Cheesecake has always been a firm favourite when it comes to dessert, there’s just something very satisfying about the combination of a crunchy base with a thick, creamy layer with a sweet, fruity topping. But cheesecake is unhealthy right? Well, this isn’t any cheesecake, this is a gluten-free protein cheesecake!

Being wheat intolerant and a health nut when it comes to food, plus with it being autumn now, I wanted to utilise my love for pumpkin and create a clean eating version of this traditional treat. The miracle ingredient of tofu in this filling mix results in a creamy texture but much higher in protein, lower in carbs and works fantastically with pumpkin. With the addition of a cheeky but guilt-free chocolate caramel sauce swirled in, the result is a pretty dessert ideal for the colder, darker months ahead!

We love to see your versions of our recipes – be sure to share your photos of this protein cheesecake recipe with us via Twitter (@TrainEatGain).

Ingredients

Servings: 8-10 slices

Macros*: Calories 135 kcal, Protein 7.7g, Carbs 6.8g, Fat 8.5g

Base:

¾ cup gluten-free oats

½ cup ground almonds

2 tbsp Sweet Freedom (or agave syrup)

Pinch of ground cinnamon and mixed spice

2 tbsp coconut oil

Filling:

1 x pack of silken tofu (about 300g)

1 x can unsweetened pumpkin puree

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 tbsp coconut flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup stevia

¼ tsp each of cinnamon, mixed spice and nutmeg

2 eggs

Chocolate Swirl Sauce:

2 tbsp Walden Farms caramel syrup

2 tbsp cacao powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375F) and grease a loose-bottomed spring-form cake tin with coconut oil. Make the base: Put the oats, ground almonds and spices in a bowl. Melt the coconut oil and Sweet Freedom then stir until you get a sticky mixture that holds together. Press into the tin evenly then bake for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile put all of the filling ingredients into a blender and whizz until well combined. For the chocolate swirl mixture, simply whisk together the Walden Farms syrup with the cacao powder until you get a smooth sauce and it’s a nice chocolate colour. Remove your base from the oven, pour in the pumpkin mixture then add dollops of the chocolate mixture and swirl to create a pattern. Return to the oven and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes until set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, then keep in the fridge until needed. When ready to serve, remove from tin, slice up and enjoy!

*Note: Macros are given per slice assuming 10 slices per cheesecake