A mix of cultures, races, and religions from other countries has always inspired Jamaica's dishes, including sweet desserts.

Jamaican cuisine started with the indigenous people of Tainos, also known as Arawak Indians, who were known to prepare food on charcoal. The Tainos are known for using cassava, corn, roasted fish, and carbs in food preparation.

The indigenous practice of cooking was quickly mixed with Spanish influences when the Spanish colonizers came to the land, bringing the seasonings and spices they acquired from other countries.

Asian immigrants brought more spices and curry powder, which became the most popular flavor in the country. One of the most popular and have the widest influence on Jamaican food are the African settlers. 

Africans incorporated their one-pot meals into Jamaican cuisines, such as jerk pork. On the other hand, the British extensively influenced Jamaican desserts when they brought their pudding and sweet and savory flavors to the country.

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Jamaica: Best Jamaican Desserts

Food is a big part of Jamaica's culture and tasting the country's traditional desserts is one of the best parts of traveling. Jamaican patties are not the only thing popular on the third-largest island in the Caribbean. Their desserts are also something to look forward to when visiting the island.

One of its most famous desserts is sweet potato pudding. It is usually described as "hell a top, hell a bottom, and hallelujah in the middle." According to Taste of Home, it is traditionally baked with coals layered above and below. A good Jamaican sweet potato pudding is supposed to be crusted on top and the bottom while being perfectly moist in the middle.

Jamaican Rum Cake

Jamaican rum cake has instilled its name in the island's traditions and celebrations, being a staple Jamaican dessert at holidays and weddings. The Jamaican rum cake is usually made with a combination of flour, dark rum, dates, dried apricots, raisins, brown sugar, and allspice, among others.

Making Jamaican rum cake can be a tiring process. It usually includes having the dried fruit soaked in rum while the eggs are beaten and mixed with brown sugar, rum, molasses, and melted butter.

Duckanoo

Duckanoo is also called Jamaican Blue Draws and originated in Ghana and was brought to the Caribbean by Africans. It is another type of Caribbean pudding usually made with cornmeal, grated coconut, and brown sugar with vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt butter, and raisins.

Duckanoo is usually eaten as a snack or dessert and is often consumed with whipped cream on the side. Like tamales, the Jamaican dessert is traditionally stuffed into banana leaves and boiled in water.

Gizzada

Jamaican desserts have a lot of use for coconut, with Gizzada having coconuts as its main ingredient. It is a butter crust filled with grated coconut, brown sugar, ginger, and spices. It has a tart-like texture with Portuguese origins. Some make Gizzada without any ginger, while others add gingers for a more interesting flavor and taste. In Portugal, Gizzada is known as Queijada.

Hummingbird Cake

This Jamaican dessert is believed to represent mid-20th century post-colonial tropical flair. Compared to other denser Jamaican cakes, the hummingbird cake is an airy, soft sponge based on dairy products, nuts, cream cheese, and other ingredients influenced by British settlers in Jamaica.

Many people said the cake was named after the bird due to the yellow streaks of the banana, while others noted that the cake is sweet enough to attract hummingbirds.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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