A divine vegan Mango Cheesecake that's creamy and delicious and infused with the scent of cardamom. The walnut-graham-cracker crust is deep and rich, and on top goes a vegan sour cream topping. Can be gluten-free.
To say this vegan Mango Cheesecake will make you feel like you're biting into a slice of heaven might sound like a sappy overstatement, but just wait until you eat it before you decide.
This is one of my favorite dessert recipes, and one that has lived on this blog for a decade now. Like those of you who've made it before, Jay loves it and requests it incessantly. So I took some new photos this time I made the cheesecake and am bringing it back to the front for you.
If you've been missing cheesecake after going vegan -- or even if you aren't vegan but want to eat plant-based every now and then -- this recipe will more than deliver to your tastebuds.
Summer for me is almost synonymous with mangoes, perhaps because that's the way it always was when I was growing up in India. And although it's easy to find mangoes, or mango puree, almost anytime of the year now, especially here in the United States, I find myself cooking all kinds of mango recipes, and especially desserts, this time of year because it just feels right.
And when I bake mango desserts, as you probably already know if you've made my mango cupcakes or mango bread, I love adding to it the one spice that complements the sunny flavor of mangoes perfectly: cardamom. In this cheesecake, they work their most potent alchemy together to absolutely bowl your tastebuds over.
There are three layers in this cake, but they're not difficult nor time-consuming. At the bottom is a divine, buttery walnut-graham-cracker crust. In the middle goes the smooth, uber-creamy layer of cardamom-infused mango cheesecake filling. And on the top goes a layer of sour cream flecked with more cardamom.
It's hard to top that kind of deliciousness. So let's begin.
Ingredients for vegan Mango Cheesecake:
For the crust:
- Graham crackers (there are vegan versions, like Nabisco's original, but check the label before you buy if picking other brands)
- Walnuts
- Vegan butter or margarine
For the filling:
- Mango puree (make this from fresh, very sweet mangoes like champagne if you're baking here in the United States, or alphonso in India. You can also use canned, pureed mango. Make sure the puree is very, very smooth.
- Vegan cream cheese. I've always used Tofutti in this cheesecake because that was the only cream cheese on the market -- or at least the only kind available to me -- when I first started making this or any cheesecake all those years ago. You can use another brand, if that's your preference.
- Sugar
- Raw cashews
- Nondairy milk
- Green cardamom powder
For the topping:
- Vegan sour cream. Again, I used Tofutti.
- Sugar
- Green cardamom powder
How to make the best vegan cheesecake ever:
- Start out by making the crust. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pulse 1 cup of graham crackers with 1 cup of walnuts in a food processor with 2 tablespoon of softened vegan butter. Press the crust into an even layer in the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan, place the pan on a baking sheet, and bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside while you make the filling.
- To make the filling, blend ½ cup of cashews with ½ cup of any nondairy milk until very creamy.
- In a bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 20 oz of room temperature vegan cream cheese with 1 cup sugar until well-mixed. Add the cashew cream with 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder and 3 tablespoon of cornstarch. Mix until you have a very smooth, creamy texture.
- Before you start baking the cake, place a small, ovenproof pan filled with water on a lower shelf of the oven.
- Pour the mango filling into the springform pan which should still be standing on a baking sheet (to make it easier to get the pan in and out of the oven). Place the pan and baking sheet into the oven and bake 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 325 degrees and continue baking another 30 minutes. When the cheesecake is done, the sides will look firm and the center might still look slightly jiggly, which is okay.
- About 15 minutes before the cake comes out of the oven, make the sour cream topping by blending 1 cup of vegan sour cream with ¼ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon of cardamom.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the pan, pour the filling on the cake and, using oven mitts, gently turn the pan around so the topping is evenly distributed over the cake. Return the cake to the oven and continue baking another 15 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cook thoroughly on a rack. Once cool, run a knife gently along the edges to loosen the cake from the pan. Then, with the cheesecake still inside the pan, refrigerate it for several hours or overnight until thoroughly chilled.
- Unmold, slice and eat. You don't need to decorate this cake, but if you want a pretty look, you can do what I did and scatter some crushed walnuts on the top.
Looking for more vegan cake recipes?
- Vegan Squash Cake with Pineapple Frosting
- Vegan Mango Cupcakes with Mango Buttercream Frosting
- Vegan Blueberry Buttermilk Bundt Cake
- Vegan Rhubarb Ginger Upside Down Cake
- Vegan Zucchini Cake with Orange Marmalade Glaze
- Vegan Lemon Yogurt Bundt Cake
- Vegan Strawberry Bread
- Cucumber Cake
- Vegan Low Carb Cheesecake
Vegan Mango Cheesecake recipe:
Vegan Mango Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the nut crust:
- 1 cups walnuts (can use pecans)
- 1 cup graham crackers (crumbled)
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter
- 3 tablespoon sugar
For the mango cheesecake filling:
- 20 ounces vegan cream cheese (I used Tofutti)
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ cup nondairy milk
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ cups mango puree (use a very sweet, ripe mango for best results)
For the sour cream topping:
- 1 cup vegan sour cream (I used Tofutti)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Pulse 1 cup of graham crackers with 1 cup of walnuts in a food processor with 2 tablespoon of softened vegan butter until the nuts are broken down but not powdery.
