This carrot halwa cheesecake is grain-free and doesn’t need to be baked! You make the carrot halwa crust with cardamom spiced shredded carrots on the stove and the cheesecake mixture in your blender. Then chill this cake to set it up, then slice and serve. Nut-free option

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 40 minutes
  • Total time: 120 minutes
  • Yield: 10
  • Category: cake, Dessert
  • Cuisine: Indian Fusion

Ingredients

For the carrot halwa layer:

  • 1 tablespoon vegan butter (or use oil)
  • 4 cups grated carrots
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon flax meal
  • 2 tablespoons raisins, (soaked in warm water for at least 10 minutes and then drained)

For the cheesecake layer:

  • 1 cup raw cashews (soaked in hot water for at least 15 minutes)
  • 15- ounce can of full fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 drops of almond extract
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil (optional)

For topping:

  • 2 tablespoons pistachios (chopped very finely)
  • 1 tablespoon pecans (chopped very finely)

Method

Make the carrot halwa:

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the vegan butter, then add the grated carrots and 1/8 teaspoon of salt and mix well. Cook for 3 minutes, until the carrots start o change color. Then mix in the maple syrup, sugar, and cardamom. Continue to cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add in the almond flour and mix in. If the carrots are drying out too much, cover the with the lid for a minute at a time, then open the lid, mix, and continue to cook uncovered. Continue to cook for another 7 to 8 minutes. The time depends on the carrots, your skillet, and your stove. Taste and see if the carrots are cooked and starting to get browned and caramelized on some edges.
  2. Mix in the drained raisins, and switch off the heat, then mix in the flax meal. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes to cool.
  3. Line and 8- or 9-inch cake pan with parchment so that you can easily lift the whole cheesecake out, or use a springform pan. Then, add the carrot mixture to the lined pan and spread it out with a spatula. Set this aside.

Make the cheesecake layer:

  1. Add the drained cashews and all of the other cheesecake ingredients to a blender and blend for a minute. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, and blend again for a minute. Repeat until the mixture is very smooth. Taste adjust sweetness(sugar) and flavor. Add in a little bit more tang(lemon juice), if you want.

Assemble the carrot cake cheesecake:

  1. Drop that smooth, creamy cheesecake mixture over the carrot mixture and spread it with a spatula. Then top it with some chopped pistachios and pecans. Dress as you like.
  2. Chill in the freezer for about an hour, so that the cheesecake layer sets. Depending on your freezer, you might need to keep it in for another hour or so to get it to set and produce nice, smooth slices.
  3. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, slice with a sharp warm knife and serve or store.
  4. Storage: You can keep the sliced cake in the freezer for up to 2 months. To serve, take your slice out of the freezer, then let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, so the cheesecake becomes soft and creamy before serving.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.