Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Cheesecake

I managed to get my run in yesterday morning and then it decided to down pour.  But I didn't mind because I was not out in it.  Just because it is raining outside doesn't mean it has to be a bad day...I prefer to look at it as an opportunity to create deliciousness in the kitchen!  So I put in my Adele CD and watched the rain through the window as I started out creating my recipe. 

Peanut butter sounded really good...but not cookies or bars, some form of creamy dessert.  Cheesecake!  I know I have made a lot of them lately but it is my favorite dessert in case you couldn't tell.  But not a strait peanut butter cheesecake, peanut butter banana with a bit of chocolate for good measure.

I decided that this was going to be vegan, because I have plenty of raw cashews on hand, and no cream cheese.  You cannot classify this as raw however because I used roasted peanuts in the base as they taste so much better in my opinion! 

I even made the crust from peanuts, and it was simple and delicious, just peanuts, dates and sea salt.  I could have just snacked on it, but then I would have no crust!  For the filling, I added cashews for smoothness, peanuts and peanut butter for flavor blended with coconut oil, agave nectar and vanilla.  I threw in a few small bananas, as they were to be an important flavor component! 

I blended cocoa powder into half the filling, to create a marbled cheesecake.  I suppose I could have made the whole thing chocolate but I wanted to taste the banana and peanut butter as well!  But the peanut butter in the base wasn't enough for me...I love the stuff, and I wanted it to be very present so I made a peanut butter swirl in the cake as well! 

I couldn't wait to try it all together, because tasting the components separately was delicious...I imagined it to be 10x more heavenly!  It totally was!  It was hard to wait for it to set up, but the 5 hours was nothing compared to the baking and cooling time of a dairy cheesecake. 

It was amazing!  Decadent, creamy, smooth peanut buttery goodness with a hint of banana and rich dark chocolate!  I sat and watched the rain as I enjoyed every last morsel of that piece of cheesecake...it was peaceful, and I didn't mind that the sun did not decide to show its face.  If you would like to enjoy some of this cheesecake for yourself, I have included the recipe.  Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Cheesecake

Makes one 6 inch cake

Crust:

3/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

1/8 teaspoon sea salt
3 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped

Filling:

1 1/2 cups raw cashews (preferably soaked overnight, drained)
1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts (preferably soaked overnight, drained)

1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp coconut water

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup plus 3 Tbsp agave nectar

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for topping)

2 small ripe organic bananas, cut into chunks

2 Tbsp organic smooth peanut butter

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Swirl:

1/4 cup smooth organic peanut butter

2 tbsp agave nectar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cream Topping:
1/4 cup raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)
1/4 cup coconut water

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp fresh young coconut meat
1 tablespoons agave syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla and seeds of half a vanilla bean (the other half of the one you used for the filling)
2 Tbsp coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

Spray a six inch spring form pan with coconut oil spray (or other oil spray) and set aside.
To prepare the crust, process peanuts and sea salt in a food processor until the peanuts are fine crumbs, then add the dates and process until the mixture holds together when squeezed between your fingers. Firmly press crust into the bottom of prepared pan. Set aside.

To make filling, drain cashews and peanuts and combine them with coconut water, lemon juice, agave nectar, coconut oil, sea salt, vanilla and bananas and peanut butter in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Remove the filling from the food processor and divide evenly between 2 bowls. Place half back into the food processor and add the cocoa powder. Puree until smooth. Whisk swirl ingredients together.  Drop the filling alternating between the plain and chocolate(in about 3 tbspful amounts) over crust in pan, as well as 3 tsp amounts of the peanut butter swirl until all is used up, sort of in a checkerboard fashion. Tap on the counter to level (keeping pan level) and swirl with a knife to create marbling. Place in the freezer until it is set, 6 hours.

To make topping, drain cashews and blend all ingredients until smooth in a food processor, and set in the freezer about 30 minutes until a frosting consistency. Place in a pastry bag and pipe decoratively on top of the cheesecake. Keep refrigerated.