Yesterday, I turned 27. However, I still feel as if I should be 21…as 27 is getting so close to 30! This will not stop me however from acting younger than my age. I never want to be boring, and I still like to do things like wear hello kitty kitty band-aids, run through sprinklers and have a pink birthday cake.
Yes, I had to have a pink Birthday cake! I have been asked by so many people in the last week, “Shouldn’t someone else make your cake?” or “You shouldn’t have to bake on your Birthday!” My answer to that was, no one I know would be able to create the cake I wanted the exact way I wanted it. Plus, making cakes is something I enjoy and shouldn’t I enjoy myself on my birthday? Plus…technically I wasn’t baking it because it was a raw cheesecake.
I didn’t spend my entire day on it however, I also took the time to celebrate with family and a good friend going out to dinner at La Belle Vie, one of my favorite restaurants!
Because although I made my cake, I didn’t want to cook dinner on my birthday, and their food is excellent! It was a wonderful time, and we all had a lot of fun!
Back to the birthday cheesecake…it had a pistachio crust, and the filling was vanilla rosewater scented with a layer of vanilla with lavender, then strawberry, and last raspberry. It was beautiful naked, but since it was a birthday cake, I decided to pipe cashew coconut frosting around the cake to make it even more beautiful!
It was delicious as well, fragrant and rich…just as cheesecake should be. I much enjoyed it, and it made me happy just looking at it knowing it was exactly the birthday cake I had dreamed of creating, plus even better! Since I am not the type of person who wants a boring white birthday cake full of bleached flour and white sugar. Real ingredients are what I find truly delicious.
Whoever made the rule that you can’t make your own birthday cake probably just didn’t feel like making one or didn’t know how to…making my own birthday cake is an experience I much enjoy, and will repeat for many years to come!
Raw Pretty in Pink Birthday Cheesecake
Makes one 6 inch cake
Crust:
3/4 cup shelled pistachios
3/4 cup shelled pistachios
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
3-4 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped
3-4 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped
Filling:
2 1/2 cups raw cashews (preferably soaked overnight and drained)
1/2 cup young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews)
1/2 cup young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews)
1/2 cup coconut water (or filtered water)
1 tsp rosewater
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup plus 3 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or maple syrup
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp coconut oil (warmed to liquid)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for topping)
1/2 cup fresh organic strawberries
1/2 cup fresh organic red raspberries
1 Tbsp organic lavender
Cream Topping:
3/4 cup raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
1/2 cup coconut water
3/4 cup raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
1/2 cup coconut water
3/4 cup fresh young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews if not available)
2 tablespoons raw coconut nectar or maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and seeds of half a vanilla bean (reserved from filling)
1/4 cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)4-6 fresh organic raspberries
2 tablespoons raw coconut nectar or maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and seeds of half a vanilla bean (reserved from filling)
1/4 cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)4-6 fresh organic raspberries
Lightly coat a 6 inch spring form removable bottom pans with coconut oil. To prepare the crust, process pistachios and sea salt in a food processor until the pistachios are fine crumbs, then add the dates and process until the mixture holds together when squeezed between your fingers. Firmly press crust into the bottom of the prepared pan, and set aside.
To make the filling, drain the cashews and combine them with coconut meat, coconut water, lemon juice, rosewater, nectar, coconut oil, sea salt and vanilla in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Remove the filling from the food processor, and divide evenly between 3 bowls. Place 1/3 into the food processor and add 1/2 cup of strawberries. Puree until smooth and scrape back in the bowl. Add another 3rd of the filling to the food processor and add 1/2 cup raspberries, and puree until smooth. Add the lavender to the third bowl and stir in until combined.
To assemble the cheesecake, pour the vanilla lavender filling over the crust, then smooth to the sides. Then the strawberry, then the raspberry. Place in the freezer until it is set, 4 to 6 hours, then once set store in the fridge.
To assemble the cheesecake, pour the vanilla lavender filling over the crust, then smooth to the sides. Then the strawberry, then the raspberry. Place in the freezer until it is set, 4 to 6 hours, then once set store in the fridge.
To make topping, drain cashews and blend all ingredients until smooth in a food processor, then divide into 2 bowls. Place one half back in the food processor and throw in about 4-6 raspberries, and blend (to tint pink). Place back in the bowl and set bowls in the freezer about 30 minutes until a frosting consistency. Place the two frostings in pastry bags and pipe decoratively around the top and bottom of the cheesecake. Store leftover cake in the fridge.
OMG. That looks AMAZING!! Happy Birthday!!!
Thank you :)!
Happy Birthday! Remember, you’re never to old to have fun and do the things you enjoy! I love the cake!
Thank you :)! I completely agree!
Gorgeous cake! I love raw cheesecake and will definitely be trying your recipe.
Thank you :)! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Happy birthday! The cake is certainly stunning.
Thank you :)!
Wow, you made your own birthday cake! It’s so beautiful (as ever) and the cream topping is so lovely, Amy… Happy Birthday and it looks like it was a marvelous day!
Thanks so much :)! I can say it tasted just as good as it looked as well ;)!
Happy Birthday! Hope you are having an amazing day! that is another yummylicious cake!
