Pumpkin "cheese" style cake Recipe Gluten-free, dairy-free (casein-free), hypotoxic and vegan

ORGANIC INGREDIENTS

Almond and pecan crust::

• 115 g (1 cup) raw almonds *
• 75 g (3/4 cup) pecans
• 20 g (1/4 cup) quinoa flakes
• 80 g (1/4 cup) maple syrup
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) light olive oil
• 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
• 0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) salt

* For the hypotoxic version, replace the almonds with walnuts.

Filling:

• 210 g (1 1/2 cups) cashews
• 375 g (1 1/2 cups) pumpkin puree
• 240 g (3/4 cup) maple syrup
• 155 g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) water
• 5 ml (1 tsp) of vanilla extract
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) cornstarch
• 11 ml (2 1/4 tsp) powdered agar-agar
• 5 ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
• 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) grated nutmeg
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) allspice

Icing:

• 227 g (1/2 lb) non-da “cream cheese”*
• 40 g (1/3 cup) icing sugar
• 5 ml (1 tsp) of vanilla extract
• 75 g of 70% dark chocolate
• 10 ml (2 tsp) light olive oil

* If you are not on a dairy-free diet, replacing plant-based “cream cheese” with traditional cream cheese is an option.

PREPARATION

Almond and pecan crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 165 °C (325 °F).
2. Oil a 23 cm (9 in) springform pan. Place parchment paper to cover the bottom and the sides to a height of about 5 cm (2 in).
3. Grind almonds and pecans in a food processor (more or less finely depending on taste). In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the crust. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake on the central oven rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
2. In the blender, combine all the filling ingredients together and reduce until smooth and even.
3. Pour the mixture into the mold. Place it on a baking sheet and bake on the central oven rack for 60 to 70 minutes. The cake will be ready when it is golden brown; it will also have slightly cracked on the top.
4. Let the cake cool on a wire rack, at room temperature, without unmolding it.
5. Then cool completely in the refrigerator for 12 hours.

Icing:

1. In a medium bowl, combine "cream cheese," icing sugar and vanilla extract.
2. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. If necessary, if the icing has become too liquefied, refrigerate until it hardens (this depends on the "cream cheese" used, non-dairy "cream cheeses" having a tendency to liquefy more than traditional cream cheeses).
3. Glaze the cake and smooth it out using a spatula.
4. Melt the chocolate chips and oil in a double boiler.
5. Transfer the melted chocolate to a pastry bag fitted with a fine tip nozzle. Draw a chocolate spiral on the cake starting at the center and ending at the edge.
   (If you don't have a nozzle, you can also gently pour in the melted chocolate using a spoon) .
6. Using a wooden stick, draw lines at regular intervals, always from the center to the edge. The end result will look like a spider web.
7. When ready to serve, run a knife blade between the cake and the mold to unmold it.
8. Keep refrigerated.