This is perhaps the all time favourite Jamaican dessert. Jamaican puddings are often referred to as “Hell on bottom, hell on top and hallelujah in the middle” because they are traditionally baked with heated coals underneath and on top Dutch ovens. This Sweet Potato Pudding is also vegan and filled with healthy root vegetables. I served it at here with vanilla custard, however, you can serve with a little Rum Cream Sauce (or a virgin version). Jamaica was the main sugar producer in the Caribbean for the British Empire, and Cuba for Spain. This history of sugar production also comes along with rum production, which is a derivative from sugar cane. Rum for the Caribbean is like what Moonshine was to the US or beer is to Germans and Vodka is to Russians. Now, having had such a spirited discussion, let’s get back to this delightful sweet potato pudding.
Jump to RecipeVegan Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding
Vegan Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding
This Vegan Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding is one of the most popular recipes on our Chef and Steward blog because it uses simple plant based ingredients and transforms them into a decadent dessert that all can enjoy. It is a Caribbean dessert favourite.
Ingredients
- 1 kg sweet potatoes
- 1 medium taro coco or substitute with yam,
- 3 ½ cups creamy coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- 1 ¼-1½ cups sugar varies if potatoes are sweet or not,
- pinch of salt.
Topping:
- ¾ cup creamy coconut milk
- ½ cup sugar
- a few raisins
Instructions
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Preheat Oven to 185˚C or 350˚F
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Wash the sweet potatoes
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If you are using yam instead of taro or coco, do not wash yam, just peel it. You can wash after peeling.
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This is what the taro or coco looks like. We used two small ones and a little piece of yam since we couldn't find bigger ones. We didn't measure the yam, but the slice should fit into a small female hand (maybe 400-500g).
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Peel your sweet potatoes. We find the ones grown in the Caribbean are naturally sweet. Use any variety you have on hand. Outside the Caribbean, if you can find the orange ones, use those because those are usually sweeter and are filled with Beta-Carotene (Vitamin A).
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Since I made this for my column on Comfort Foods, I did it the old fashioned way- the way I saw my mother and grannies do it while I was growing up. I could have gotten it done quicker with my superbly efficient, best in class Magimix Ultra XL Food Processor food processor, but since I was not only cooking comfort foods but also cooking for comfort, I wanted to have an authentic experience. So how did they do it? Well as you can imagine, they did these puddings in huge batches and no one would be able to stand up grating for such long periods, so they would sit with a huge kitchen towel in their laps and grate potatoes, yams and taro (coco) in huge aluminium pans we called "Pudding Pans"- yes we are very literal that way. I did however use my much more updated, sharper and ergonomic Microplane Box Grater.
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The grated mixture of sweet potatoes, yam and taro (coco). Yours will look different depending on the kind of sweet potatoes and yams you use. The taro (coco) grates white.
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Add raisins and sugar and combine
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Grate nutmeg on a Spice Grater or Nutmeg Grater. We used our Microplane Spice Grater.
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Add coconut milk used a rich, creamy coconut milk that we made from scratch. We have a tutorial here. The canned stuff will NOT do.
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This is how rich ours is.. made from scratch with lots of love 🙂
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After adding add the 3 ½ cups of coconut milk, add vanilla extract. Add 1 more tsp more if yours is not real extract, and just "vanilla essence." You may also add a pinch of salt here.
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Add almond extract. Use the same amount even if you are using almond "essence" instead because this is strong stuff.
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Rub a silicone brush in some room temp butter
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Then greese your pan. I would suggest a 9inch deep pan. This Ikea bowl was too shallow for the recipe. It bakes best in an aluminium pan in the oven.
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Be sure to use a deeper baking pan than this. We thought the glass would provide greater illustration for you but be warned that you will have excess batter (and not enough to fit another baking dish) if you use such a shallow one. Fill pan with batter and place in preheated oven at 185˚C or 350˚F. Bake for 1 hour or until the top becomes solid.
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When top is solid, remove from oven, leaving oven on and grab a fork and scrape up the top of the pudding (about 1/2 inch). Mix the topping ingredients together in a bowl and pour over pudding mushing it up with the fork. It will look 'liquidy.' Bake for another 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. We like a crusty top so we turn on the broiler.
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This is what it looks like coming out of the oven. Some persons like a softer top. We like it this way... and it is more reminiscent of the hell at top and hell at bottom sentiment.
Recipe Notes
Traditional Presentation:
STEWARD’S NOTE: This photo shows my food styling for my article in my Dubai column, WHen Hunger Strikes in the WKND magazine for the Khaleej Times. The pudding is not traditionally served this way, though it looks beautiful. Here I styled it with some custard, which went very well with it.
Are you looking for other sweet treats?
More Jamaican Recipes…
Balsamic Allspice Pickled Beets
Roasted Garlic and Spring Onion Mashed Potatoes (Vegan)
Jamaican Rice and Peas (Vegan)
Trinidadian Ponche De Creme (Boozy Caribbean Egg Nog)
This dish looks beautiful! I love all the flavors too. Great photos as well!
You are really good at this. Wish I was there to taste some of this fabulous food. Haven’t had your oxtail in years.
i’m such a fan of sweet potato, that together with coconut milk sounds phenomenal!
Can you explain why the canned milk will not do…is it the ‘fresher is always better’ argument?
Arva, it is a super delicious and healthy all natural dessert. I have never seen or heard of this dish being made with the canned coconut cream. It is a different flavour than the real thing. While we make substitutions for practicality for many recipes, this not one of them. This is a hearty, all natural recipe and it should by all means stay that way. Some journeys are meant to be long and the scenery is part of the whole experience as you reach your destination. This is why people fly first class and why we take scenic routes.
Oooo lala! This sounds DELICIOUS! And I love that it’s vegan!
What is it about sweet potatoes that reminds us of our grannies and legendary family cooks? Glad you did this recipe the old-fashioned comfort way. I love the plating with the custard.
Ahh, I had a taro once and had no idea what to do with it so it went bad. Now I’ll know for next time!
This looks and sounds super delicious. I love that its vegan and healthy! I am a BIG fan of sweet potatoes, I will most definitely be hanging onto this recipe for the future.
I straight up love you for this.
Wow, this looks incredible! And I love that it’s naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, for people like me! Can’t wait to try it. Yum!
There isn’t a step determining when to add the sugar. Also does flour, butter and salt go in the recipe?
Ooops.. add the sugar with other grated ingredients. No butter in this recipe. The coconut milk adds the fat. You may add a pinch of salt to enhance the taste as per your preference There is also no flour in this recipe, which makes it Gluten Free 🙂
Thank you so for posting this recipe. I adore vegan recipes and anything with coconut milk (I use it a lot in my baking). And have to since I have developed quite a bit of a dairy intolerance. I added this to my Thanksgiving dessert round up: http://www.grandbaby-cakes.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-everywhere.html
Sweet potato pudding was big in my house growing up. My Mother still makes it. Instead of going to her house and trying to get a piece before my brothers arrive for the rest, I guess I could actually make this myself (lol). These photographs present an enticing incentive to do so.
If we have family members that have peanut and treenut allergies can I substiture vanilla extract instead of almond?
Just leave it out then.