We have a feeling you will love love love this cheesecake! It’s all kinds of delish, actually easy to make and grain free, gluten free and refined sugar-free. ANND it’s our first ever REEEEAL cheesecake on the Merrymaker Sisters!

Another reason we love this healthy pumpkin cheesecake is probably the pretty factor. You can 100% leave it undecorated but we vote decorated wins! Sahhh pretty!

OH and the last reason we freaking LOVE LOVE this cake is that it’s actually totally easy to make. Everyone used to bang on about how hard cheesecakes are to get ‘right’. Carla was freaking out a little bit making the healthy cheesecake. Googling and getting all the tips but she just said stuff it… just do it… just bake it and guess what? It turned out EPIC! You will succeed at this cheesecake (if you follow the recipe of course :D).

Pumpkin has officially become our all time fave vegetable (probably has been for a while). Epic in salads, as a delish side dish or even the main affair at dinner time but c’mon this pumpkin cheesecake?!

Pumpkin, you win the veggie game! Go pumpkin go!

HEALTHY BAKED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

FOR THE BASE
2 cups blanched almond meal
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
125g butter softened
2 tbs. coconut sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt
FOR THE FILLING
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (about 500g uncooked pumpkin)
500 g (1 lb.) cream cheese
4 eggs
1/2 lemon juiced
1/4 – 1/2 cup maple or rice malt syrup (depending how sweet you like stuff)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. 100% vanilla extract

NOW WHAT
To make pumpkin puree, boil peeled and chopped pumpkin until soft, then whiz until smooth. Allow to cool.
Line a 20 cm (8 inch) springform cake tin and preheat oven to 170°C (340°F).
Let’s start with the base! Place all ingredients into your blender or food processor and whiz until a smooth butter forms.
Transfer into the prepared tin and press evenly, covering the entire base. Place into the fridge for now.
Let’s get onto the filling! Quickly rinse your blender.
Place all filling ingredients into your blender (except the eggs) and whiz on super low speed until combined.
Slowly add one egg at a time, continuing to whiz on low speed.
Take the base out of the fridge and carefully pour the filling on top of the base.
Place into the oven for 60 minutes or until the top doesn’t wiggle in the centre.
Turn off the oven and slightly open the oven door for 15 minutes, allowing the cake to cool slowly.
Take out of the oven and allow to cool completely.
Place into the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight before releasing the spring form, slicing and serving. OMG YUM!

TOPPINGS
seasonal sliced fruit