Have Your Cake and Vegan Too (27 page)

 

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Check an 8-inch square pan after 30 minutes; wait a few minutes longer for a smaller pan. The cake will have risen to the top of the pan and will be lightly brown. The pudding layer will be bubbling up around the sides, and when moved the cake will appear to float. Let the warm cake sit in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes before serving, to let the pudding thicken. Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. This cake is best served warmed the day it's made.

 

SERVINGS:
6

 

INGREDIENTS

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

1
1/4
cups
crushed graham cracker or ginger
cookie crumbs
1 tablespoon
organic granulated sugar
2 tablespoons
melted margarine

 

FILLING

1 (12-ounce) package
aseptic firm tofu
1 (8-ounce) container
soy cream cheese
^¾
cup
organic granulated sugar
2 medium
lemons, zested
1/4
cup
lemon juice
1 tablespoon
cornstarch
1/2
teaspoon
vanilla extract
1 tablespoon
poppy seeds

 

RASPBERRY TOPPING

1/4
cup
organic granulated sugar
1 tablespoon
cornstarch
1
1/4
cups
raspberries
1 tablespoon
water

 

DIRECTIONS

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour an 8-inch springform pan.

 

To make the crust, in a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and sugar. Add the margarine and combine until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

 

To make the filling, in the bowl of a food processor or blender, add the tofu, cream cheese, and sugar. Process until mostly incorporated. Add the lemon zest and juice, cornstarch, and vanilla and process, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Add the poppy seeds and mix by hand (you don't want to pulverize them). Spread the mixture evenly over the crust and return the pan to the oven.

 

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The top should look set up and almost like it has a skin on it, but the cake should still jiggle a little if tapped. Let cool to room temperature in the pan on a cooling rack before transferring to the refrigerator.

 

To make the topping, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add the raspberries and water. Mix until incorporated and cook on medium-low heat until the raspberries soften and release their juices. Mash them lightly with the back of a fork and continue to cook, stirring often, about 8 minutes, until the sugar and cornstarch dissolve and the mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, before spreading over the cheesecake. Store the cake covered overnight in the refrigerator. Remove the springform ring before serving.

 

SERVINGS:
12