Mini Raw Raspberry Red Velvet Cheesecakes

On Facebook, I recently asked what people's favorite cake was.  Red velvet showed up quite often in the answers, and I am not surprised!  3 of my top 10 blog posts are red velvet desserts.  I too am a fan of red velvet, because of the beautiful red color alone! I decided to make raw red velvet cake topped with raspberry cheesecake this weekend.  Something I dreamed up during the middle of the week last week and began to crave!  I wanted to use beets in the cake portion to color it a beautiful shocking pinkish red, but I did not want to taste them.  So I played around with the almond coconut cake base and the amount of beets to create a cake that tasted of luscious vanilla. 

Instead of one big cake I made individual sized ones, as they would be adorable, plus I tend to over indulge if I am cutting a large cake. I knew the raspberry cheesecake would be wonderful with the red velvet cake layer.  For that I used my raw cheesecake filling laced with fresh raspberries and a touch of vanilla. 

The cake also needed to be topped off with creamy light fluffy frosting, so I made a raw coconut cashew frosting with vanilla bean and piped it over the cakes.  They were beautiful!  Dare I say the most beautiful red velvet anything I have made! 

I know some of you may be thinking...how can a raw cake with beets in it be as delicious as a baked red velvet cake filled with sugar and food coloring?  Well it was, and honestly it tasted even better than the red velvet cakes I remember eating before I cut refined sugars and flours out of my diet.  It was luscious, moist vanilla scented cake with creamy raspberry cheesecake that melted in my mouth topped with vanilla scented frosting, pure heaven!

Mini Raw Raspberry Red Velvet Cheesecakes
makes four 4 inch cheesecakes

Cake:
3 cups almonds
2 1/2 cups dried shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp agave nectar or honey
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 small 2 inch chunk of raw red beet (or enough to color the cake red)

Filling:

2 3/4 cups raw cashews (preferably soaked overnight)

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut water (or filtered water)

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup plus 3 Tbsp agave nectar or honey

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for topping)

1 cup raspberries

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

Swirl:

1/2 cup raspberries

2 Tbsp agave nectar or honey

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cream Topping:
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 maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and seeds of half a vanilla bean (reserved from filling)
1/4 cup coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

Lightly coat four 4 inch spring form removable bottom pans with coconut oil. To prepare the cake, process almonds, coconut and sea salt in a food processor until the pecans are fine crumbs, then add the agave nectar, vanilla and beet and process until well blended. Firmly press crust into the bottoms of the prepared pans, and set aside.

To make the cheesecake filling, drain the cashews and combine them with coconut water, lemon juice and agave nectar, sea salt, vanilla and 1 cup raspberries in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. With the motor running, add the coconut oil (it helps the fat distribute evenly). Process about 30 seconds to 1 minute set aside.  
To make the swirl, in a food processor, combine 1/2 cup raspberries, 2 Tbsp agave nectar, and vanilla and process until smooth.  
Pour the cheesecake filling over the cakes, then drop the raspberry swirl by the tsp on top of the filling over each cake, then swirl with a knife to marble. Place the cakes  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, and set in the freezer about 30 minutes until a frosting consistency. Place in a pastry bag and pipe decoratively around the top of the cheesecake. Store leftover cake in the fridge.