hmmmm.
Anyway, I have been waiting to share this cake with you guys for a while now. It took some time to perfect, but I am so happy to have it ready just in time for Easter this Sunday. It will the make the perfect sweet dessert that pretty much everyone will enjoy.
Here are the facts, this cake is vegan, gluten-free, and dairy free. I know, I know, but promise this frozen cake is all things delicious, so very creamy, and filled with amazing almond and strawberry flavors.
For a while now, I’ve been wanting to include a few more vegan friendly desserts on the blog. Coincidentally, I recently received some requests for vegan desserts from some of you as well. And since I aim to please, I created this Strawberry Ripple Almond Cheesecake, and I could not be happier. And this is coming from someone who loves to bake with butter, eggs and of course…chocolate. But I really love this cake…with all of its pretty colors and major creaminess, especially the creaminess!
OK, so let me break this cake down for us all, layer by layer.
The base of the cake is made up of raw almonds, coconut, oats, and dates. The dates act like a glue and hold everything together. Plus, they’re my all time favorite healthy baking staple, I love dates.
While the base is delicious, it’s really the “cheesecake” like filling that’s my favorite. I used almonds along with Almond Breeze Almondmilk to create a super creamy filling that’s very similar to that of a cheesecake. I used a touch of lemon and vanilla for flavor, and then swirled some homemade honey strawberry sauce throughout.
I like to keep the cake in the freezer, removing it just a few minutes before serving to let it soften a bit. I also like to reserve a tablespoon or so of the strawberry sauce for serving. Then to create a nice finish, I drizzle a little honey over top and add fresh strawberries for extra sweetness. <–do this, it makes for a really pretty presentation.
This cake is great not only for the fact that it’s healthy, high in protein, full of antioxidants and fiber, and vegan…but it’s also easy to make and can be made completely in advance. My one tip is to try to remember to soak your almonds overnight in water. Soaking the almonds helps them to blend up easily and become super creamy and delicious. If you forget to soak the almonds overnight, bring a pot of water to a boil add the almonds and let them soak for one hour, then drain. This works really well too!
And lastly, with summer fruit season right around the corner, feel free to swap the strawberries with any other berry. Raspberries, blueberries or even stone fruits would be great to use here too! So you see, this is basically just an all around perfect cake for now through summer. And major bonus points that it’s also healthy enough for breakfast…I mean there’s even oats in here. Score!
Strawberry Ripple Almond Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup packed dates, pitted
- pinch of flaky sea salt
Strawberry Cheesecake Filling
- 4 1/2 cups roughly chopped strawberries
- 1/2 cup honey, (agave or maple if vegan)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cups raw blanched almonds, soaked overnight in water
- 1 cup Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original Almondmilk
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- fresh strawberries for serving
Instructions
- 1. To make the crust. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the raw almonds, coconut, oats, dates, and pinch of salt. Pulse until finely chopped and easily holds together when squeezed in your hand. Press the base mixture into a 8-inch spring form pan. Place the pan in the freezer.2. To make the filling. In a medium pot, bring the strawberries, honey, and lemon juice to a boil. Boil 8-10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and becomes jam-like. Stir in a pinch of salt. Let cool and then puree in a blender.3. Drain the almonds and add them to the bowl of your food processor with the Almondmilk, coconut oil, and vanilla. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Add 3/4 of the strawberry puree and pulse until combined. Remove the base layer from the freezer and add the almond cream in an even layer. Using a knife, swirl in the remaining strawberry puree. Cover and place in the freezer until firm, 1-2 hours. Remove 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Love those magical strawberry swirls.
This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almondmilk, thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!
You’re killing me with this one. Looks like I need to stock up on Strawberries and buy a gym pass.
Haha! I’m glad you like it Benny, thank you!
What a gorgeous cheesecake! Love all that strawberry! 🙂
Thank you (:
This looks fresh! I can’t wait for strawberry season here. It’s right around the corner!
Right!? So close I can’t wait, thanks Lindsay!
Just skip dinner and go straight for this.
Haha, sometimes needs to be skipped!
I’m going to make this!!! But I’m allergic to almonds… Could I substitute with a differant nut?
Theoretically cashews, but I’m not Tieghan. These might also make it less firm, albeit creamier. And use coconut milk for the liquid component of the filling, to compliment the coconut oil? Good luck! I have an incredible amount of allergies, and it’s very limiting and troublesome when I want to eat all! the! things!
Sure! Cashews are a great alternative. Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love this! 🙂
Oh I absolutely love almond breeze and what you’ve created here. So so beautiful Teighan!!
Thanks so much Asha!
Looks amazing, I’m going to make it for a brunch this Sunday!
FYI…if it has honey it isn’t vegan…so say “true vegans.” Which is not me, I eat anything and everything (except raisins 😉
I hope you love it Lindsay! Totally missed the honey, it would need a substitution if you were vegan!
This looks GORGEOUS Tieghan!! I am definitely going to make this soon! Gaah, what a beautiful dessert!
Hope you love it! Thank you!
Omg! This cake is so gorgeous and perfect for spring. And I can’t believe that it’s healthy too!
Thanks so much Andrea!! Hope you love it!
This looks great, I love cheesecake! However, there is honey in the ingredients and honey isn’t vegan, so you might have to substitute that.
So happy you like it, yes you would need to substitute the honey!
It would not be an overstatement to say that I almost cried at the sight of this stunning cheesecake- mostly because I’m pregnant and cry at anything that makes me remotely happy 🙂 BUT ohmygoodness!!!! the strawberries, the almonds, and non-dairy-ness of these beauty has me SO HAPPY! I’m going to make this ASAP! 😀
Haha, oh my gosh (: Makes me so happy reading this! I really hope you get to make this soon!!
Thank you Rachel!
This looks so yummy!
Thanks Sara!
Omg, I can’t get over how gorgeous this is!
Thank you Tori!
Looks so god!!
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Thank you!
normally not drawn to vegan desserts, but this one looks delicious! especially the filling; it’s such a gorgeous shade of pink, and it looks so whippy that i’d probably be happy spooning it into a cup, topping with some more chopped almonds for crunch, and calling it a day (:
I’m the same way usually! I think were on the same page with this one though!
So happy you are liking it Heather, thank you (: