Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

Recipes, travel & adventure from the wild and remote Shetland Islands

Creamy Vanilla Protein Cheesecake – Steampunk Style!

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Teaming up with My Protein – Europe’s #1 Sports Nutrition Brand Online!

Steampunk Protein Cheesecake

I do love playing with my food.

I have also upped my fitness and strength training efforts this year. I’m really rather pleased with my progress – I’m at a weight I am happy with and I have never felt stronger or more fit. Regular readers will be aware that I’m currently training for an epic 250 mile mountain bike cycle south from my north sea island home through the highlands of Scotland to Fort William to climb Ben Nevis. My cycling buddy and I were chatting, and there is a possibility that if we make good time getting to the mountain we might just carry on to Land’s End at the other end of the country. Who knows, but I’m flexible and open for adventure! 🙂

Steampunk Protein Cheesecake

So yes, part of my strength training is eating a whopping amount of protein to help build and repair. Protein powders are a daily addition to my healthy and balanced diet (I’d like to think it’s healthy and balanced anyway!). There are all sorts of protein powders out there, from the standard flavoured and unflavoured whey to all sorts of vegan ones – hemp, pea, sunflower, soy, etc.

Since I’m incorporating protein powder into my diet every day, I’m trying to get a bit creative with using them besides just mixing with water. I’ve tried Joe Wicks #Leanin15 protein pancakes (they were ok, but looked nothing like his photo!), I sometimes whiz it up in my Optimum 9400 high speed blender with a banana and a spoonful of BioGlan Supergreens Cacao Boost – all the goodness of 14 portions of fruit and vegetables in each serving – or if I’m feeling particularly indulgent and have a few extra calories to spare, I’ll blitz some vanilla protein powder up with some full fat milk, a handful of red fruit and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I’ve also made a really lovely home made high protein granola recipe – which I should, at some time, photograph and blog!

Vanilla Protein Cheesecake

I’ve tried a few recipe fails as well – I read on a body building website about mixing chocolate whey protein with some peanut butter and low fat cottage cheese. High protein, yes, but it totally makes you byock – the Shetland word for retch, as in sickness. I wouldn’t recommend that. I’ve also tried making a cottage cheese cheesecake with gelatin. Another recipe fail that ended up in the bin after one bite! Stirring it into yogurt isn’t particularly nice either.

One of my wholly successful experiments, however, has been this creamy vanilla protein cheesecake recipe!

It began as a lower calorie version using Elmea double light cream, Philadelphia lightest cream cheese and some vanilla whey protein powder to make the filling. It still came in at a whopping 280 calories per slice, but it was super tasty.

Vanilla Protein Cheesecake

My second experiment was a full fat version for my husband who is trying to put on weight, so using full fat products each serving comes in at 343 calories and 12 grams of protein. Each serving is small, so it’s no problem to double or triple it – or heck, if you’ve got the appetite, to eat half the entire cheesecake in one go, right Daniel? Daniel is my friend who has just started up as a personal training coach at Dan’s Pain & Gains – you have to check him out on Facebook and Instagram. Very inspirational – and he makes me lift heavy things! He does distance coaching online too.

The first time I made this recipe I used honey in the base, which is made up of whizzed up nuts, cocoa and raw cacao nibs stuck together with some melted butter. The base came out rather fudgy chewy, which was rather nice, I thought, but I wanted something a bit more crumbly and crunchy like a regular cheesecake base, so I replaced the honey with dark muscovado sugar, the cocoa powder with raw cacao and the butter with coconut oil. Perfection!

Steampunk Protein Cheesecake

Because I like to play with my food (and I didn’t have enough fresh raspberries to cover the top for the second cheesecake attempt), I melted some 85% dark chocolate and drew out some steampunk cogs with my Lékué Decopen a little silicone tub with a nozzle that makes drawing out chocolate designs a cinch.

A wholly effective decoration, I think, and dark chocolate is good for you, right, so it’s all good?

I’ve also been known to make individual portions of this recipe for those days where I don’t want to be faced with an entire cheesecake needing to be eaten in the fridge. I’m quite partial to eating and reading in the bath, pictured below. Simply quarter the recipe and fill two small ramekin dishes and leave to chill for a few hours.

Mud Sweat and Gears

I’m delighted to announce that I have teamed up with Europe’s #1 Sports Nutrition Brand online – My Protein to offer my readers a fantastic 10% discount on any orders made through my website. Simply use the code KITCHENDIARY10 upon checkout. You’ll get the discount, and we’ll get a commission on the sale and you’ll be directly supporting my family and I’ll be incredibly grateful, especially since our car is in the garage – again!

