VEGAN NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE
This creamy no-bake cherry, coconut, and chocolate cheesecake brings together three favorite flavors: coconut, dark chocolate, and fresh cherries. It’s a delightful way to celebrate cherry season and makes an elegant, summer-friendly dessert.
The cake sits on a roasted almond and oat crust sweetened with dates and is finished with two smooth layers: a vanilla-coconut cherry filling and a chocolate-coconut cream frosting. This recipe yields a small 12 cm (diameter) mini cheesecake — enough for 4–6 servings.
HOW TO MAKE CHERRY COCONUT & CHOCOLATE CAKE
Prepare ahead: soak the cashews for at least 4 hours and the dates for at least 1–2 hours before assembling the cake. Chilling canned coconut milk overnight helps separate the firm cream from the liquid — use only the thick cream for best results.
CRUST
- Line the base of a panettone mold (12 × 10 cm) with baking paper.
- In a food processor, combine roasted almonds, rolled oats, drained dates, and cacao powder. Process until the mixture sticks together. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed. If the mixture is too dry, add a small amount of coconut oil; if too moist, add 1/2–1 teaspoon ground rolled oats.
- Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared mold. Chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the coconut-cherry layer.
COCONUT AND CHERRY LAYER
- Drain the soaked cashews thoroughly and place them in a high-speed blender. Add the thick coconut cream (from chilled full-fat canned coconut milk), lemon juice, coconut oil, and agave syrup. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy.
- Add 25 g shredded coconut and blend briefly to combine. Adjust sweetness to taste.
- Gently fold in chopped fresh cherries with a spatula so the fruit stays intact.
- Pour the coconut-cherry filling over the chilled crust and smooth the top. Transfer the cake to the freezer and let it set for at least 4–5 hours, or until firm.
NOTE ON COCONUT CREAM
Always use the thick cream from a can of full-fat coconut milk for the filling and frosting. Chill the cans in the refrigerator overnight without shaking them so the cream separates from the liquid. The cream should be firm enough to scoop with a spoon; if it’s watery, the cake will not hold its shape.
CHOCOLATE FROSTING
- Melt dark chocolate gently over low heat in a small pot, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
- Blend the cooled melted chocolate with coconut cream and agave until smooth and glossy.
- When the cake has firmed in the freezer, remove it and let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes. Spoon and spread the chocolate frosting over the top, then garnish with additional cherries if desired.
For the best texture, prepare the chocolate frosting just before serving so it retains a silky finish.
TIPS AND HOW-TOS
Tip: Use full-fat canned coconut milk and chill it overnight. Do not shake the can so the cream separates cleanly from the liquid. This is essential for a creamy, stable filling and frosting.
HOW TO ROAST ALMONDS
Roasting almonds deepens their flavor and creates a crisper texture. Preheat your oven to 180 °C. Spread the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 10–15 minutes, stirring or shaking the tray every 5 minutes for even browning. When they are golden and fragrant, remove them from the oven and transfer immediately to a plate or another sheet to cool.
CHERRY COCONUT & CHOCOLATE CAKE IS:
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- No-bake
- Creamy and indulgent
- A perfect summer dessert
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment in the comments section below and share your experience. If you post your version on social media, tag the account @alltheworldisgreen so the author can see your remake.
Cherry Coconut & Chocolate Cake
By Nensi Beram
Creamy no-bake vegan cheesecake layered with roasted almond-oat crust, a coconut-cherry filling, and a chocolate-coconut frosting. A lovely seasonal dessert for cherry lovers.
Cook time: 40 mins (plus chilling/freezing time)
Cuisine: Gluten-free, Vegan
Servings: 4–6
Equipment
- Panettone mold 12 × 10 cm (or a similar small cake ring)
- High-speed blender or food processor
Ingredients
Base
- 80 g roasted almonds
- 20 g rolled oats
- 80 g dates, soaked for at least 1 hour and drained
- 10 g cacao powder
Coconut-cherry filling
- 250 g cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours and drained
- 100 g coconut cream (the thickened cream from chilled full-fat canned coconut milk)
- 3–4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil
- 6 tablespoons agave syrup (adjust to taste)
- 25 g shredded coconut
- Pinch of vanilla powder
- 100 g fresh cherries, chopped
Chocolate frosting
- 60 g dark chocolate (about 85% cacao)
- 80 g coconut cream (thickened cream)
- 2 tablespoons agave syrup
Instructions
Base
- Line the base of the panettone mold with baking paper.
- Combine roasted almonds, rolled oats, drained dates, and cacao powder in a food processor. Process until the mixture holds together. Adjust texture with a little coconut oil if too dry, or a touch of ground oats if too wet.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared mold and chill in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
Coconut-cherry filling
- Blend drained cashews with coconut cream, lemon juice, coconut oil, and agave on high speed until very smooth and creamy.
- Add shredded coconut and blend briefly to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary.
- Pour the filling over the crust, smooth the surface, then gently fold in chopped fresh cherries with a spatula.
- Freeze the cake for at least 4–5 hours until set.
Chocolate frosting
- Melt the dark chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
- Blend the melted chocolate with coconut cream and agave until smooth.
- When the cake is firm, remove it from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes. Spoon the chocolate frosting over the cake and top with extra cherries if you like.
Notes
Always chill canned full-fat coconut milk overnight and do not shake it so the cream separates properly. Use only the firm coconut cream for both filling and frosting. Make the chocolate frosting just before serving for the best texture and appearance.
* Nutritional information, if shown, is an automatic estimate and should be used only as a guideline.
Keywords: no bake cherry cheesecake, vegan cheesecake, vegan chocolate cherry cheesecake