To make the cream cheese, boil the cashews for 10 minutes, until softened. Reserve a bit of the water on the side.
Place the softened cashews in a blender along with the rest of the vegan cream cheese ingredients. Blend until a smooth consistency is reached, stopping to push down the sides as needed. If needed, add the hot water to reach the smooth consistency.
In the baking dish, mix together the vegan cream cheese with the remaining ingredients.