Maple Cashew Icing

Maple Cashew Icing
1 cup cashews (preferably raw unsalted, but since roasted and salted are cheaper they work as well - soaking them draws out the salt)
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: add a little sea salt, almond or lemon or rum extract, cocoa or melted chocolate, citrus zest, or chopped nuts

Soak the cashews until very soft, almost like soft bread. This can be done ahead by soaking them in a bowl full of cold water overnight or longer, or quickly by boiling the cashews briefly, or just covering them with boiling water and allowing them to sit for an hour or two. Drain well.

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until very smooth. It is almost like making cashew butter. Add a little water or nut milk if needed to thin out the icing to the desired consistency. If the icing is chilled it becomes firm after a while, but will soften at room temperature. It doesn't harden as quickly on a cake stored in the fridge however.

This is an easy vegan frosting with no added fat or refined sugar. For a cream cheese-like frosting, add more lemon juice and replace the maple syrup with a more neutral sweetener such as agave or confectioners' sugar.