- Press the crust into an even layer in the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan, place the pan on a baking sheet, and bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside while you make the filling.
- Make the mango cheesecake filling:
- Blend ½ cup of cashews with ½ cup of any nondairy milk until very creamy.
- In a bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 20 oz of room temperature vegan cream cheese with 1 cup sugar until well-mixed. Add the cashew cream, 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder, 3 tablespoon of cornstarch and the mango puree. Mix until you have a very smooth, creamy texture.
- Before you start baking the cake, place a small, ovenproof pan filled with water on a lower shelf of the oven. Pour the mango filling into the springform pan which should still be standing on a baking sheet (to make it easier to get the pan in and out of the oven).
- Place the pan and baking sheet into the oven and bake 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 325 degrees and continue baking another 30 minutes.
- When the cheesecake is done, the sides will look firm and the center might still look slightly jiggly, which is okay.
- Make the sour cream topping:
- About 15 minutes before the cake comes out of the oven, blend 1 cup of vegan sour cream with ¼ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon of cardamom.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the pan, pour the filling on the cake and, using oven mitts, gently tilt the pan around so the topping is evenly distributed over the cake. Return the cake to the oven and continue baking another 15 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cook thoroughly on a rack. Once cool, run a knife gently along the edges to loosen the cake from the pan. Then, with the cheesecake still inside the pan, refrigerate it for several hours or overnight until thoroughly chilled.
- Unmold, slice and eat.
Recipe notes
- To make this cake gluten-free, use only walnuts for the crust -- so you'll need two cups of walnuts in all.
- You don't really need to decorate this cake, but for a pretty look scatter some crushed walnuts or peeled, chopped, ripe mangoes on top.
Vaishali
Mints, you know what they say about great minds! 🙂 Glad you can use the recipe.
Sharmila, thanks for your thoughtful words. And yes-- I'm almost two!:) It really is amazing how time flies by.
Gayathri-- you are very kind. Glad you think of me as a neighbor-- I guess all of us bloggers out there in cyberspace are sort of neighbors, brought together by our common interests 🙂
Shantee, Gita, Pavithra, Mallugirl, Jaya, Thanks, ladies.
Soma, Thanks for your lovely words.And yes, you gotta try this non-cheese cheeecake! It just might convert you 🙂
Divya, thanks!
TBC
What a delicious dessert, Vaishali!
I agree with you- mango and cardamom are just meant to be.:)
I'm so glad that we at least get the canned mango pulp in the Indian stores especially since the mangoes here are such a HUGE disappointment and taste/ smell nothing like the ones back home.
I cannot believe that I sometimes have to add sugar/jaggery to some of the mango dishes I make here to sweeten it up!
Divya Vikram
Looks divine Vaishali! Wish I had a slice!
Soma
I do not like cheese, & least of all in desserts.. & i have to admit that I hate cheesecake like nothing else;-) But I think i could eat a non cheese cheese cake..
Vaishali, your blog is beautiful, not just for the rocking recipes, for for just being you that you are here...
Jaya Wagle
Wow! u amaze me every time with your delicious vegan versions. 🙂
Mallugirl
delicious! mango cheesecake is a fav here but i always make the non-vegan version. like the idea of the nut crust.
Pavithra Kodical
Yummy!!! Hmmm mouthwatering cheesecake, i am ready for the last slice.
Gita
Wow...that piece of cake is so tempting! Love this vegan cheesecake with nut crusts..looks absolutely delicious 🙂
Shantee'
looks delish!
Shantee'
looks delish!
G3
This looks just amazing ... can't wait to try it!!
Vaishali .. you are so right .. through all these food blogs, I feel like I know people who I have never met so much more than the people I do know since ages. I have quoted you and spoken about you a million times to my family and friends .. as if you were my next door neighbor!! 🙂 Thank for this awesome recipe and even more awesome blog!!
Sharmila
I am born and brought up a non veggie and am not apologetic about it. And that does not mean that I am insensitive to living beings.
And I love your blog and am going to keep visiting here for a very long time. Absolutely love all your recipes.
And your blog is all yours to speak your mind Vaishali ... and I love all your writeups. 🙂
That's one great looking cake! 🙂 Congrats on completeing 20 months ... just a few more months to the big two! 🙂
Mints!
You will not believe me I was going to email you and request to put this recipe. I was 1000% sure that you have tried it 🙂 What a telepathy!
I really cant thank you enough.
Vaishali
Nithya, thanks!
Pavani, you're right-- I don't cook it in a waterbath, but the pan with the water, placed on a lower rung or even next to the cheesecake pan, does a great job of preventing the cheesecake from developing that dreaded crack 🙂
Pavani
OMG Vaishali.. That cheesecake looks soooo delicious and its VEGAN.. yummmmmmm. I have to got to try it. Btw you dont bake the cake in the waterbath but have a pan with water along with the cake.. right???
Nithya
Absolutely yummy.. 🙂 I am getting absolutely tempted.