Vegan Salted Caramel & Pecan Cheesecake
A delectable no-bake cake made for the holidays. This Vegan Salted Caramel & Pecan Cheesecake is a stunner. There is a nutty bottom with a hint of vanilla, followed by a thin and crunchy layer of caramel, chopped pecans, smooth and creamy cheesecake-like layer, and ending with a luscious melty caramel layer, topped with more crunchy pecans. It's made to impress and deliver an unforgettable cake eating experience.
December is here, my friends! Get ready for some tasty desserts this month. Desserts are your favourite, right? I can 'see' your grin answering that question. Some of us would live on sweets forever. :) What's not to like about desserts?
This luscious cake right here is a real delight, friends. It's just perfect! It's got the taste and the look that you're looking for in an ideal dessert. There are layers and layers of caramel, and yes, it's sweet.
Even though I did use unrefined sugar for the recipe, as always, it's more sugar then I would use regularly. I went all out with this one! Haha! How could I not? So, beware, in spite of the unrefined sugars, the lovely calories are still riding on that slice of cake. But who counts calories in December? (More grins and smiles…:))
So, as I was saying, this cake is a stunner, and it's a no-bake cake! I love making no-bake cakes. It's the fastest way. The freezing or refrigeration time is not really cooking, so no complaints there. Most of the work for this cake it's in the blender and freezer.
Now, the only issue with making this cake is if you or your family, or guests have nut allergies. It is a cashew nuts based cake, and it also has some almond flour. In that case, you can replace the cashew nut based cheesecake layer with a quality vegan cream cheese. You mix in the cream cheese with the maple syrup, rum extra, a bit of salt and lemon, and voila, you have a nut-free cheesecake layer. As for the cake base, you can use ground oats instead of the almond flour. There's always a way, remember? :)
Oh, sweet salted caramel layers! Layers as in plural, have you noticed? I debated this one, but in the end, I went for it. Adding two salted caramel layers to this cake creates a textural balance. The bottom caramel layer is super thin, and it adds so much crunch to the bite. If you take a sample of the slice from top to bottom, it has it all. The bottom of the cake gives you the max crunch compared to the top two layers that are soft and creamy.
Salted caramel making is so easy, friends. The first tip is to take your time with it and don't rush. The prep time is short, anyways. Keep the stove temperature on the low side, towards the end, and medium in between. The thicker the caramel gets, the more careful you need to be not to burn it hence the low stovetop temperature. You start off by adding the unrefined sugar of your choice (I recommend turbinado or coconut palm sugar), and the full-fat coconut cream. Using a whisk, you start mixing the ingredients together and give the sugar some time to melt. Stir occasionally during the first part of the process, and when the sugar begins to thicken up, whisk in and continue whisking until you reach the thickness you need. Again, don't forget to lower your temperature towards the end, so you won't burn the delicious smooth caramel creation. :) The best part is that if you don't use it all, caramel can be kept refrigerated for over a month. If you freeze it, it can stay for three months.
This cake has the 'wow' factor you want at your holidays' dinner table. It's simply delightful, and a tiny slice of cake can satisfy your guests without question. In fact, I know for sure that there won't be any leftovers. It's a heavenly tasting cake, friends!
I've created this cake with a smile on my lips, knowing that you'll love it as much as my family and friends have. This is the cake that I'll have at my Christmas dinner table for sure. My dessert menu is set! :)
I'm hoping you'll give this no-bake Vegan Salted Caramel & Pecan Cheesecake a try for the holidays, and let me know what you think.
One last warning: It's highly delicious! :)
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XO
T
