Pineapple Upside Down Naked Cheesecake 🍍

Whew...that was a mouthful lol. This recipe may look daunting but it is worth it 🤩.

INGREDIENTS

PINEAPPLE LAYER:

2 tablespoons Earth Balance vegan butter (can sub regular butter if not vegan)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 (20-ounce) can sliced pineapple, drained (reserve the juice!)

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained well

FOR THE CAKE

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup reserved pineapple juice

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

CHEESE CAKE LAYER

1 cup raw cashews*

1 cup coconut cream

*8 ounces vegan cream cheese* (Trader Joe's brand, or Toffuti)

1 Tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup maple syrup (plus more to taste)

1 Tbsp melted coconut oil (for extra creaminess)

2 tsp lemon zest

1-2 Tbsp lemon juice (plus more to taste)

1/8 tsp sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE PINEAPPLE LAYER

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Prepare the two baking tins.

3. Place skillet over medium heat. Add the butter.

4. Once it melts, stir in the brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts, about two minutes.

5. Remove from heat and add the drained sliced pineapple. Place maraschino cherries in pineapple holes. Spread drained crushed pineapple into the crevices and over the top. Use it all!

FOR THE CAKE

1. To a large mixing bowl, add the applesauce, canola oil, sugar, pineapple juice, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Place a fine-mesh sieve over the top of the bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and sift over the wet ingredients. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix the dry ingredients with the wet until incorporated.

2. Split the batter between the 2 cake tins/pans and evenly spread the batter over the top of the pineapple layer.

3. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the cake begins to turn golden brown on the top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake layer comes out clean.

4. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.

5. Time to flip! Have a large cake plate or tray ready. Loosen the sides of the cake with a butter knife. Place the platter upside down over the top of the skillet and quickly flip the skillet over, inverting the cake onto the platter.

6. Let it cool!

FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING

1. Once cashews are soaked and drained, add to a high speed blender with coconut cream, vegan cream cheese, arrowroot starch, vanilla, maple syrup, coconut oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sea salt. Blend on high until very creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed.

2. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon juice for acidity, lemon zest for tartness, salt for flavor balance, and maple syrup for sweetness.

ASSEMBLY

1. Pour cheesecake layer over the cooled baked cake in the springform pan and wrap the bottom of the springform pan in two layers of foil. 

2. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges look very slightly dry and the center appears only slightly “jiggly” but not liquidy. When you shake it, it will have some give to it, but it shouldn't all look liquid - only the center should jiggle.

3. Remove pan from oven and run a knife around the inside of the pan to release the cheesecake. Let cool 1 hour on a wire rack, then refrigerate until totally chilled, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

4. Place cheesecake on a serving plate and top with pineapple upside-down cake.