Lemon Vanilla Frosting

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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

This is a wonderful frosting that isn’t loaded with refined sugars or artificial food dyes. If you wish for this frosting to be more on the yellow side to reflex the lemon flavor, you can add small pinches of Turmeric until the color you desire is reached.  Below I am sharing/teaching you why I used particular ingredients when creating raw frosting.  Enjoy!

Soaked Cashews

Soaking the cashews is key (!) and this step should never be skipped.  Soaking causes the cashews to swell, giving a bit more volume for the money and it softens them which is vital for creating a creamy texture.  It also helps to reduce the phytic acid that resides in all nuts, which will make it easier on your digestive system.

Coconut Milk

Whether you use fresh Young Thai Coconuts or canned full fat coconut milk, this ingredient helps give body, creaminess, and hint of coconut undertone.  It is a healthy fat that also acts as an emulsifier, bringing the recipe together.  If you can’t find Young Thai coconuts you can use the canned, but do your homework.  Aim for organic, BPA free, and free of other ingredients.

Maple Syrup

I used maple syrup because it is more alkalizing for the body than most other liquid sweeteners.  You can use coconut syrup or any other liquid sweetener that you like to use.  But keep in mind that each sweetener has a slightly different flavor profile.

Vanilla

The role of vanilla in sweet goods is like the role of salt on the savory side: it enhances all the other flavors in the recipe.   You can use vanilla bean (seeds only), powdered vanilla, vanilla extract, or vanilla paste.  There are actually quite a few health benefits to vanilla. I won’t get into that here, but did you know that the anti-inflammatory compounds in vanilla are destroyed by excess heat?  If the vanilla pods or powder are improperly processed and/or exposed to higher than optimal temperatures, the benefits are lost. Yay, for raw frosting!

Himalayan Pink Salt

I use salt in just about every dish I make. Using salt in desserts does not make the dessert salty. It just wakes up all the flavors in the dish.  Salt has the power to change the nature of whatever you’re eating, as it elevates and balances the flavors. But it’s all about choosing the right salt and in the right amount. The biggest offense would be to use your basic iodized table salt. It’s best to use natural sea salt that complements the ingredients in the dessert.  I have written more regarding Himalayan pink salt, click (here).  Even the tiniest grain of salt is important.

Coconut Oil

It is a healthy fat but also gives the frosting the overall body.  Once chilled below 76 degrees it firms up, making this frosting perfect for decorating.  But not all coconut is equal. Most commercial coconut oils are refined, bleached, and deodorized. Some are even hydrogenated.

Look for coconut oil that is a virgin, cold-pressed, vitamin E rich, “biologically pure” one that is identical to unextracted oil from coconuts.  To make virgin coconut oil, fresh coconut meat is grated and expeller pressed to produce coconut milk, which is then centrifuged to separate it into solid components, oil, and water with no heating, refining, bleaching, or deodorizing.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked  2+  hours
• 1 1/4 cups coconut milk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 2 Tbsp lecithin powder, sunflower based
• 1 cup cold-pressed coconut oil, melted

Preparation:

1. Place the cashews in a glass bowl, along with 4 cups of water.
   • Soak for at least 2 hours. Read more about why (here).
   • The soaking process will help reduce phytic acid, which will aid in digestion.
   • The soaking also softens the cashews so they blend nice and creamy.
   • After the cashews are through soaking, drain and rinse.
2. In a high-powered blender combine the cashews, coconut milk, lemon juice, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt.  Do not add the coconut oil and lecithin yet.   These will be added at the very end.
3. Due to the volume and the creamy texture that we are going after, it is important to use a high-powered blender.  It could be too taxing on a lower-end model.
   • Blend until the filling is creamy smooth.   You shouldn’t detect any grit.  If you do, keep blending.
   • This process can take 2-4 minutes, depending on the strength of the blender.  Keep your hand cupped around the base of the blender carafe to feel for warmth.  If the batter is getting too warm.  Stop the machine and let it cool.  Then proceed once cooled.
4. With a vortex going in the blender, drizzle in the coconut oil, and then add the lecithin.  Blend just long enough to incorporate everything together.  Don’t over-process.  The batter will start to thicken.
   • What is a vortex?  Look into the container from the top and slowly increase the speed from low to high,  the batter will form a small vortex (or hole) in the center.  High-powered machines have containers that are designed to create a controlled vortex, systematically folding ingredients back to the blades for smoother blends and faster processing… instead of just spinning ingredients around, hoping they find their way to the blades.
   • If your machine isn’t powerful enough or built to do this, you may need to stop the unit often to scrape the sides down.
5. Frosting will last 5-7 days in the fridge.  Do not freeze as it will change the consistency.

Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, Vegan