In the meantime, here’s my rather fantastic creamy vanilla protein cheesecake recipe – Steampunk style! I find putting System of a Down – Toxicity on, while whipping the cream by hand, helps. 😉

How do you eat your protein powder? If you have any recipe suggestions for me to try, let me know in the comments!

Steampunk Protein Cheesecake
Creamy Vanilla Protein Cheesecake
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A creamy vanilla cheesecake filling on a whole nut and raw cacao base topped with dark chocolate or fruit.
Creamy Vanilla Protein Cheesecake
Print Recipe
A creamy vanilla cheesecake filling on a whole nut and raw cacao base topped with dark chocolate or fruit.
Servings Prep Time Passive Time
8servings 15minutes 6hours
Servings Prep Time
8servings 15minutes
Passive Time
6hours
Ingredients
Servings: servings
Units:
Ingredients
Servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Grease and line the base of a 6 inch cake tin with a removable base with a round of grease proof paper. Alternatively, if you've got a small tin you don't mind cutting into, use that.
  2. Place the nuts, raw cacao powder and dark muscovado sugar into a blender and process until fine.
  3. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the raw cacao nibs and the melted coconut oil.
  4. Press into the base of the tin and pop in the fridge for a few minutes.
  5. Whip the double cream until it begins to form soft peaks. Soften the cream cheese by beating it until smooth.
  6. Sprinkle over the protein powder and fold in the vanilla and softened cream cheese.
  7. Spoon over the base, smoothing over the top. If you've got a cake tin with low sides it might be very full, just pile it into the centre.
  8. Pop into the fridge to chill overnight, or for at least six hours.
  9. Decorate as desired!

Click here for the nutritional information for this recipe.

OTHER RECIPES USING PROTEIN POWDER
Cranberry Oat Cookies by Rough Measures
Beetroot Chocolate Protein Balls by Veggie Desserts




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Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary is a Froothie Ambassador and she uses the Froothie Optimum 9400 blender, the Froothie Optimum 600 slow juicer and the Optimum ThermoCook to make many of her recipes. These, as well as the My Protein and Amazon (in orange) are affiliate links, meaning if you make a purchase through them we will earn a small commission. This is not a paid post and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Comments

  5. It’s the ingredients that do for me in this one. I love the idea of the coconut oil in the base and the 85% chocolate. Compliments to the chef !

    Reply

  8. A beautiful cheesecake! And what a great way to up the nutrition in it! Yum. And good luck with the mountain bike ride! Sounds like fun!

    Reply

  12. Between Urvashi Roe doing the London marathon and your epic cycling and climbing challenge I am in total awe. You serve the whole full-fat cheesecake. Whereas I, who dabbles in the gym but barely sweat really, deserves only a sliver. Gorgeous decoration as always. i want one of those pens!

    Reply

  23. I think this is a truly creatve way of using protein powders. I’ve never tried protein powders before, but if I ever try them, I’ll definitely think of this cheesecake.

    Reply

  24. I’ve learned a lot today. Welcome to the world of protein powders! If I ever add them to my diet I’ll know where to come. The decoration on the top is beautiful. Good luck with your incredible challenge

    Reply

  30. Your cheesecake is gorgeous. I’m not a cheesecake fan but I do like to make a more healthy dessert so I would definitely give this a try.

    Reply

  36. I am boring when it comes to eating protein powder and just put it in my smoothie. This cake is stunning and I love the decorations. Good luck with your bike ride.

    Reply

  38. God, this sounds amazing and looks so beautiful and mouthwatering! What a super talent you have! I also really love that you talk about food and fitness together. I love food and I love to exercise so this is a good combo for me 🙂

    Reply

  40. first of all your photos are stunning, your recipe sounds delicious. I have never used protein powder in a cake but have used it in smoothies.. This cheesecake is defo on my to” bake list”. Have a lovely day in your beautiful part of the world

    Reply

  42. I’m amazed. I generally can’t stand protein drinks and powders – preferring to get my protein from real food, but you’ve made it look very appetizing! Congratulations on your training! I’m impressed!
    Lisa @garlicandzest.com recently posted…rustic crab quicheMy Profile

    Reply

  51. Good luck with 250 mile bike ride! My partner is also trying to gain weight, I’ve been feeding him up like a fighting cock but he’s such a hard gainer – very slowly getting there. I love the steampunk design! 😀
    Sarah recently posted…Buckwheat Banana Nut BreadMy Profile

    Reply

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