If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked for a cassava pone or “doubles” recipe, yuh boy would be rich. No Joke! Though I’m still to come up with a good doubles recipe, I’m very excited to share this tasty cassava pone recipe with you all. I’m sure “bake and shark” will replace the requests for cassava pone now that I’ve finally got around to getting this up.
As there are islands in the Caribbean, so too the many recipes for making pone as it’s lovingly referred to at times. In this recipe I’ve tried my best to cover all the basics to give you a mouth watering slice of cassava pone, but you can certainly personalize it as you get better at it. I do things a little different than my mom (who’s recipe I used as the base for this), and dare I say my version is better than hers?
You’ll Need…
3 cups grated sweet cassava
1 cup grated coconut
1 cup grated pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon grated ginger
½ cup raisins
Notes: Some work is required as far as the grating of the cassava and pumpkin, but you can also use a food processor or purchase the already grated cassava from your local (well stocked) grocery store and those of us in North America, can certainly use pumpkin pie filling. I know it’s not traditional, but sometimes convenience beats out on tradition. Same can be said for using canned coconut milk and not worrying about grating dried coconuts to get the milk out.
The first step is to peel, wash and grate the cassava and pumpkin. The skin on both the pumpkin and cassava will be a bit tough so you’ll need a sharp pairing knife or potato peeler. Now it’s just a matter of grating both items. It will take a bit of labor and do watch out for your fingers when the pieces get small as you grate away. At that point I usually use a piece of paper towel to hold onto the small pieces so I have a better grip. If you’re not in the Caribbean or somewhere tropical where cassava is grown, you may notice that it’s skin may be waxy. I believe the cassava is dipped in wax to help prolong it’s shelf life when it’s exported so don’t be alarmed. I’ve been told that you can find already peel cassava in the frozen section of the grocery store, which works well for this recipe. But I can’t confirm the results when used as I’ve never personally used frozen cassava.
Now it’s just a matter of assembling everything into a thick batter. Start off with a large bowl (you’ll need a wooden spoon or whisk) and add in the coconut milk, sugar and spice. Give that a good whisk to break down the sugar. Then add everything else and mix well. In the mean-time preheat your oven to 350F.
The next step is to grease a baking pan/dish (I used a ceramic pie dish).. you can use cooking spray or a light coat of butter as I did. Now pour in the batter into the baking dish and place on the middle rack of your now hot oven.
Since every oven differs when it comes to maintaining it’s heat and distribution, you’re aiming for 1 hour of baking. However if you find that the middle of the cassava pone is still wet or not as firm or golden brown as the edges, do allow it to bake for 10-20 minutes more. I ended up leaving mine for an extra 15 minutes if memory serves me right. I did the toothpick test.. stick a toothpick into the middle of the pone and if it comes out clean it means it’s fully cooked.
It’s very important (and you’ll need to ignore the temptation) that you allow the cassava pone to fully cool before slicing.
Your entire house will be blanketed with the lovely aroma of baking goodness and don’t be surprised if your loved ones keep asking “is it done yet?”. I purposely turned on the fan above our oven (vent) to pump the enticing scent throughout the neighborhood. You could hear neighbors mutter “what is he making now”, area dogs were barking hysterically and people on their evening walk would pause as they walked by our house (with a quizzed expression on their faces). Yea.. the wicked chef is at work again!
There is a bit of work involved if you choose to grate your ingredients, but I assure it will be well worth the effort. If you’re not from the Caribbean and you do have friends from the region.. make one of these and surprise them. you’ll instantly get an island passport of choice (smile).
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Based on 75 Review(s)
Very very delicious. Although it didn’t come out like my mom’s 🙁
Am trying your recipe today, will let you know how it came out. Marlene Johns
I always make this cassava Pone and my family love it but I never put milk and baking power, my grand mother taught me you must put a little black pepper
Perfect recipe! My sister does not eat cake so I made this for her 65th birthday party with her Trini, American and African friends. It was not enough; everyone wanted more! Thank you for the correct proportions to this family favorite.
Thanks Chris. I’ve never had it with pumpkin – I’m looking forward to trying it though. Frozen grated cassava and coconut work very well. I buy them from the Asian grocery stores where it is relatively cheap. It should be thawed thoroughly before mixing ( I make large batches, so I prep ingredients in a large bowl with the frozen coconut and cassava and leave overnight to thaw before mixing if necessary). I also heat the milk and add a cup of hot water (this tends to give it the nice gummy texture – I guess it activates the starch)
Thank you for posting this recipe, I am going to make it as soon as I get better; been sick for almost 2 months now. Please, could you post a recipe for “Cornmeal Pone” and “Cornmeal Pudding” since the two recipes are different. Hope to hear from you in the very near future. Thank you for all your recipes. I had never seen the “Cassava Pone” made with pumpkin but I will try it just as you posted it.
