If you have a little bit of time on your hands and want to make something extra special to impress your friends this halloween, then this is just the cake for you! This recipe takes a little more prep than my usual creations.. but trust me when I say it’s worth it!

Starting with a crunchy chocolate & salted caramel base, oozing berry jam layer, followed by vanilla cream and then TWO types of chocolate topping, this will have all of your guests hovering around the dessert table for more! It’s creamy, chocolatey & fruity all in one mouthful.. not to mention it is completely vegan and gluten free!

Ingredients

For the base:

1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup pecan nuts
1 scoop PERFORM Salted Maca Caramel
1/2 cup pitted dates
Splash of water
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp raw cacao powder

For the filling:

1 and a half cups cashew nuts (soaked for 4 hours)
3 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup full fat coconut milk (remove the water)
Splash vanilla extract

For the jam:

1 cup frozen mixed berries
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp chia seeds

Chocolate topping:

3 tbsp raw cacao powder
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil

50g of your favourite vegan chocolate

Method:

1) Start by making the base of the cake and blitz together the nuts and oats to form a fine crumb texture. Add in the remaining base ingredients and blend until well combined. If the mixture isn’t sticky enough after blending all of the ingredients, add a splash of water and blend again.

2) Pour this into the base of a cheesecake tin and press firmly into the base and around the sides to create a wall for the filling. Pop this into the freezer whilst you prep the other layers.

3) Next you want to get making the jam! In a saucepan, gently heat the berries with a splash of water until melted. You should be able to mash these into a compote and you can also blend this if you’d like a really smooth finish. Stir in the chia seeds and sweetener (adjust to taste) and allow to cool. Spread the jam filling over the base and return the cake to the freezer.

4) To make the vanilla cheesecake layer, combine the soaked cashews, maple syrup, coconut oil, coconut milk and vanilla into a high speed blender or food processor and blend until ultra smooth and creamy in texture. Ensure the coconut milk you use is thick enough and more of a cream texture. Do this by spooning the solid coconut cream from the top of the can and removing the water. You will need to use a natural coconut milk with no emulsifiers to do this.

5) Pour this over the jam layer and allow to set overnight. Once your beautiful cheesecake is set, carefully remove from the tin - I find loose bottom cake tins make this part a lot easier!

6) To make the chocolate topping melt the coconut oil and stir through the cacao and maple syrup. Drizzle this mixture over the top of the cheesecake and place this in the fridge to allow the chocolate to firm up.

7) Meanwhile, melt your vegan chocolate and transfer into a piping bag (you could also make your own by folding up some baking paper) Carefully pipe on a cobweb pattern by drawing lines across the cake a little like a star shape, then joining these up to create a spider web effect. Leave the cake in the fridge for around 20 minutes to allow the piped chocolate to set, then serve and enjoy!