Vegan Bienenstich Cheesecake with Rhubarb-Strawberry Compote
We're kicking off rhubarb season!
We've been waiting for this moment at the office—the second you spot those red-green stalks at the market, you know: rhubarb season is back! And we plan to make the most of it—with as many rhubarb recipes as possible.
Julia was craving Bienenstich, and Isa wanted cheesecake – so we thought: why not combine the two? The result: a vegan Bienenstich cheesecake with a sweet and tangy strawberry-rhubarb compote. Of course, you can adjust the sweetness of the compote to your taste or switch it up depending on what's in season – how about blueberry, mango-passionfruit, or peach compote? Try it out, and let us know which version is your favorite!
Crispy almond topping – no honey needed!
No worries, our Bienenstich cheesecake comes with that classic crunchy caramelized almond topping made with agave syrup instead of honey. If you don't have agave syrup at home, no problem. Maple, rice, or date syrup work just as well. And if you don't have syrup on hand, sugar and vegan butter will do the trick, too.
The best trick for a perfect slice
Don't feel like dealing with a crumbly mess when slicing? We've got a trick for you: cut the almond layer into 12 pieces before placing it on the cheesecake. That way, you can glide right through the crispy layer without crumbling or squeezing out the filling. Smart, right?
Perfect for prepping ahead
Our vegan Bienenstich is perfect for prepping a day in advance. Overnight, the cheesecake layer sets and becomes perfectly creamy. You can either make the whole cake ahead of time – or prepare the components separately: let the yeast dough rise in the fridge overnight, prep the compote and filling, and assemble everything fresh the next day.
Now it's your turn – time to hit the kitchen! If you try out the vegan Bienenstich cheesecake, let us know in the comments which version you baked!
Vegan Bienenstich Cheesecake with Rhubarb-Strawberry Compote
Ingredients
For the yeast dough:
- 180 ml (0.75 cup) plant-based milk
- 10 g (1 tsp) fresh yeast or active dry yeast
- 20 g (1.5 tbsp) sugar
- 300 g (2.5 cups) wheat flour (Type 550)
- 1 TL (1 tsp) salt
- 20 ml (1.3 tbsp) neutral vegetable oil
For the almond topping:
- 50 g (3.5 tbsp) vegan butter
- 50 g (0.25 cup) sugar
- 2 EL (2 tbsp) maple syrup
- 50 ml (3.5 tbsp) vegan cooking cream
- 200 g (2 cups) sliced almonds
For the vegan cheesecake filling:
- 1 TL (1 tsp) agar agar (100%)
- 50 g (3.5 tbsp) coconut oil
- 200 g (1.3 cups) cashews
- 300 g (1.25 cups) vegan cream cheese
- 120 g (0.5 cup) vegan yogurt
- 118 ml (0.5 cup) agave syrup
- 2 EL (2 tbsp) vanilla extract
- 1 EL (1 tbsp) lemon juice
For the rhubarb-strawberry-ginger compote:
- 400 g (3.3 cups) rhubarb
- 450 g (3 cups) strawberries
- 4.4 cm (1.75 inches or approx. 1.5 tbsp grated) fresh ginger
- 180 g (0.75 cup + 1 tbsp) sugar
- 1 Zitrone (2 tbsp lemon juice)
- 1 TL (1 tsp) vanilla paste or 1.5 TL (1.5 tsp) pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
Additionally:
- vegan butter for greasing
- flour for dusting
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in cold water overnight.
- For the yeast dough, warm the plant-based milk until lukewarm. Crumble the yeast into a bowl and mix with sugar and the lukewarm milk. Let the mixture rest for about 10 minutes until bubbles form on the surface. Then add flour, salt, and vegetable oil and knead everything for 7–8 minutes into a smooth dough. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and rest in a warm place for about 90 minutes until the dough has doubled.
- Grease a springform pan (Ø 26 cm / 10 inch) with plant-based butter and dust with some flour. After the dough has rested, press it into the prepared pan. Let it rest again for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C (top/bottom heat).
- For the almond topping, bring vegan butter, sugar, maple syrup, and vegan cooking cream to a boil in a small saucepan and let it simmer for about 3 minutes. Add the sliced almonds and stir to combine. Carefully and evenly spread the almond mixture over the yeast dough using a spoon. Then bake for 30 minutes at 180°C (top/bottom heat). Let the cake cool completely afterward.
- Meanwhile, prepare the cheesecake filling. Heat the agar agar with the coconut oil while stirring constantly for 2–3 minutes until the agar agar is completely dissolved. Let the coconut oil cool slightly, then add the remaining cheesecake cream ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend for several minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the cream aside briefly.
- Now prepare the rhubarb-strawberry-ginger compote: Roughly dice the rhubarb, quarter the strawberries, peel and finely grate the ginger. Add all ingredients except the lemon juice to a medium-sized pot and cover with water. Simmer everything over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 30 minutes until the strawberries and rhubarb break down and the mixture becomes jam-like. Stir in the lemon juice and let the compote cool at room temperature.
- Once completely cooled, remove the cake from the pan and slice it horizontally. Cut the top half of the cake, including the almond layer, into twelve evenly sized pieces.
- Clean the cake ring, place the bottom half back into the springform, and carefully spread the compote on top. Add the cheesecake filling over the compote layer, then arrange the twelve almond-covered pieces on top to recreate the full top layer.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 5 hours (or overnight) to fully set the cheesecake filling.
