Golly it’s been a hot summer! We seem to be dealt heat wave after heat wave here in southern Ontario, with very little reprieve from the hot, sticky weather. My little house does not have air conditioning, so I have zero interest in adding heat to an already hot house. This often means many of our favourite desserts have to wait for the cooler months, much to my boys’ dismay.
But not this delicious and easy to make raw cashew dream cake! There is absolutely no baking required. Yup you read that right – no heating up your house to enjoy dessert.
Now I know cashews are pricey, especially if you get organic ones, but trust me… this recipe is worth it. This dream cake tastes very similar to cheescake, but without all the refined sugar. Plus it’s loaded with healthy fats and nutrients. This is the definition of having your cake and eating it too!
This cake calls for either frozen or fresh berries and I have made it with raspberries (like the one in the picture), blueberries, cherries and strawberries. All delicious!
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1/2 cup dried and pitted dates
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1-1/2 cups raw cashews
- 4 tbsp lemon juice the juice of two lemons
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup raw local honey
- 1 cup fresh or frozen berries berries must be thawed completely
- Soap your cashews in good clean drinking water for at least 5 hours (but overnight is best). When they are done soaking, strain out the water and set aside.
- In your food processor, combine almonds, dates and salt and pulse until it has a mealy texture.
- Line a 6 or 7" inch cake pan (or Pyrex bowl if you don't have a pie plate) with plastic wrap. Alternatively, if you have a silicone cake pan, you can use that to avoid using the plastic wrap. Using your fingers press the crust mixture down firmly into the cake pan. If it's not sticking together well, add a few more dates to the mixture.
- In a small sauce pan, combine the honey and coconut oil and warm until melted.
- Add cashews, lemon juice, vanilla and the melted coconut oil/honey mixture to the food processor. Process for 2-3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrap down the sides of the food processor. The mixture should be smooth and creamy when ready.
- Pour about two-thirds of the cashew mixture over the pie crust, using a spatula to ensure even coverage.
- Add your berries to the remaining cashew mixture in the food processor and blend until smooth.
- Pour the berry and cashew mixture over the white layer and carefully spread using a spatula.
- Freeze your cashew dream cake until set. It takes a few hours at least. Enjoy!
Enjoy!
