Who doesn’t love fresh organic strawberries…. it’s the true taste of Spring and we love them just plain rinsed in a big bowl, juicy and perfect.
But I also love beautiful strawberries in a beautiful healthy dessert.
Now I know there’s recipes that take perfect gorgeous berries and dip them into chemically ladened whipped cream, or toxic low-fat cream cheese or poured over with Jell-O – (can you get more artificially flavoured/ prepared/ coloured ‘food’?) I think not. And what’s worse is that these recipes have the audacity to call themselves ‘Healthy’! No wonder people are so confused….
So if you want a really delicious yet healthy dessert that is actually good-for-you… keep it simple. Keep the ingredients natural and clean. This dessert is really a feast for all your senses and it made with great natural organic ingredients.
This Raw Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake is a perfection.
It is No-Bake, healthy, naturally vegan (so dairy, egg and geletin free), gluten-free, grain-free and paleo. It is also soy free. A very healthy, allergen-friendly dessert.
If this could get an award for the best healthiest spring dessert ~ that’s all vegan and of course all gluten free ~ it would be an easy win!
Proof was in my husband’s excited expression when he took a bite, he could not believe it and kept coming back to the fridge for more, even after his big slice was all gone…. (and yes, he kept his fork in the fridge next to it for easy self-serve!)
Creamy Strawberry Icebox Torte : A healthy vegan cheesecake with ice cream
No-bake | Vegan/ dairy free, egg free, geletin free | Soy-free | Gluten- free | Grain-free | Paleo
No-bake, gluten-free and grain-free Crust :
- 1 1/2 cups almonds
- 2/3 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- a couple tablespoons of filtered water
Creamy Strawberry ‘Cheesecake’ Layer :
- 3 cups cashews
- 3/4 cup lemon juice
- lemon zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, cooled
- 1 pint of organic strawberries, reserve 5-6 for decorating and add just before serving
- Optional : for even more indulgence, add 1 cup So Delicious Coconut Milk Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Equipment needed : Food processor, measuring cups, 12″ pie spring form or for a taller version use an 8 or 9″ d spring form baking pan.
Preparation : First, melt the coconut butter to make an oil, set aside to cool. Soak the cashews in warm water for about 15 minutes, about the time it will take to make up the crust.
Directions :
To make the crust, mix the almonds until a fine texture forms, add the raisins and shredded coconut. Process well, add 1 tbsp of filtered water at a time, process more and check texture if it sticks together. Press into the bottom of the spring form pan.
To make the cashew-cream/ vegan cheesecake, drain the cashews well, process in the food processor until they are a fine grind, add the lemon juice, lemon zest, agave and pinch of salt – cover and mix until well blended. Add the cooled coconut oil, mix again. Add the strawberries, mix again. Now add the ice cream and mix to combine everything well. Layer overtop of the crust and leave in the freezer for at least 2 hours or overnight to set. Before serving, dress it up with fresh strawberries and leave out to defrost a little for about 10 minutes. Serve and Enjoy this beautiful taste of Spring.
I made this torte for my sisters for our little gathering on Sunday. They loved it and could not guess the ingredients at all! They have no dietary preferences or restrictions – they were quite amazed you could do a so-close-to-real cheesecake if-not-better with all these natural ingredients. I’m happy to report this turned out just amazing and will get done a lot at our house all through the summer~ quite possibly switching up the berries ;) What’s even more crazy is how quickly this torte forms with no baking! Can you think of a better Spring/ Summer dessert? Yeah…. I didn’t think so ;P lol
Of course, I served this for my daughter too….. and she was very cute to observe the cake and say “It’s a Strawberry Short cake!” That made me smile….. and I said “well, yes, I guess it is.” And she went on happily: “It’s a Strawberry Shortcake…. because it has strawberries and it’s short! ;) Maybe a Strawberry Shortcake theme will be cute for her 5th birthday in August… inspiration is everywhere ;) Who wants an invitation? ;)
Let me know how you like this Creamy Strawberry Icebox Torte?
Can you believe you can eat a gorgeous torte like this and it can be a completely guilt-free healthy dessert?
I love it that desserts can be healthy and guilt-free! Even if I wanted to, i wouldn’t want to bite into a heavy fattening cheesecake with all the heaviness of dairy and eggs, and you know low-fat is even worse for you! And then there’s all that refined sugar…. trust me this dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free dessert is better, and skinny, no guilt in indulging in a very beautiful cake! Let me know how you like it ;)
♥
Pure Ella
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Blogger, Recipe Developer, Photographer and Author. Loves healthy food, photography, sunshine and dancing in the kitchen with her two daughters. 
