Vegan Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding
I enjoyed sweet potato pudding while growing up in Jamaica. It is easy to make, using a food processor or a blender. I must say it wasn’t as easy to make when I was growing up, but it was such a delight to eat and an appreciation of my mother’s labor of love that brings back warm memories!
Vegan Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding
In Jamaica, they call this baking style “hell a top, hell a bottom, and hallelujah in the middle.” It results in a decadent pudding with a perfectly baked sweet custard top.
Nowadays, I make my version of Jamaican sweet potato pudding vegan and gluten-free. I quickly peel and chop the potatoes. Process in a food processor, add canned coconut milk, gluten-free flour, and spices, and pop it in an oven. I do a special step to get the custard topping by adding extra sweetened coconut milk halfway during baking.
This recipe is a must-try, there isn’t much room to fail if you are trying it for the first time. You will be happy you tried it! Serve it with my Jamaican Stew Peas with Dumplings and my Jamaican Sorrel Drink for a truly authentic taste of the Island.
In Jamaica, this baking style is called “hell a top, hell a bottom, and hallelujah in the middle.” The result would be a decadent pudding perfectly baked with a sweet custard top.
Nowadays, I make my version of Jamaican sweet potato pudding vegan and gluten-free. I peel and chop the potatoes.
Process in a food processor, add canned coconut milk, gluten-free flour, and spices, and pop it in an oven. I do a special step to get the custard topping by adding extra sweetened coconut milk halfway during baking.
This recipe is a must-try, there isn’t much room to fail if you are trying it for the first time. You will be happy you tried it! Serve it with my Jamaican Stew Peas with Dumplings and my Jamaican Sorrel Drink for a truly authentic taste of the Island.
How To Make Vegan Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding
To make Jamaican Sweet Potato pudding, you will need a special variety of sweet potato that has white flesh with red skin. It is mainly sold in West Indian, Asian and African grocery stores. But fortunately, it’s getting more popular here in the USA and it can even be found in Walmart. Sometimes it is also sold as ‘batata’.
Pro Chef Tip
Update: I have known readers who have replaced gluten-free flours with regular all-purpose flour with great success.
Also, a reader noted that she has doubled the flour and was able to have success using American sweet potatoes. I will have to try it soon.
How to Store Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding?
I usually store mine for 1-2 days in a container with a tight-fitting lid, then refrigerate any leftovers. It also freezes well.
Other Vegan Desserts To Try
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Vegan Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potato (aka batata) *See Notes
- 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 1 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour or brown rice flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon optional
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg optional
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Custard Topping
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pinch cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven 375℉. Grease a 9-inch round baking pan. Set aside.
- Peel sweet potatoes and roughly chop. Grate using the grater or a food processor in batches. If using a food processor or blender, add some coconut milk to help process.
- Transfer grated sweet potatoes to a large bowl, add coconut milk, coconut palm sugar, spices and salt.
- Stir in flour to form a mostly smooth batter.
- Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 45 minutes.
- Combine all topping ingredients in a small bowl and pour evenly on the top of the pudding.
- Return pudding to oven and bake for another 45 minutes or until top is golden brown.
- Delicious served alone or with coconut whipped cream.
- Please double the flour if using the regular American sweet potato variety.
Love the veganism approach.
Ranjan, thank you.
Sis, this is awesome!
I’m happy you like it, thank you for your feedback Jaye
Very Delicious! Enjoy making & eating it. I have used brown rice flour instead of gf all purpose. Can I use white rice flour instead of brown? Do I need to use a little bit more than the brown rice? Thanks :)
I’m happy you enjoyed the taste, I haven’t tried it with white rice flour. It will work because this recipe is very forgiving.
Could I use already cooked sweet potato for this? Thanks.
Shirley, I have never made it with cooked sweet potato, if it works for you, please let us know.
Hi Michelle, I have made this recipe before and it was so delicious as is, but I have lots of dates that I eventually need to use up!!! I would like to use the dates as you mentioned in one of the comments. What amount of dates do you think I can substitute for the coconut sugar?
Wendalyn, I’m so happy you love my sweet potato pudding. You can definitely use dates, you blend the dates with the coconut milk. I would start with about 1 cup and increase accordingly to your taste.
This is SO delicious that it didn’t last very long. My family and I ate it all up! The recipe is a keeper and I’ll be repeating it. Thank you, Michelle!
Jani, I’m so happy you and your family enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing your feedback.
Does regular flour work or gluten free is the best for this recipe thanks!!
Hi Nick, regular flour works fine. I hope you enjoy it.
Hi Michelle, question on the gluten free flour…will coconut flour work? It should be good right?
Wendy, coconut flour should work. This recipe is very forgiving.
Thanks! Just made this and it was delicious. I used just over 3/4 cup sugar and some wholewheat flour as well as all purpose flour. I added a tablespoon of cornstarch also.
Netsanet, I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing your adjustments with us.
Made this today, without the cornstarch as I used the correct amount of liquid. Again I used 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup each of wholewheat and white flour. Added 11/2-2 tablespoons of mixed raisins and glace cherries. Will be making it over and over. Thanks again.
Netsanet, I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing your adjustment.
Oh – I so want to make this! We like things on the “not as sweet” side though. Do you think it would work well with only 1/2 cup of sugar and an extra 1/2 cup of flour?
Absolutely. I hope you enjoy!
Could I use canned pumpkin in place of the sweet potato? Thanks.
Katie, it is going to taste amazing, the texture will be soft like the filling for a pie but it won’t be the same as a traditional Jamaican sweet potato pudding but you will end up with a delicious dessert.
No you cannot! It is against the law you will be prosecuted. !
lol
If you do, just call it pumpkin bread. Duh!