Prepare springform pan by greasing the inside, line the bottom with parchment paper, and securely attach the sides, ensuring they are locked. This ensures easy removal of the cake after baking.

Prepare your flax egg by mixing 1 tablespoon of flax meal with 2 ½ tablespoons of water in a small dish. Let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken.

In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with a whisk or paddle attachment, cream the vegan butter, cane and brown sugar together until fluffy.

Then beat in the flax egg, and plant milk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, if needed.

In a separate bowl, using a sieve add the dry ingredients flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine everything with a whisk.

While the mixer is running, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two parts. The dough will be rather crumbly, but it should be soft and not sticky. Form the dough into a ball and flatten it into a disk. Wrap it and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Divide the chilled dough into ⅓ and ⅔. Take the bigger dough piece and place it in between two sheets of parchment (or plastic wrap) and roll it out into a circle with your rolling pin. The circle should be around 10 inches in diameter.

Remove the upper sheet of parchment paper. Gently invert the crust into your springform pan, removing the other piece of parchment as you go. If the crust breaks or rips a little, you can either start over by rolling it out again or simply repair the flaws by gently pinching it back together with your fingers. Trim any excess dough. Refrigerate the lined pan until ready to be filled and baked.

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355°F.

To make the cheesecake filling, melt the vegan butter and set it aside briefly. Place the vegan quark in a mixing bowl and whisk in the sugar, either by hand or with your electric mixer.

Beat in the aquafaba, one tablespoon at a time. Then add the orange juice, melted butter, salt, and vanilla extract and beat until well incorporated.

Lastly, sieve in the cornstarch and beat again until well combined.

Remove the crust from the fridge and pour the prepared filling into it. Smooth the top if necessary.

Remove the reserved ⅓ of the dough from the fridge. Pluck off pieces of the dough and crumble them evenly over the quark filling. You can use any leftover trimmings too.

Once ready, place the pan in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. The quark filling will be golden brown and puffed up on top. The crust should be dry to the touch but not burned when done.

Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake from the sides. Let the cake cool and set for at least 3 hours before removing the springform ring entirely.