Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding

If you’re craving a dessert that’s deeply comforting and a little different from the usual pies and cakes, let me introduce you to Jamaican sweet potato pudding. It’s rich, spiced just right, and has that moist, dense texture that hugs your taste buds with every bite. I like to enjoy a slice with my morning tea or as a cozy dessert after dinner — it’s the kind of sweet treat that never overstays its welcome.

This version is inspired by the traditional island recipe, with some practical tweaks to suit what’s available at most grocery stores. The sweet potatoes we get here are different from the ones you’d find in the Caribbean, but with a few small changes, we still get that same amazing flavor and texture.

Why This Pudding Is a Keeper

The first time I had Jamaican sweet potato pudding, it was at a friend’s family gathering — straight from an old family recipe. It had this beautiful balance of sweetness and spice, and the coconut milk made it incredibly luscious.

What I love about this dessert is how versatile it is. It doesn’t scream for frosting or toppings. It stands on its own, flavored with warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. And the coconut milk? That just ties everything together.

Plus, it stores well, freezes nicely, and can double as breakfast, snack, or dessert. Win-win-win.

A Few Ingredient Notes Before You Start

Here’s the thing — not all sweet potatoes are created equal. Traditional Jamaican versions use sweet potatoes with white flesh and red skin, which are a bit starchier. In my kitchen, I usually use the orange-fleshed variety (the ones we typically find in US stores), which are softer but still work beautifully here.

• Sweet Potatoes + Yam: Yes, I mix both. It brings a nice balance of sweetness and texture. If you’re confused about the difference, you’re not alone — American “yams” are usually just another type of sweet potato, while Caribbean yams are starchier and more like cassava.

• Coconut Milk: Go for full-fat. It’s not the time for light versions — you want that rich, creamy texture.

• Raisins: Traditionally included, but I leave them out. If you love raisins, soak golden ones in rum overnight and fold them in. If you don’t, skip ’em.

• Spices: Don’t hold back — the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice is what gives this pudding its signature depth.

• Grating the Sweet Potato and Ginger: I’ve grated them by hand using a box grater, and let me tell you — it’s a workout. A food processor can help here, just chop the veggies into smaller pieces and blend with some coconut milk to get things going.

Let’s Talk Texture: Jamaican vs American Sweet Potatoes

Just to clear up the confusion if you’re shopping and wondering which one to grab:

• Jamaican sweet potatoes: White flesh, red skin, firmer when cooked, and starchier.

• American sweet potatoes: Orange flesh, reddish or rose skin, softer and moister.

For this recipe, the softer texture of American sweet potatoes works just fine — they still give a lovely base that holds up with the yam.

How I Bake This (No Hot Coals Needed)

Traditionally, this pudding was baked with hot coals on top and bottom using a dutch oven — that’s how it gets that crusty top layer Jamaicans call “hell a top, hell a bottom.” While that sounds amazing, I stick to the oven in my home kitchen and it does the trick just fine.

How To Make It — Step by Step

Here’s how I pull this together:

• Grate the yam, sweet potatoes, and fresh ginger. If you’re doing this by hand, take your time and be careful — those box graters can bite.

• Bring a cup of water to a boil, toss in your spices, and let it bubble for about two minutes.

• Mix that spiced water with the grated veggies, coconut milk, and butter.

• In another bowl, stir together your dry ingredients and gradually fold them into the wet mixture.

• Pour into a greased springform pan and bake until set and the top is nicely browned.

It smells incredible while it bakes — kind of like spiced cake meets Sunday morning.

Storage Tips That Work

Whenever I make this, I usually store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge — it stays good for about 2–3 days. And honestly, it tastes even better the next day once the flavors settle in.

If I’m not going to finish it that quickly (which rarely happens), I slice it up and freeze it. It keeps well for about a month. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to enjoy it again.

Yield: 12

Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding

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This Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding is a warm, spiced treat with a moist, custardy texture that melts in your mouth.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the pudding:

• 1½ cups sugar (300g)
• 1½ pounds sweet potato, peeled and grated (680g)
• ½ pound yellow yam, peeled and grated (250g)
• 2 cups coconut milk (480ml)
• ½ cup unsweetened desiccated coconut (43g), rehydrated
• ¼ cup cornmeal (45g)
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (45g)
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (60ml)
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger (16g)
• 2 teaspoons salt (13g)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (10g)
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice (2.75g)
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (3.35g)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract (28g)
• ½ cup golden raisins soaked overnight in 3 tablespoons dark rum (optional)

For the topping:

• ½ cup coconut milk (120ml)
• 2 tablespoons sugar (25g)
• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract (7g)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (3.12g)
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (2g)

Instructions

1. Start by setting your oven to 350°F and lightly greasing a 10-inch springform pan. While it heats up, soak the desiccated coconut in hot water for about 15–20 minutes, then squeeze out the excess liquid and set it aside.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes, yam, and ginger. Grate them finely using the smallest holes on a box grater or a zester side—this step takes time but gives the pudding its signature texture.
3. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla extract, letting it bubble for about 2 minutes. Pour this fragrant spice tea over the grated root mixture.
4. Add in the coconut milk and melted butter. Use a hand mixer to blend the ingredients until they’re smooth and well mixed.
5. Now, in a separate bowl, stir together the rehydrated coconut, cornmeal, flour, sugar, and salt. Slowly incorporate this dry mix into the wet ingredients, mixing at medium speed until fully combined. If you’re using the rum-soaked raisins, drain and fold them in at this stage.
6. Pour the pudding batter into your prepared pan and slide it into the oven. Let it bake for 1 hour.
7. While it bakes, prepare the topping: Add all topping ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Let it reduce by half, which takes about 10 minutes. Set it aside to cool.
8. After an hour of baking, remove the pudding from the oven and carefully spoon the topping over the surface. Return it to the oven for another 15 minutes.
9. When it’s done, the center will be firm but not cakey—more like a dense, spiced custard. Let it cool in the pan for 30 minutes before loosening the edges with a knife and removing the outer ring. Leave it to cool on a wire rack for at least 2 more hours to fully set.
10. Once completely cool, gently lift the pudding off the base and serve it in thick, luscious slices.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 381Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 10mgSodium 394mgCarbohydrates 58gFiber 4gSugar 36gProtein 3g

TastyFitnessRecipes.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although tastyfitnessrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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Common Questions I Get

Can I use canned sweet potatoes?
I wouldn’t recommend it. The texture will be too soft and watery. Stick with fresh.

Do I have to use both yam and sweet potato?
Nope! But I like the combo. If you can’t find yam, just use all sweet potato.

Can I make it vegan?
This one already is, as long as you’re not adding any butter or dairy. Just double-check your coconut milk.

What’s batata — is it the same as sweet potato?
Batata is a white-fleshed sweet potato, common in Caribbean and Latin cooking. It’s a bit drier and starchier than the orange-fleshed kind but can definitely be used here.

If you’ve never tried Jamaican sweet potato pudding before, give it a go. It’s one of those old-school recipes that feels like a warm hug — perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning or a scoop of vanilla ice cream after dinner. Let me know if you try it. I’d love to hear how you made it your own.

Try other Pudding recipes:

• Indian Rice Pudding
• First Watch Chia Pudding Bowl
• Turkish Fig Pudding