Raw cheesecake is made entirely from uncooked whole foods, and contains no cream cheese. Cashews are often used in place of cream cheese, because they're rich and have a smooth and creamy texture when blended. Although it can be hard to get exactly the same results when substituting another ingredient for these nuts, several foods offer a reasonable replacement.
Nuts, Seeds and Other Substitutes
If you're substituting cashews because you don't have any to hand or you don't like them, you can use an equal amount of any other nut in their place. Those with a high fat content give the most similar, creamy results. Macadamias, almonds and pine nuts work particularly well. If you're looking for a substitute because you have a tree nut allergy, a number of nut-free alternatives can be used in your raw cheesecake. Seeds -- particularly sunflower seeds -- can replace cashews effectively. The flesh of young coconuts offers another alternative.