Ingredients

The following ingredients have 10 Servings
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder (or substitute up to 1/4 cup cocoa with roasted carob powder)
  • 1/2 cup cassava flour (Otto's brand, (see link below))
  • 1/2 cup butter (, ghee, or coconut oil, melted then measured)
  • 1/3 cup warm water
  • 3 eggs (, room temperature)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup (, honey or coconut sugar)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (, sifted)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • cocoa (for dusting)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (, room temperature (or chevre))
  • 1 egg (, room temperature)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch sea salt

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit for oven version of this recipe. Grease a 7-inch leak-proof cheesecake pan (for Instant Pot version) or 9-inch leak-proof cheesecake pan if preferred for oven version (see links below) or use any shape pan your prefer for the oven (a 9" by 13" casserole dish, a traditional 9" round cake pan lined with parchment etc.); but a leak-proof cheesecake pan is best for presentation. (If you use the 7-inch, you'll have batter left over, with which I make 2-3 black bottom cupcakes!)
  • Make Cream Cheese Filling (recipe instructions below).
  • In a medium sized bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: cocoa powder, cassava flour, baking soda and sea salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, blend together the wet ingredients. Alternatively, combine them in a blender or briskly by hand.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula until completely combined. Do not over-mix. Pour into the greased pan.
  • Using 2/3 of the mixture, ladle large dollops of the cheese filling (recipe instructions below) around the surface of the cake. Use a spoon to push down 1-2 inches on each dollop, so the filling goes into the center of the chocolate batter. Use a spatula to scrape the remaining cheese batter over the surface of the cake; and spread it out evenly, not all the way to the edges, leaving about 1/2 an inch of chocolate batter showing around the circumference of the pan.