Inga Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

Nothing makes a fruit geek feel more loved on their special day than a homemade birthday cake using rare tropical fruit! Because the cottony fruit of inga beans is known for its party-in-a-pod flavor of spun sugar and delicate cinnamon, we thought a fluffy inga bean frosting should be a thing. 

In this recipe, heavy cream is infused overnight with delicate chunks of inga bean fruit to add sugary fragrance and flavor. The inga bean infused cream is then whipped together with cream cheese for a lightly sweetened frosting that’s as perfect for frosting as it is between layers of cool, freshly baked cake. Keep reading to learn how to make this easy, all-ages celebration cake frosting recipe using inga beans! 

INGA BEAN CAKE FROSTING

• Prep time: 30 minutes active, 8 hours inactive
• Good for: parties, desserts, kid friendly, gluten free
• Difficulty: medium

Inga bean frosting begins by cold infusing heavy cream overnight with fresh, cotton ball chunks of inga bean fruit. Then, sweet softened cream cheese is combined with freshly infused inga bean cream to create a frosting that’s sturdy yet light, with a creamy canvas that makes inga bean’s cotton candy ice cream flavor shine!

EQUIPMENT

• chef’s knife (non-reactive, ceramic or plastic knife preferred to minimize fruit bruising)
• cutting board
• two sealed containers, four and six cup minimum capacity, respectively
• mesh sieve
• hand mixer
• one large mixing bowl
• one medium mixing bowl
• rubber spatula

INGREDIENT

• 1 cup inga bean fruit (roughly and minimally chopped, seeds removed)
• 2 cups heavy cream 
• 8 ounces softened cream cheese
• ½ cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons

RECIPE

• Prepare the inga bean infused cream by combining heavy cream and chopped inga bean flesh in a sealed container, and store in the refrigerator overnight (about eight hours). Strain the infused cream through the sieve into the large mixing bowl, pushing as much liquid from the inga bean fruit pulp as possible. Discard the pulp or reserve it for an alternate use. Refrigerate while preparing the cream cheese to keep it cold.
• Using a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese in the medium mixing bowl on low speed until very smooth while gradually adding ½ cup of granulated sugar. Beat the cream cheese and sugar mixture until well combined and slightly fluffy.
• In the large mixing bowl, beat the inga bean infused heavy cream and two tablespoons of sugar until thick and foamy, but not too firm. 
• Fold ¼ of the cream mixture into the cream cheese using a rubber spatula until well combined. Slowly add in the cream mixture while beating until fully incorporated and very fluffy.
• Refrigerate in a large sealed container for about one hour before using. The frosting stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Enjoy this creamy confection starring inga bean fruit on pound cake, as a cake frosting or spread on some simple toast. Gently fold in the reserved inga bean flesh from the cream infusion into the frosting for a chunkier texture that makes a ridiculously delicious cookie dip. Enhance the flavor of this inga bean frosting using warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

How did you like this inga bean recipe? Try even more inga bean recipes from our blog.

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