Favorite dessert recipe - Carrot cake and cream cheese frosting*dairy, soy, nut free

Vegan Carrot Cake with Cream cheese frosting

This carrot cake is delish but the icing is surprisingly insane!  And it's made with a japanese sweet potato!  During meal prep we made cupcakes but my next plan is a layer cake so I can get more icing!  And the cool thing is there is no sugar (unless you count maple syrup, but I count that as more natural sweetness).  The kids, in the homes that this went to, requested I post the recipe so here goes!

Vegan Carrot cake
*adapted from Straight Up Food cookbook

1 1/2 cups unsweetened nondairy milk (we used coconut)
14 Deglet Noor dates, chopped
1/2 cup persimmon puree (or 1/2 ripe banana, mashed)
1/4 cup raisins or craisins
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder or sub baking soda if allergic to corn
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1 1/2 cups grated carrots (2-3 medium)
1/2 cup raisins or craisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts if not allergic

Combine milk, dates, persimmon, 1/4 c craisins, and vanilla into a small bowl and set aside 15 minutes for dates to soften.  Preheat oven to 350.  Line 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.  Grind oats into flour with food processor.  Transfer to medium bowl and whisk in cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves.
Blend the wet ingredients in blender until smooth.  Stir into the bowl of dry incredients.  Fold in grated carrots, 1/2 c raisins or craisins and walnuts. 
Spoon batter into pan and spread evenly.  Bake 40-45 minutes or until top is medium brown.  Let cool for 10 min before removing and placing on cooling rack.  Cool completely before icing. 
*For 12 cupcakes, line muffin pan with parchment paper liners and bake 25-30 min on 350.  To bake a standard loaf, decrease milk by 1/2 cup, line a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with parchment and bake at 325 for 50-55 min.

Vegan Cream cheese frosting

*adapted from detoxinista.com

1 large japanese sweet potato (white flesh), peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup maple syrup
6 TB coconut oil, melted
2 TB water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/8 tsp salt

Steam sweet potato cubes for 10-15 min.  Fill one cup with sweet potato and mash with a fork until cup is packed.  Transfer mashed potato and rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until silky smooth.  Add more water if needed to reach smooth consistency.  You can now frost your carrot cake or transfer to a bowl to keep in the fridge for up to a week.