Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding (No Yam)

 

Jamaican sweet potato pudding is my grandmother’s Christmas cake. She doesn’t eat Jamaican black Christmas cake, so sweet potato pudding was always her thing. She used to add rum and raisins, and she never stray from the old-time method  hell a top, hell a bottom, hallelujah in the middle.

That means fire (hell) coal on top, fire at the bottom, and the pudding (hallelujah) right in the middle. A piece of thin zinc goes on top with hot coal, and the pudding bakes slow and steady. That is the traditional Jamaican way, and my granny stick to it straight.

These days, plenty Jamaicans (myself included) bake pudding in the oven most times. But for this sweet potato pudding, I baked it on a coal stove, just like old time.

This recipe is sweet potato pudding without yam. No rum, no raisins — that part comes down to personal preference.

For best results, always use yellow-flesh sweet potatoes, which are dry. The orange-flesh ones are too watery and can affect the texture.

---

Ingredients

• 3 lbs yellow-flesh sweet potatoes, peeled and hand-grated

• 3 cups coconut milk (more or less)

  • OR 1 cup coconut milk + 2 cups water

  • (I use only coconut milk)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, pre-sieved

• 2 tablespoons Jamaican mixed spice

  • (If unavailable: 1 tbsp cinnamon powder + 1 tbsp grated nutmeg)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence or flavouring

• ¼ cup melted margarine or butter

• 1 cup dark brown sugar (start with 1 cup; adjust to taste)

Optional

• 1 teaspoon molasses or food browning (for darker colour)

---

Instructions

Preparing the Sweet Potato Pudding

1. Peel, wash, cut, and hand-grate the sweet potatoes.

   • You can use a food processor, but the hand grater gives a finer, better texture.

2. Place grated sweet potatoes into a large mixing bowl.

3. Add brown sugar, salt, and flour. Mix well.

4. Add 1 cup coconut milk and mix until combined.

5. Taste the mixture and adjust sugar and salt if needed.

6. If the mixture feels too dry, add more coconut milk or water a little at a time.

7. Add melted margarine or butter, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon powder

   • (I used 2 tablespoons mixed spice).

8. Mix everything well.

9. The mixture should be loose but not runny.

   • If too stiff, add more liquid.

10. If you like darker pudding, add molasses or food browning.

    • I didn’t use any; I let the natural colour shine.

---

Oven Baking Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C.

2. Grease a 9-inch baking tin.

3. Scrape pudding mixture into the tin and smooth the top.

4. Bake for about 1 hour.

5. Insert a knife in the center.

   • If it comes out clean, the pudding is done. Watch oven baked here 

---

Baking Sweet Potato Pudding on a Coal Stove (Traditional Method)

1. Pour pudding mixture into a greased Dutch pot and set aside.

2. Light the coal stove and allow all the coal to fully catch fire.

3. Wash a flat piece of thin zinc (“thinning”) with soap and water. Dry well.

4. Using a long-handle spoon, scoop hot coal and place it on the zinc.

5. Leave a small amount of coal in the stove for bottom heat.

6. Place the pot with pudding on the coal stove.

7. Cover the pot with the zinc loaded with hot coal.

8. Allow pudding to bake.

9. After about 20 minutes, the bottom will bake faster than the top.

10. Lift the pot off direct coal and place it on a mesh or rack.

11. If you like a wet top, mix coconut milk with a little brown sugar and cinnamon, then pour over the pudding.

12. Continue baking until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Traditionally, any Jamaican pudding is served with a warm cup of cow’s milk. Watch the method here

Recipe Summary

• Preparation Time: 45 minutes

• Cooking Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

• Total Time: About 2 hours 35 minutes

• Yield: 1 sweet potato pudding

Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding (No Yam)

A traditional Jamaican sweet potato pudding made without yam, baked oven-style or on a coal stove, just like old time.

---

 Prep & Cook Time

• Preparation Time: 45 minutes

• Cooking Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

• Total Time: About 2 hours 35 minutes

• Yield: 1 pudding (9-inch)

---

 Ingredients

• 3 lbs. yellow-flesh sweet potatoes, peeled and hand-grated

• 3 cups coconut milk (more or less)

  • OR 1 cup coconut milk + 2 cups water

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, pre-sieved

• 2 tablespoons Jamaican mixed spice

  • (or 1 tbsp cinnamon powder + 1 tbsp grated nutmeg)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence or flavouring

• ¼ cup melted margarine or butter

• 1 cup dark brown sugar (start with 1 cup, adjust to taste)

Optional

• 1 teaspoon molasses or food browning

---

 Instructions

1. Peel, wash, cut, and hand-grate the sweet potatoes.

2. Place grated sweet potatoes into a large mixing bowl.

3. Add brown sugar, salt, and flour. Mix well.

4. Pour in 1 cup coconut milk and combine.

5. Taste and adjust sugar and salt if needed.

6. Add more coconut milk or water if the mixture is too dry.

7. Add melted margarine or butter, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon powder
   (I used mixed spice).

8. Mix well. The mixture should be loose but not runny.

9. Add molasses or food browning if using.

10. Pour mixture into a greased 9-inch baking tin.

---

 Oven Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C.

2. Bake for about 1 hour.

3. Insert a knife in the center.

   • If it comes out clean, the pudding is done. Watch method, using a food processor here

---

 Traditional Coal Stove Method

1. Pour pudding mixture into a greased Dutch pot.

2. Light the coal stove and allow coal to fully catch fire.

3. Place a small amount of coal in the stove for bottom heat.

4. Cover the pot with a clean piece of thin zinc loaded with hot coal.

5. Bake slowly.

6. After about 20 minutes, lift pot off direct heat and place on a mesh.

7. For a wet top, pour coconut milk mixed with brown sugar and cinnamon over pudding.

8. Continue baking until a knife comes out clean.

---

 Serving Suggestion

Traditionally served with a warm cup of cow’s milk.

---