Yum! How can you go wrong with a strawberry cashew cheesecake! ;-) The photos are lovely and this looks amazing!
I want a piece righ now :D Look so taste.
This recipe sounds wonderful, and the photos are fantastic, as usual. This is a gotta try!
what an absolutely gorgeous cake! it looks so delicious and creamy! and your photos are phenomenal!!
This looks sooo wonderful!
Your photos are gorgeous! You can never go wrong this time of year with native strawberries and cashews, I love no bake recipes in the Summer, this one is tucked away to be used in the next couple of weeks when we hot peak berry season ;)
Yummy! Love how you used ice cream in it! Strawberry Shortcake was one of my fave characters as a little girl :)
THANK YOU Heather for inspiring me to make this.
Truth is that I noticed, once I already got started, that I only had about 1/2 cup Coconut milk ~ so the ice cream filled in that other half + more very nicely!!!
Oh and I also couldn’t find my spring form LOL so a ‘short-cake’ was born!
or I should say ‘baked’ ;D
xoxo
I’m going to go with my mom and buy the ingredieants and im going to make it. i cant wait. i wish there was a print button so i can print it out instead of writing it all out, lol.
Sounds like the best mom-daughter activity to make and EAT it ;)
Sorry about the no-print option.
I’m on it for future recipes.
If you can, Copy & Paste the recipe portion now and add to a Word document or even email and print from there – if possible.
Enjoy your dessert ;)
xo
Looks awesome!
Hi Ella,
This is so GORGEOUS! I want to jump through the screen and grab it. I’m such a huge fan of cashew based creams/desserts. And the addition of strawberries (swoon). I can’t wait to try this. Love! And yes please, can I come over. :-)
Hugs,
-Amber
awesome!!!!!!!!!!! been looking for a recipe like this!!! you are a GEM!!! will try it ASAP!!!
thank you… GORGEOUS photos!!!!!
— S :D xo
Such a fun recipe – ready to make it.
? on the instruction step: “Preparation : First, melt the coconut butter to make an oil, set aside to cool.”
the recipe only lists coconut oil, so is coconut butter another ingredient? or do I use coconut oil? Thanks for your help :)
Hello Marion, Sorry about the confusion.
The product you’re looking for is Coconut Oil
but because it becomes a solid at cooler temperatures it’s often referred to as a coconut butter. When it melts it becomes an oil ;D
I’ll just add a note here that what you don’t want to use is a Raw Coconut Oil or Butter as the raw version will not completely melt.
Enjoy your beautiful torte! xo Ella
This is just a sweet recipe that I am looking forward to trying. Love that no baking is required! Your photos are great BTW.
Wow what a great idea. Who knew healthy ingredients could work so well for a dessert?! Thanks!
Looks great! Beautiful photos!
Thank you so much ;)
I can’t wait for Spring and Strawberry season right now ;) xox ella
Thank you so much Carmen ;) and thanks for your visit to Pure Ella!
xo
Hi Ella! Looks delicious!
Not sure if this is a silly questions, but can I use one cup of coconut milk, instead of the coconut ice-cream?
Cant wait to make it :) xx
Hi Paris ;)
Oh dear, I’m so sorry I didn’t reply sooner… I don’t know how this comment passed me by.
To answer your question, If you don’t want to use coconut ice cream than just omit it and skip that whole ingredient. You can add 1/2 cup of milk if you like, the consistency will be better, but not a full cup.
I hope that answers everything and you’ll be making this soon ;)
xoxo ella
Wondering if I could replace the raisins with dates? Same measurement or less? Thank you!! Love your food :)
Hi Sarah,
Yes, you could replace the raisins with dates.
I find the raisins compliment the strawberries more than the dates…. which is why I used them.
But essentially both raisins and dates, once pureed would give you that same binding sweetening consistency that’s required in this recipe.
Hope you get to enjoy this recipe soon!! :)
Thanks for visiting Pure Ella! xo
You mentioned to Paris that you can use half a cup of coconut milk in place of ice cream, is that the tinned stuff? Or the one in the carton that i eat over cereal? I am slowly working my way through reading your recipes and i’m excited to get my fiance (i’m bed bound) to give them a go! This one’s first :) x