Coconut Pomegranate Macadamia Raw Vegan Cheesecake

This cake was my ode to summer with a little taste of fall. A transition of the seasons if you will. I paired the fresh tropical flavors of coconut and macadamia nut with the sweet seductive taste of pomegranate. I also got to make this cake for one of my bestie's birthday, which makes it extra special.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 cup macadamia nuts (I used roasted for a deeper flavor but feel free to use raw to make this 100 percent raw vegan)

1 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

6 pitted medjool dates

A pinch of salt

For the filling:

3 cups cashews (soaked for 5-6 hours or overnight)

1 cup coconut oil

1 cup coconut milk (canned/ full fat)

1 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp coconut extract (optional)

1/4 cup pomegranate juice

Directions:

For the crust:

- Combine coconut flakes and macadamia nuts in a high speed blender or food processor.

- Pulse or run on low until you get a crumb like mixture

- Add dates and salt on a low setting until thoroughly combined into a dough like texture. Be careful not to over blend.

-press mixture into the bottom of a cake pan or square brownie pan. 8-10" size for either shape works best.

For the filling:

-Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender for several minutes until batter is completely smooth. To get two colors only add the pomegranate juice to half the mixture and layer them one on top of the other.

-Pour mixture on top of crust.

-Refrigerate overnight or place in freezer for 2 hours. Serve with fresh pomegranate seeds and shredded coconut!