Description
SUPER EASY Mini Vegan Red Velvet Cheesecakes – A buttery biscuit base, baked with a creamy red velvet cheesecake filling and a swirl of whipped cream. Absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Ingredients for the base
- 150g of cookies and cream biscuits (vegan friendly, you can use gluten-free)
- 50g of dairy-free butter
Ingredients for the cheesecake filling
- 150g of soaked & drained cashew nuts (see notes for prep details)
- 360g of dairy-free cream cheese
- 60g of coconut cream
- 80g of icing sugar
- 20g of cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Drop of red good gel
Ingredients for the red velvet crumb
- 50ml of dairy-free milk (I use unsweetened soya milk)
- 1/4 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
- 50g of self raising flour
- 12g of caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
- 15ml of sunflower oil
- Drop of red food gel
Ingredients for the cream
- 200ml of dairy-free double / whipping cream
Instructions
Method (base)
- Grease a 6 hole cookie cup tin with some dairy-free butter.
- Add the dairy-free butter into a small saucepan, place on the hob and heat over low until fully melted. Remove from the heat and add into a medium sized, heat-proof mixing bowl.
- Add the biscuits into a blender / food processor and blend until fine. Pour the biscuit crumbs into the melted butter and stir together using a wooden spoon or spatula. It should resemble wet sand, and when you press it between your fingers, should hold its shape. Press approximately 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of mixture into each tin, making sure to compact it in using clean hands or spoon. The more compact it is, the less likely it will crumble. It’s best to use a loose base tin, I’ve linked a great one here.
- Place aside whilst you make the filling.
Method cheesecake filling
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C Fan (350°F).
- Wash, then drain the cashew nuts and place them into a high speed blender along with the cream cheese, coconut cream, icing sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and drop of red food gel. Blend on high until smooth.
- Pour the filling on-top of each base, 3/4 of the way full. Tap the tin on the worktop to remove any air bubbles and to level out.
- Bake the cheesecakes in the centre of the pre-heated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake turn slightly golden in colour and the cheesecakes have risen. To check the cheesecakes are ready, using oven mitts, gently jiggle the tin. If the cheesecakes looks nearly set and only the middle of the cheesecakes jiggles slightly, they’e done. If they jiggles too much / look wet, they needs more time to bake!
- Once baked, remove from the oven and place the cheesecakes (still in the tin) on a wire rack to cool fully.
- When the cheesecakes are cool, run a knife around each cheesecake to help loosen them from the sides of the tin. Place into the fridge and allow to sit in the fridge overnight to fully set. Keep the cheesecakes in the tin to help retain their shape.
Method (cake crumbs)
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C Fan (350°F) and place a single cupcake liner in a cupcake tin.
- In a small bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined. This makes the vegan buttermilk.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well to combine.
- Add the oil to the ‘buttermilk’ along with a drop of red food gel and whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until a smooth batter.
- Fill the case 3/4 full with the batter. Make sure to tap the tin on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.
- Pop the cake into the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. You will know it’s done when you put a knife or skewer in and it comes out clean and it’s springy to the touch.
- Place the cupcake on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully before crumbling.
Method (serving the cheesecakes)
- Whip up the dairy-free whipping cream either by hand using a hand whisk in a bowl or using a balloon whisk attachment in a stand mixer on high speed.
- Transfer the cream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip nozzle (I use a Wilton 2D tip).
- Pipe a swirl of cream to the top of each cheesecake. Sprinkle over some of the red velvet cake crumbs.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
To store: Keep fresh by storing in a air tight / sealed container in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature fully before serving. Best enjoyed within 1-3 days of making.
Soak the cashews before use – Allow the cashews to soak in a bowl of water for a few hours before using. You could even soak them overnight. This will allow them to blend creamy without bits in the batter.
- Prep Time: Overnight
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: cheesecakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American