Raw Raspberry Cheesecake Slice with Mixed Berry Topping

A pale, buttery almond-coconut crust, a hidden layer of crushed raspberries, and a creamy pink raspberry cheesecake filling, piled high with fresh, frozen, and freeze-dried berries and a scatter of edible flowers. As pretty as a bouquet, and perfect for Valentine's Day, birthdays, and summer gatherings. Vegan, grain-free, and refined-sugar-free.

Yield: One 8x8 pan, 16 squares · Active: 40 min · Total: 5 hours, mostly setting (or overnight) · Best in summer, when berries are at their peak (frozen berries work year-round) · Best eaten: midday or early afternoon

Ingredients

Almond-coconut crust

• 1 cup almonds

• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

• 4 soft Medjool dates, pitted

• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• Pinch of Baja Gold sea salt

Hidden raspberry layer

• 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Raspberry cheesecake filling

• 2½ cups cashews, soaked at least 4 hours (or 1 hour in hot water), then drained

• ½ cup full-fat coconut cream (with no guar gum)

• ⅓–½ cup maple syrup or raw honey, to taste

• ½ cup plus 2 tbsp cacao butter, melted (or coconut oil)

• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (for that cheesecake tang)

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• Pinch of Baja Gold sea salt

• 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)

• ½ cup blackberries or blueberries (for a deeper pink-purple color)

• Optional: ½ tsp beetroot powder, for a brighter pink

Mixed berry topping

• Fresh or frozen blackberries and raspberries, halved if large

• Freeze-dried strawberries, raspberries, or mixed berries, some left whole and some crushed into a pink dust

• Dried berries (like blueberries, cherries, or goldenberries), for a chewy bite

• Optional: edible flowers (like cornflower petals), fresh mint leaves, and lemon zest

Method

1. Make the crust. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides. Process the almonds and coconut to a fine crumb, then add the dates, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt and process until the mixture sticks together when pressed. Press it firmly and evenly into the pan and freeze 15 minutes.

2. Add the hidden raspberry layer. Lightly crush the raspberries with the maple syrup, leaving some chunks, and spread them evenly over the crust.

3. Make the filling. Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. Blend the cashews, coconut cream, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, salt, raspberries, blackberries, and beet powder (if using) in a high-speed blender until completely silky. With the blender running on low, stream in the melted cacao butter. The extra 2 tablespoons help the filling set firm, since the berries add moisture. Taste and adjust the sweetness and lemon.

4. Fill and set. Pour the filling gently over the raspberry layer, smooth the top, and tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles. Freeze 4 hours, or overnight, until firm.

5. Slice. Lift the slab out by the parchment and cut it into 16 squares with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts. Let them sit 10–15 minutes before serving.

6. Top and serve. Just before serving, pile each square with berries: fresh or frozen blackberries and raspberries, freeze-dried strawberries, and dried berries. Finish with edible flowers, mint, and lemon zest, and scatter the crushed freeze-dried berries over everything last, for a pop of color.

Why top them at the last minute: Fresh berries release their juice as they sit, and freeze-dried berries soften once they touch the moist filling. Frozen blackberries straight from the freezer look beautifully frosty, as in the photo, but serve them right away.

Storage: Untopped squares keep up to 1 month frozen, or 5 days refrigerated.

A note on "raw": Every cashew sold has been heat-treated to remove the caustic oil in its shell, and U.S. almonds are pasteurized by law, so "raw" here means no-bake. Raw honey shouldn't be given to babies under 12 months; use maple syrup if little ones will be eating these.

Nourishment Notes

Raspberries and blackberries — vitamin C, fiber (raspberries are one of the highest-fiber fruits), ellagic acid, and anthocyanins.

Cashews — magnesium, copper, and zinc.

Almonds and coconut — vitamin E, magnesium, fiber, and lauric acid.

Medjool dates — potassium, magnesium, and fiber.

Cacao butter — stearic acid, a saturated fat that research shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol, and it helps the filling set.

Lemon — vitamin C, plus the bright tang that makes it taste like real cheesecake.

Freeze-dried and dried berries — concentrated vitamin C, fiber, and anthocyanins.

Edible flowers — polyphenols and a burst of color.

As a circadian treat, these squares land best at midday or in the early afternoon, when your body handles sweets most gracefully in daylight.

Sourcing

• Fresh and frozen berries — organic, from a farmers' market in season, or organic frozen berries

• Freeze-dried berries — organic, with nothing added

• Dried berries — organic and unsulfured, with no added sugar (many dried cherries and blueberries are sweetened, so check the label)

• Cashews — organic (every cashew sold has been heat-treated, even "raw" ones)

• Almonds — organic and unpasteurized, like Terrasoul's organic Spanish almonds

• Shredded coconut — organic, unsweetened, and sulfite-free

• Medjool dates — organic, soft, and plump

• Coconut cream — organic and full-fat, made with just coconut and water, with no guar gum (Native Forest Simple comes in BPA-free cans)

• Cacao butter and coconut oil — organic and raw cacao butter; organic, virgin coconut oil

• Maple syrup or raw honey — organic Grade A dark maple syrup; organic, local, unfiltered raw honey

• Beetroot powder (optional) — organic, with nothing added

• Edible flowers — organic and pesticide-free (never from florists)

• Lemons and mint — organic

• Vanilla — organic pure vanilla extract

• Baja Gold sea salt

— Anna aka Food Marshall