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Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding

Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding

Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding is another favorite dessert for every Jamaicans.

It is also called “hell a top, hell a bottom, and hallelujah in the middle”.

Sweet Potato Pudding is made with grated potatoes and coconut milk, spices and lots of flavors.

The finish product has a soft texture.

A soft piece of Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding.

The purple skin potato is the only type of sweet potato we have in Jamaica.

When I migrated here in America, I found out that there is another sweet potato (the orange skin one).

The orange skin sweet potato is much softer than the purple skin one.

I used the the orange skin type to make my Sweet Potato Pie.

Pinterest Image. Pin for later.

For this recipe, I used a regular 10 inch baking pan, but you can use a 10 inch spring form baking pan or use smaller baking pan to get even more pudding.

With a spring form baking pan, once you remove the outer rim, then it is much easier to slice and remove each piece.

Also, if you are going to use a spring form baking pan, be sure to double wrap the bottom with aluminum foil paper to prevent any of the liquid from leaking out.

A slice of sweet potato pudding in a white plate.

Memories of Sweet Potato Pudding

Every Sunday after Church, a friend and I would always stop at a corner shop to buy some Sweet Potato Pudding.

The owner’s wife would tell us that it has just been taken from the oven and need to be cooled.

But we didn’t mind getting a slice of the hot pudding.

With the distance we were walking to get home, by that time it would be cooled.

Just writing this post brings back a lot of memories.

Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding on a small white plate.

What is the difference between Jamaican Sweet Potato and American Sweet Potato?

As much as both potatoes are sweet, there is a distinct in taste.

Other from the taste, there are quite some differences between the Jamaican and the American Sweet Potato.

The Jamaican Sweet Potato is red or purple on the outside.

It has a white or yellowish flesh on the inside.

The texture is much starchier and heavier.

While this is used for making a pudding, it is also added to Red Peas Soup in Jamaica.

As for the American Sweet Potato, it has a brown skin with an orange flesh on the inside.

It is much softer when cooked and used to make a lot of American Sweet Potato Pie.

The American Sweet Potatoes can be found in Supermarket such as Walmart.

As for the Jamaican Sweet Potatoes, these can be found in any West Indian Store and sometimes in Walmart.

Can you grate Sweet Potato in a Food Processor or Blender

Yes, you can use a food processor or blender to grate the Sweet Potato.

Cut the sweet potatoes into small pieces, add them to the food processor and grater.

Some Coconut Milk can be added to the potatoes to blend or it can be added later on.

If you are using a blender, you can do the same thing as the food processor.

For this recipe, I use the traditional box grater to grate it.

Using a grater, gives it a different texture than blending.

How to make Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding?

Firstly, wash, peel, wash again and then grate the sweet potatoes, coco and yellow yam with a box grater. Set aside for later.

Using a box grater to grater Sweet Potato, Yellow Yam and Coco to make Jamaican sweet Potato Pudding.

Secondly, in a medium mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, coconut milk, melted butter, almond extract, rose water and vanilla extract over. Mix until the sugar is dissolved.

Mixing the wet ingredients to make Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding.

Thirdly, in a large mixing bowl, sift all the dry ingredients and spices together. Whisk together, until fully incorporated.

Whisking the dry ingredients to make the Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding.

Fourthly, slowly pour the liquid mixture on the dry ingredients and whisk to prevent any lumps from forming. Then add the grated sweet potato, coco, yellow yam and continue mixing.

Adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
Whisking the wet and dry ingredients together.
Adding the grated sweet potatoes, yellow yam and coco to the mixture.
Mixing the batter together.

If you are adding the raisins, then mix it with the tablespoon of flour. Sift to remove the excess flour. Add the raisins to the mixture and stir.

Finally, pour the mixture into a greased baking pan and add the pieces of butter on the top. Bake for 60 minutes. Then remove and pour on the top the soft top mixture and bake for an additional 45 to 60 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Pouring the batter into the greased baking pan to make Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding.
Adding the pieces of butter on the top before baking.
Making the soft top mixture to pour on the top of the Sweet Potato Pudding.
Pouring the soft top mixture on the top.
After pouring the liquid mixture on the top to put back into the oven.
Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding just out of the oven.

Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4lb Sweet Potato (Purple skin), peeled, washed and grated
  • 3/4lb Yellow Yam, peeled, washed and grated
  • 3/4lb Coco or Dasheen, peeled, washed and grated
  • 1 3/4 cups + 2 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
  • 6 Tablespoon fine Yellow Cornmeal
  • 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
  • 3/4 Tablespoon Almond Extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon Rose Water
  • 2 2/3 cups Coconut Milk
  • 1 1/8 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Mixed Spice
  • 1/2 cup Raisins (Optional)
  • 1 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour, for dusting the raisins (Optional)
  • 6 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter, melted
  • 2 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter, cold and divided into 8 pieces (Optional)

