The flavours of the hummingbird (not the actual bird, but the cake) celebrate the flavours of banana and pineapple. If that wasn’t enough, it’s then warmed up with cinnamon and packed full of walnuts or pecans for added crunch and flavour. I wanted to bring all of these awesome flavours and textures into a new recipe, but I knew I wanted to make it healthier and I knew I wanted it to be a cheesecake. So let me introduce my Raw Hummingbird Cheesecake, which also happens to be gluten free, refined sugar free and vegan too!
I’ve chosen to use a whole bunch of delicious and nutritious FreshLife nuts for this creation, which have helped me not only get the perfect flavour, but the perfect texture as well. Bringing these iconic hummingbird flavours together, I’ve created a smooth cheesecake filling made from blending FreshLife cashews with fresh banana, pineapple, and cinnamon. This filling sits on a chewy almond base, and is topped with plenty of delicious crunchy walnuts – as every hummingbird dessert should! I also love walnuts and their added sweetness, and they make for another great way to sneak some extra goodness into this rich and flavoursome dessert.
Much like the bases of many raw slices and cheesecakes, the base for this recipe is filled with not just natural almonds, but also more walnuts for texture and flavour, Medjool dates for sweetness and a touch more of cinnamon. If you have everything you need ready to go, this recipe is actually very easy to make, so don’t be intimidated by thinking that it’s raw so must be difficult. The hardest part is waiting for the cheesecake to chill and set – but it’s well worth it!
FreshLife’s extensive selection of nuts, seeds and dried fruit is great for adding texture and flavour to any baking project, and their quality can’t be beaten. I’ve used six ingredients from their range for this recipe alone, so they’ve really helped to make this creation possible! The range is available from Countdown supermarkets and selected New World stores.
WIN: Thanks to FreshLife I have a giveaway pack full of the FreshLife ingredients you’d need to make this recipe. So scroll down below to the recipe for more details.
- 200g FreshLife Silver Platter Medjool Dates (with pits removed)
- 150g FreshLife Natural Almonds
- 50g FreshLife Californian Walnuts
- 40g FreshLife Coconut Chips
- 1 Teaspoons Cinnamon
- 2-3 Tablespoons Water
- 450g FreshLife Natural Cashews
- 160g Coconut Oil
- 400ml Coconut Cream
- 4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon
- 220g Bananas (approx 2 Bananas)
- 220g Pineapple
- 100g FreshLife Californian Walnuts
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Start by lining a 20cm square baking tin with either your choice of cling film or baking paper and set aside.
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Using a large food processor, add the base ingredients (minus the water) to the bowl and blend until finely crumbed. If the mixture is a little dry and not balling together, add a little bit of water, blend again until the right consistency.
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Firmly and evenly press mixture into the base of your prepared tin and place in the fridge while you start on the filling.
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Using the food processor again, add the filling ingredients to the bowl and blend until smooth and creamy.
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Pour the filling over the prepared base, smooth top and finally sprinkle with chopped walnut pieces.
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Finally, place in the fridge overnight to set, or at a pinch, 4-5 hours.
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Carefully remove cheesecake from the baking tin and cut into desired slices. Serve immediately as is, or accompanied with whipped coconut cream, dried pineapple, FreshLife banana chips or more walnuts. What a humming good time.
Giveaway! – Closed
If you love raw treats and would really like to make this recipe, I have all the FreshLife ingredients you need to make it! For your chance to win, all you have to do is tell me some more nutty themed recipes you LOVE to make in the comments below.
This Prize pack includes – 1 x 200g Medjool Dates, 1 x 80g Coconut Chips, 1 x 150g Californian Walnuts, 1 x 150g Natural Almonds and 3 x 150g Natural Cashews.
One winner will be chosen at random and notified here and on Facebook by Sunday 30th June. Open to New Zealand residents only. Good luck
Winner Announced!
To celebrate this delicious recipe, I was giving away all the FreshLife ingredients needed to make this cheesecake. Thanks so much to all those who entered by sharing their favourite nutty themed baking ideas. Congratulations to:
Katerina French Armstrong
Could you please email me ASAP, so I can have these ingredients sent out to you!
dane@bakergatherer.com
This is a sponsored post for FreshLife. I only work with products and brands I love and all opinions are my own.
Almond meal based chocolate mugcakes with peanut butter filling, peanut butter cups, anything with peanut butter…. 😂
Oh this looks amazing! And my household can all eat it- a rare find! Would love to win the ingredients, will hopefully make it regardless though! We love to roast walnuts, cashews, pecans and almonds with maple syrup and eat them from a jar (1cup nuts-2Tbsp maple syrup) pop in the oven at 180 for 5 min, take them out to mix again and back on for another 5min. Use baking paper or it is messy! Yum!
My top 3 (because there’s too many to choose from) I Iove making my own nut/seed filled muesli and using ground nuts as bases for tarts or cheesecakes. And finally pistachio cake with orange or lime cream cheese icing.
I love to make a flour out of oats, seeds and whatever nuts I have on hand – preferably almonds, soaked dates and a little butter then some chopped dark chocolate for the most delicious cookies. They’re soft and chewy and super satisfying from all the good good fats so yum!
Enjoying baking my apple & almond slice cake and probably my White Chocolate and Macadamia Biscuits, bit of nut lover so enjoy baking these
Raw caramel slice. With s creamy cashew caramel
Love making our own nut granola!
Peanut Caramel Slice
Salted caramel peanut butter bars raw
Raw Berry Cheesecake 😊 made with soaked cashews and mixed berries.
Oh these look divine. Absolutely love nuts and seeds, if i haven’t eaten them all by the handful i love making syrupy and flaky honey walnut baklava.
We love a banana, pecan and coconut loaf- so moist and delicious with a yummy crunch in every bite from the nuts. Great way to use up those pesky black bananas I always seem to end up with by the end of the week
Nut filled muesli / protein bars for snacks throughout the week
Raw caramel slice
Bliss balls
Nut loaf (healthy)
Granola
Seed sprinkle for salad topping
Love making chocolate nutty chia seed breakfast puddings, and carrot cake yum
Yum! I love the peanut and chocolate combo……peanut butter and cacao bliss balls, snickers smoothies, peanut butter and choc chip cookies 😍😍
This sounds delicious 😋 I also love making a good raw snickers slice! Packed with almonds and walnuts in the base then peanuts through the delicious gooey caramel! Of course topped off with a homemade raw chocolate topping 🤤
I make a “white chocolate” fudge; coconut blitzed into a butter then (yes, fresh life) macadamia nuts, a few raisins, salt and vanilla blended through then into the freezer.
I love bliss balls (especially chocolate mint), almond fudge, and also raw caramel slice with lots of cashews!
I love to make mixed nut Praline and decorate cup cakes,cakes and any flavour ice cream
I love to try new recipes and this ones looks so good .heck I just love baking 🙂
I like to make mixed nut Praline and decorate cupcakes, cakes and any flavour ice cream 🙂
Peanut Caramel Slices
Greetings from argentina! Love your recipies 🙂
I only have one question: can I change de coconut oil and coconut cream for common oil and cream?
I’ll be waitin for your answer! Thank you very much.
Hey Nicole, thank you so much.
You could substitute the creams easily. However the use of coconut oil helps to solidify the filling, much like gelatine does. So I wouldn’t suggest substituting coconut oil for regular oil 🙂 Hope this helps!