Take half a block of firm refrigerated tofu (this is not the silken tofu product that comes in unrefrigerated boxes such as Mori-Nu brand or other brands) or what would be roughly equivalent to 1 cup of chopped tofu.

Sandwich the tofu block with two pieces of paper towel and between two heavy plates. Let the water drain out of the tofu to soak the paper towels. After 10 minutes, remove and replace the paper towels with dry ones. 

Repeat this process again after 10 minutes with dry paper towels, then check the tofu. If the paper towels are quite wet, replace with dry paper towels and let the tofu be pressed for an additional 10 minutes. 

Once the tofu block is pressed relatively dry, remove the tofu from under the heavy plates and cut the tofu into cubes to fill a ‘1 cup’ measuring cup. Set aside. 

Halfway through the tofu draining process, you can start to prepare the soy milk mixture. Mix the cornstarch and soy milk until well blended in a small pot. 

Heat this soy-cornstarch mixture on a low stove heat setting, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. After 5-10 minutes of this, the mixture will begin to thicken. Once it thickens to a watery glue-like consistency, quickly turn off the heat, and move the pot to a separate cool burner. (This mixture will continue to thicken over time, so it is best to use it to make the frosting as soon as you can.)

Immediately measure out ¼ cup (or 4 tablespoons) of this soy-cornstarch mixture into a small bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.

Put this soy/cornstarch/maple syrup concoction with the cup of chopped tofu into a food processor and pulse for 1-2 minutes, stopping often to scrape down the sides of the container using a rubber spatula.

Once fully blended and mixed together, the frosting should be a smooth creamy texture. Check the consistency to see if you need to add a little bit more plant-based milk (add 1-2 teaspoons at a time as needed) or a little bit more sweetness.

Follow the instructions as above, except add in 4 teaspoons of cocoa powder and an extra tablespoon of maple syrup into the food processor when blending.

Pulse a few times until combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container as needed. 

If you would like a darker chocolate color, add another 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder to the food processor contents. Taste and further adjust the sweetness level to your liking.

Follow the instructions as above, except cook a small beet while the tofu is draining. To do this: steam a beet for 10 -15 minutes (until a knife goes through the beet without difficulty), then let the beet cool. 

Remove the skin of the beet and finely dice up a slice of it to get a teaspoon of finely minced beets (you may want to wear gloves). For the rest of the beet, simply slice it up to use in your salad, soup or as a side dish for the next meal time!

Add in the teaspoon of diced beets to the food processor contents with the soya-cornstarch mixture, maple syrup and tofu cubes. Pulse a few times until combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container as needed.

If you prefer a darker pink or reddish hue to your frosting, simply add more diced beets (about a teaspoon at a time) to the food processor until the desired color is reached. Use the frosting on your cake or cupcake!