The 4 Wonderful Daiya Cheesecake Flavors Reviewed
The vegan and gluten-free lifestyle may be a healthier alternative but it isn’t an easy one to follow. Though many vegan brands have come up with “greener” recipes for almost all kinds of food, there are some dishes that just can’t be replicated. Cheesecake is one of them. There is simply no way to make a dairy-free cheesecake that tastes as creamy, smooth, and delicious as the original one. Enter Daiya Cheesecake or Cheezecake as they brand it.
Daiya is a popular brand among vegans for producing dairy and gluten free food items that are loved by all like pizza and mac and cheese. It also offers all kinds of cheese in different forms. This is why it was no surprise when the company came out with their own line of cheesecakes offered in four flavors. What surprised us is that these cheesecakes are actually really good. Read on to see our review of all the flavors.
Daiya Brand Overview
Daiya is a relatively young brand; it started its operations in 2009 by launching their Cheddar Style and Mozzarella Style sticks at the Natural Products Expo West. This was back when there weren’t many brands offering plant alternatives to cheese and Daiya really established a stronghold in the market. While their original composition left a lot to be desired, the brand has since tweaked its recipe so that the mozzarella and cheddar sticks taste almost as good as the original thing. Learn more about the brand here.
Today, the brand offers different types of cheese from the classic cheddar to provolone and Gouda in different forms including slices, blocks, and cream. They also offer frozen pizzas in seven flavors including supreme, cheese lovers, and spinach and mushroom. In addition, they stock yogurts and salad dressings in different flavors. They also recently launched frozen mac and cheese. All these food items are dairy, gluten, and soy free. They also don’t have eggs, peanuts, fish, or shellfish.
While the taste and quality of every product differ from the other, all of the products offered by this brand are certified vegan. Like all vegan food items, the ones offered by Daiya aren’t cheap. Some products are affordable and some are a little expensive. Overall, Daiya food products are of good quality and help you lead a healthier life.
Daiya Cheesecake Reviews
When we first tested the Daiya Cheezecakes, we were pleasantly surprised at how rich, moist, and creamy they were considering, they were dairy, soy, and gluten free. We really couldn’t tell the difference. Both the crust and the filling were delicious and the packaging was really convenient.
Since these cakes come frozen, you have to thaw the cake in the refrigerator for about 6 hours before taking the cake out and placing it on your serving plate. You have to then, let it sit at room temperature for another half an hour before serving. Alternatively, you can simply remove the frozen cake and let it thaw at room temperature for about 3-4 hours before serving. These cakes should not be refrozen once thawed and you should consume them within 48 hours.
Here is a review of all the four flavors these cheesecakes come in:
1. New York Cheezecake
Let’s start with the universally famous flavor of cheesecake. For us, this cake was the make or break since this flavor is something all of us had tried before and knew well. We bought one pack of this cheesecake, let it thaw for about 5 hours in the refrigerator before bringing it out to try. We had to let it sit at room temperature for another hour before it was soft enough to be sliced easily.
Our first impression of the cake was that it was small. But once we all had a taste we realized that its richness made up for the size. The taste was creamy and rich. It had just the right balance of sweet and tangy. We could taste a bit of that Daiya undertone that is apparent in all their products, probably something to do with the ingredients they use. But this taste wasn’t overbearing and overall we were really happy with the taste.
The texture of the cake was smooth. It wasn’t as dense or rich as the original New York cheesecake but it came pretty close. The crust was also done just right and tasted like the graham cracker crust.
Overall, we were pretty happy with this flavor. We also added some blueberries on top to really bring out the taste. The only thing you need to be a little careful about this cake is that it contains coconut. So if you’re allergic, this might not be good for you.
2. Key Lime Cheezecake
We tried the Key lime flavor next because we absolutely love key lime pie and wanted to see if Daiya was able to replicate the same flavor. We followed the same thawing process as before and this one took a little longer to thaw.
This flavor was amazing; it had just the right blend of tangy, sweet, and tart. It was so creamy and rich that we felt full after eating just one small slice. This cake was creamier than the New York one and richer as well. It also had the Daiya undertone but it was less noticeable.
Another thing we really liked about this cake was that the coconut flavor was barely noticeable and key lime was truly the star. The texture was smooth and rich and the cake left us with a refreshing flavor, almost minty.
Overall, we loved this Daiya cheesecake a lot since it actually did replicate the key lime pie flavor.
3. Strawberry Cheezecake
Strawberry is the most hyped about the flavor of Daiya cheesecake, so we were really looking forward to trying this flavor. This cake took almost as much time to thaw as the New York cheesecake.
This cake did live up to the amazing reputation Daiya was garnering among us for its flavor and texture, but it wasn’t as good as the others we had tried. The cake was creamy, smooth, and just the right amount of dense. It had a very strong strawberry flavor, which was a little overbearing. It also tasted a little artificial, almost like a strawberry toothpaste. However, the strawberry lovers in our group loved it.
Another thing that we noticed with this cake was that the crust was especially thin in this one. That actually contributed to the intense strawberry flavor as there was nothing to cancel its effect.
Overall, we think this would be a dream for strawberry lovers. For everyone else, keep a complimentary dressing at hand to cancel some of the flavors out.
4. Chocolate Cheezecake
Chocolate is probably the most sought after flavor in any dessert. So when we rushed to buy Daiya Chocolate Cheezecake, we already had high hopes for it. This cake took the longest time to thaw, probably because it is the densest of the lot.
If we were to describe this cake in one word, it would be “dense”. This cake is really rich and heavy. A single bite makes you feel full. The flavor of this cake is a bit of a mystery; while some found the taste to be mildly chocolatey, others found it rich in chocolate. It is safe to say that if you absolutely love chocolate, you might find the flavor to be a little mild.
The cake was creamy and thick, it didn’t mimic the taste of a traditional chocolate cheesecake but it makes for a good alternative. A surprise twist with this cake was its cookie crust. It added to the flavor and was delicious.
Overall, while this isn’t our favorite flavor among all the Daiya cheezecakes, it is a healthier alternative to the original one.
The Last Word
Daiya cheesecakes are truly a godsend for all vegans out there. They are rich, creamy, moist, and smooth and have amazing flavor profiles. They are non-GMO and allergy friendly which makes them healthy and good for the planet. They are made with all natural ingredients and taste amazing. While all four flavors are delicious, our favorite is the Key Lime Cheezecake. It has just the right flavor and is the perfect summer dessert. We also love that we can add our favorite toppings to the cake to enhance its flavor.
Have you tried the Daiya Cheezecakes yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.