Please keep your calendar empty for third week of October, coz you have to either send me the cake or come over and make me one!
Thanks Richa! I did have an amazing day :)! I wish I could send you a cake ;)!
Happy belated birthday Amy. The cheesecake is so pretty and love that you added a pistashio crust. All the flavour combos sound amazing too, lavender, strawberries, raspberries, coconut oil & water, rosewater, lemon juice… wow! I can imagine it to certainly be a fragrant cake!
-Lisa.
Sweet 2 Eat Baking
Thanks Lisa :)! It was wonderful, and smelled amazing! Wish you could try some ;)!
Happy Birthday! What a beautiful cake. I’ve made my own raw cakes before too since there was no where to a buy a raw one. And yeah, gotta stay forever young!
Thank you :)! Home made is best anyhow ;)! I completely agree!
What an amazing raw cake! I so want to try it now, thanks for sharing!
Thank you, and thanks for visiting :)!
HI Amy.. your Birthday Cake looks Darn Cute!! the color gradations so fabulous and you look so lovely wit h your floral dress so glad to be your newest folower 🙂
Cheers
Thanks so much :)! Thanks for the follow as well, happy to have you!
Happy Birthday to you, Amy! Gosh, no wonder you wanted to make your own cake when you see this beauty. What a filling and with all the extras. What a masterpiece. Cheers to many more of your sweet adventures!
Thanks so much Jill :)!
Just wondering where you have been able to find young coconut meat?
I bought mine at Whole Foods, but you can find it at many natural foods stores, or at Asian Markets.
A very Happy Birthday to you…looks like a wonderful time! I also make my own B’day cake,,,first because none of my family bake or uncoook and second none are raw/vegan. And also like you I get what I want and I love doing it. Your B’day cheesecake looks absolutely wonderful 🙂
Thank you :)! Glad to hear you make your own as well, so much fun!
It’s beautiful, happy birthday!
Thank you :)!
The cake is absolutely stunning Amy! Once again, happy birthday! Enjoy your 20’s as much as you can. 30’s are even better!
Thanks Roxana :)! I know I will be able to enjoy myself whatever the age ;)!
Hi sweet girl…what a beautiful looking cake for a beautiful girl. I hope you are having a wonderful start to your new year.
Thanks Monet :)! I certainly am!
Happy, Happy Birthday to my friend across the country! We are exactly 20 years and one day apart in birth.
I’m with you on making our own cakes… I do that almost yearly, except when my cake maker neighbor steps up and brings me my favorite coconut cake… or lemon cake… or chocolate lined with raspberries for that matter.
As I share my birthday with my son though, the last 16 years have been his choice, and this year it was cheesecake too, though his was cooked and vanilla and chocolate.
Love the raw version here, and I’m loving the colors you have. So brilliant and beautiful.
Happy Birthday Amy!!
Thanks Kim :)! Awesome that our B-days are so close! I have to cool neighbors like you to bring me cakes, you are lucky ;). Your son has good tastes in B-day cake! Thank you for the lovely compliments :)!
Ooh! My birthday is coming up in a few months and you’re invited! (I’m expecting you to make me a cheesecake! This decadent pink one is a treat to the eyes too!
Thank you :)! You deserve a wonderful cake on your B-day too!
Happy Birthday my friend 😀
This cake looks absolutely incredible – but everything you make does 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you :)!
It is so so pretty!! Happy Belated Birthday!
Thank you :)!
What a beautiful cheesecake! Looks delicious!
Thank you :)!
Happy Birthday! Your cake is beautiful!
Thanks Emily :)!
Sounds like you had a great time on your birthday and I’m impressed by this cake!
Wow! Happy belated birthday. On top of this being such a lovely cake (and could totally be appropriate for Marie Antoinette as well), I love that you created this on your birthday 😀 I like to prepare things for my birthday as well, and it mostly comes from being able to share delicious and special things with other people 🙂
xoxo!
p.s. came across your blog looking for a raw vegan cream recipe, and so glad I stumbled upon it!
Thank you :)! Also, thanks for visiting! I am glad you came across my blog, I have lots of raw vegan cakes here!
you are truly a culinary artist! Thank you for offering such RAWfully delicious gifts to us!
Thanks so much Stephanie :)!
Thank you, and thanks for visiting :)! Me too! I am addicted to them ;)!
My birthday is in August; I can’t wait to try this! Oh, and I’ll be 57 but still feel 21. What is it about that age? I would never want to BE 21 again, but don’t feel 50-something at all.
This cake is good for any woman 5 t0 105 ;). I still feel 21 as well, I hope I do when I am 57 like you :)! I hope you do try the cake!
I love this cake! I am trying it for my birthday 🙂 I have a awful sweet tooth but I am trying to do more things raw! Its a beautiful cake. I love the girly pink colors and the decorating.
Thank you :)! You should make it for your B-day!
You ares so talented! Happy Birthday and if you make it to 30 don’t regret it, it only gets better as you age. By the way where can I find young coconut meat? You should make videos to show how to do all these wonderful cakes.
Thank you :)! My Birthday is actually tomorrow, this is from last year ;). You can get it at Asian markets. But if you can’t find it use additional soaked cashews.