Ingredients for Soft Top

  • 1/4 cup Coconut Milk
  • 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 10 inch regular baking pan or spring form baking pan with butter. Set aside.
  2. Peel the skin off of the sweet potatoes, Coco and yellow yam and wash. Cut into pieces and then grate them with a box grater. Set aside. Please keep in mind that the grated produce will turn brown because of the starch inside them.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the dry ingredients and spices: flour, cornmeal, salt, nutmeg, mixed spice and cinnamon powder. Whisk all together, until fully incorporated.
  4. Add the coconut milk, almond extract, rose water, vanilla extract, melted butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix together, until the sugar is dissolved.
  5. Slowly pour the liquid mixture (a small portion at a time) into the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk to prevent any lump. Mix well.
  6. Add the grated sweet potatoes, coco and yellow yam and continue to mix.
  7. (Optional) If you are adding raisins, mix them with the tablespoon of flour. This helps to prevent the raisins from falling to the bottom of the mixture when baking. Use a sieve to get rid of the excess flour off the raisins. Add the raisins to the mixture and mix.
  8. Pour the mixture in the 10 inch greased baking pan. Cut the unsalted butter into small pieces and add them to the top of the mixture, mostly around the side. Bake for 60 minutes first.
  9. In the meantime, add all the ingredients for the soft top in a small bowl and whisk together.
  10. After the 60 minutes of baking remove from the oven. Pour the soft top mixture on the top and bake for an additional 45 to 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and when a dinner knife is inserted in the middle it comes out clean.
  11. Allow to cool for about an hour. Remove the outer rim of the spring from baking pan, if you had used that type of baking pan. Slice and enjoy.

Notes:

  1. If adding raisins to the batter, add some flour to them, mix together and then add to the batter. This helps the raisins from staying at the bottom.
  2. If you choose to add the slices of bottom on top of the mixture, make sure to add them before placing it in the oven for baking.

Additional Dessert Recipes

Please let me know what you think about this Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding in the comment section below.

Thanks for stopping by and please come back again.

Blessings and Love always, as you carry on, on your YouNique Journey!

A slice of Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding.

Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding

Yield: 10 Servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding is made with grated potatoes and coconut milk, spices and lots of flavors.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4lb Sweet Potato (Purple skin), peeled, washed and grated
  • 3/4lb Yellow Yam, peeled, washed and grated
  • 3/4lb Coco or Dasheen, peeled, washed and grated
  • 1 3/4 cups + 2 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
  • 6 Tablespoon fine Yellow Cornmeal
  • 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
  • 3/4 Tablespoon Almond Extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon Rose Water
  • 2 2/3 cups Coconut Milk
  • 1 1/8 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Mixed Spice
  • 1/2 cup Raisins (Optional)
  • 1 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour, for dusting the raisins (Optional)
  • 6 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter, melted
  • 2 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter, cold and divided into 8 pieces (Optional)

Ingredients for Soft Top

  • 1/4 cup Coconut Milk
  • 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 10 inch regular baking pan or spring form baking pan with butter. Set aside.
  2. Peel the skin off of the sweet potatoes, Coco and yellow yam and wash. Cut into pieces and then grate them with a box grater. Set aside. Please keep in mind that the grated produce will turn brown because of the starch inside them.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the dry ingredients and spices: flour, cornmeal, salt, nutmeg, mixed spice and cinnamon powder. Whisk all together, until fully incorporated.
  4. Add the coconut milk, almond extract, rose water, vanilla extract, melted butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix together, until the sugar is dissolved.
  5. Slowly pour the liquid mixture (a small portion at a time) into the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk to prevent any lump. Mix well.
  6. Add the grated sweet potatoes, coco and yellow yam and continue to mix.
  7. (Optional) If you are adding raisins, mix them with the tablespoon of flour. This helps to prevent the raisins from falling to the bottom of the mixture when baking. Use a sieve to get rid of the excess flour off the raisins. Add the raisins to the mixture and mix.
  8. Pour the mixture in the 10 inch greased baking pan. Cut the unsalted butter into small pieces and add them to the top of the mixture, mostly around the side. Bake for 60 minutes first.
  9. In the meantime, add all the ingredients for the soft top in a small bowl and whisk together.
  10. After the 60 minutes of baking remove from the oven. Pour the soft top mixture on the top and bake for an additional 45 to 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and when a dinner knife is inserted in the middle it comes out clean.
  11. Allow to cool for about an hour. Remove the outer rim of the spring from baking pan, if you had used that type of baking pan. Slice and enjoy.

Notes

  1. If adding raisins to the batter, add some flour to them, mix together and then add to the batter. This helps the raisins from staying at the bottom.
  2. If you choose to add the slices of bottom on top of the mixture, make sure to add them before placing it in the oven for baking.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 526Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 263mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 10gSugar: 12gProtein: 11g

The nutritional information that is provided, is computer generated and therefore it is an estimate. Please do your own research with the ingredients that are listed here, if you have any concern about any specific diet or your health.

Noel

Sunday 15th of October 2023

Your recipe is the only one I found with yellow yam. Even the Grace one doesn't add yellow yam. This makes the taste so much better. And a small amount of flour instead of 3 cups. This is the way we made it in Clarendon. Excellent.

Yanique Vincent

Friday 20th of October 2023

Hi Noel, You are so right, a piece of yellow yam do makes it taste so much better. Let me know when you give it a try. Thanks.

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