Vegan Basque Cheesecake | This vegan burnt Basque cheesecake is smooth, custardy, and sweet, yielding the perfect vegan dessert. Silken tofu is a creamy and versatile ingredient, providing a custard-like texture. Serve this vegan Basque cheesecake plain or with my homemade strawberry sauce or blueberry sauce.
This vegan basque cheesecake is smooth, custardy, and perfectly sweet. It pairs perfectly with homemade strawberry or blueberry sauce, which I provide recipes for in this post. This is the perfect plant-based dessert for any occasion.
Silken tofu is an unassuming ingredient in vegan baking. It can be used in a variety of ways, given its smooth, custard-like texture. Tofu doesn’t have much flavour either, which makes it perfect for vegan desserts like this burnt Basque cheesecake.
Why you’ll love this vegan burnt Basque cheesecake
- It’s vegan and gluten-free.
- No water bath required.
- Made with silken tofu, no vegan cream cheese.
- Creamy, custard-like texture.
- An easy recipe requiring only a blender and a cake pan.
How do you make burnt Basque cheesecake?
New York cheesecake is traditionally made in a springform pan with a water bath. For this vegan Basque cheesecake, you use an 8-inch cake pan lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper gives the cheesecake its iconic crinkly edges.
This vegan Basque cheesecake is very simple to make. Simply blend all the ingredients until smooth. Then, pour the mixture into a parchment-lined cake pan. Bake in a 400°F/200°C oven for 65-70 minutes or until the top is crinkly and a dark caramel colour.
Let the cheesecake cool in the pan, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to completely cool.
You can either serve the cheesecake plain or with one of the fruit sauce recipes I provide.
What makes vegan basque cheesecake different from traditional cheesecake?
In terms of ingredients, vegan basque cheesecake is made with silken tofu instead of cream cheese. Silken tofu is custardy, soft, and perfect for achieving a creamy texture. The silken tofu is combined with coconut cream and vegan cream, and sweetened with sugar and vanilla extract.
Compared to traditional basque cheesecake, this vegan version is slightly softer and more custard-like, with the same burnt top but a lighter texture.
Basque cheesecake is baked in a cake pan lined with parchment paper, at a high temperature to achieve a crinkly, caramelized exterior, with a soft, custardy inside.
How do I achieve the burnt top without using real dairy?
The dark, crinkly top, typical of burnt Basque cheesecake, is a result of a high oven temperature. Vegan Basque cheesecake uses the same baking method as traditional Basque cheesecake. Baking it at a high temperature of 400°F/200°C in a parchment-lined cake pan yields a dark golden exterior, with a smooth inside.
Ingredients
More about the ingredients in this recipe. The exact measurements are below.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper, leaving about 1 1/2 inches in excess to help lift the cheesecake out of the pan.
Brush the parchment paper with melted vegan butter.
Add the tofu, coconut cream, vegan cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt to a blender and blend until smooth.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Use a skewer and pop any large bubbles that may appear on the top.
Bake for 65-70 minutes until the top is dark golden brown and crinkly, with the edges being the darkest. The inside should be slightly jiggly when shaken.
While the cheesecake is baking, you can make the fruit sauces, if desired. Add all ingredients to a pot and heat on medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until jammy.
Let the cheesecake cool in the cake pan for about 1 hour, then carefully lift it out of the pan using the excess parchment paper, and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Slice the cheesecake into 6 slices, and serve plain or with fruit sauce.
Tips for making vegan basque cheesecake
What to serve with vegan cheesecake
Follow my instructions for strawberry sauce or blueberry sauce provided below. The fruit sauces pair perfectly with the sweet, custardy cheesecake.
Use other toppings like chocolate sauce, other fruit sauces, or fresh fruit.
Serve with whipped coconut cream. If you have any left over from the can used in this recipe, simply whip it with a pinch of powdered sugar until thick.
For more vegan desserts, try my Chocolate Tofu Pudding or Vegan Pumpkin Brownies.
Substitutions
Storage
Store the vegan Basque cheesecake in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Do not freeze the cheesecake as it is made with tofu, and freezing tofu significantly alters the texture.
FAQ’s
Yes. Both traditional and vegan Basque cheesecakes are meant to be soft and custardy in the center, not fluffy like New York cheesecake. The inside should jiggle slightly when shaken.
Store vegan Basque cheesecake in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Do not freeze it as it is made with tofu, and freezing tofu alters the texture,
To make vegan Basque cheesecake, blend silken tofu, coconut cream, vegan cream, cornstarch, and sweeteners, and bake at a high temperature.
Vegan Basque Cheesecake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 8 inch cake pan
- parchment paper
- 1 Food processor I use a Ninja Food Processor
Ingredients
For the cheesecake
- 450 grams silken tofu
- 1 cup coconut cream the thick part at the top of the can
- ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons vegan creamer I use oat-based half and half
- ¾ cups white sugar
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- melted vegan butter
For the fruit sauce
- 1 ½ cups strawberries or blueberries fresh or frozen, halved
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup water if using blueberries
Instructions
Cheesecake
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper, leaving 1 1/2 inches in excess. Brush with melted vegan butter.
- Add the silken tofu, coconut cream, vegan cream, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, and salt to a food processor and blend for 30-40 seconds until smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed. Avoid overblending.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Use a skewer to poke any large bubbles that may have formed. Bake for 65-70 minutes or until dark golden brown, being darkest towards the edges, and crackly on top.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool for 1 hour. Then remove it from the pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Slice into 6 pieces and serve with the homemade fruit sauce. Running the knife under hot water allows you to slice the cheesecake more easily.
Fruit sauce
- Add the fresh or frozen fruit, sugar, lemon juice, and water if using blueberries, to a pot and heat over medium heat until simmering. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and jammy. Allow to cool before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Info
Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
Disclosure: This blog post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
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Erika Piper
Hey there, I’m Erika. I’ve been meat-free for over a decade.
I’m here to provide delicious and affordable plant-based recipes for anyone interested.
Whether you’re a seasoned plant-based eater or just curious about trying it out, I’m here to support you with my easy and accessible recipes.
Ended up with a flan-like, almost congealed texture – possibly didn’t dry my silken tofu enough?
Flavour is great, baked perfectly, but none of the sort of crumb shown in the recipe images here – rather just a creme caramel-ish consistency.
Hi Arista! Sorry the cheesecake didn’t turn out how you expected. The texture is sort of flan-like, not fluffy like a regular cheesecake. The moisture from the tofu shouldn’t be an issue as it contributes to the overall texture. The products you used may be slightly different from mine.
Baking the cheesecake at a high temperature yields the crackly top, so maybe the oven temperature was off, or it didn’t bake long enough. Thank you for trying the recipe out and I hope this helps!