Love,
Jean Gordon.
I grew up on this stuff. It’s so good and it always reminds me of my grandmother. I admit though, I’ve always hated the raisins in it. I know I know, so weird because I love raisins otherwise. My grandmother loved me so much that she stopped putting raisins in it (awww). Thanks for bringing back sweet memories of my childhood (pun intended). Oh, no I won’t be making this, I’m on a diet and looking to get a six pack abs by December haha. Just thought I’d share my memory with everyone. XD
Would using packaged shredded unsweetened coconut be a suitable alternative to fresh in this recipe?
I tried your recipe – very similar to mine – but used frozen cassava (thawed) and dessicated coconut. I put both in the food processor and processed until really fine. (Saved the knuckles!) This is a great recipe and thank goodness you put specific quantities! “Two medium cassava and 1 small coconut” is ridiculous! I never used baking powder before and I can’t say I really noticed any difference.
This recipe is amazing. I followed it and the Pone came out perfect and tasting so good. This recipe will be one of my weekly treats. Thank you for sharing.
Oh gosh, I’ve been craving this since October 2016. I came on here to get the recipe and I think it’s time I go in the kitchen and satisfy that craving. I am depriving myself. This looks so good!!
A fabulous recipe! Made it twice in the last week and my family can’t get enough!
Best Cassava Pone recipe ever!. Followed it to the T and it came out perfect. Made this recipe a few times already and everyone always comes back for more. I personally like to bake at night and open the windows for the neighbors to smell when it’s baking. .lol.. overall 5 star rating for this one!
I made this a few days ago and it came out great
I made this today, came out great even though I forgot the baking powder! Thank you for a great recipe, I will retry it again this time with all the ingredients.
Can I substitute pumpkin puree or a summer squash for the shredded pumpkin? And could coconut cream be substituted for the evaporated milk?
Thanks, I really want to try this.
Thanks for the recipe. Jus Made it, I subsituted the grated coconut for pumpkin.. we r yet to taste it..
Chris Boy I made this and it is superb. I eliminated the raisins but was just as great. Thanks
Hi Cris, you recipe looks lovely, I am definitely going to try it. However there is one thing that I used to hear the older folks say that made a pone great and that was a little black pepper in your mixture. I just thought you might like to know, that is if you haven’t already. I enjoy your videos…Keep up the great work!
thanks for the tip.
In Surinam we call this ‘BOJO’… One of my favorits
I plan to try this recipe tomorrow but I don’t have fresh cassava. Can I use farine which is cassava flour?
I made the cassava pone but for some reason is does not set
it just falls apart, very soft, I baked if for almost 2 hours and it still did not set. Any ideas
how deep was your pan?
The liquid used I suggest could be a mixture of water and the evaporated milk. You need the water to cook the cassava to provide the bonding. For added flavour boil 4 to 6 bay-leaves to make a cup of liquid plus a half cup of milk, that should do the trick. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 and 1/2 (half) hours – but monitor every half hour, ovens are calibrated differently.
Hi Chris I made this cassava pone it was so good I got lots of compliments.
Thanks for the great job you are doing by keeping these mouth watering food recipes Mama used to make alive.
Best pone recipe, people keep asking me to make more…. Thanks Chris.
I am going to experiment and try to make a paleo version by subbing the brown sugar with coconut sugar, and milk with either cashew milk, almond milk, or coconut milk.
Maria Campos,
The Paleo Trini
Hi Chris I’ve tried your pone recipe and it came out perfect! Thank you so much and God bless. I’d like everyone especially Esme to know that it also freezes very well. Thank you Chris and keep bringing the good things to us.
I really want to pin this…..:b Get yourself on Pinterest soon!
I found you!!! PIN
Hi Chris, I want to make pone so badly because I used to live in Trinidad and now live in the UK. However I cannot get pumpkin at all as it is only available at Halloween time and even then it’s not really pumpkin for eating. Can I use butternut squash instead?
yes it will work, but try to get a really ‘ripe’ piece.
Hello I just tried ur recipie I went to the grocery I came home started grating everything and u know what my phone took nearly four to bake and it still isn’t good ong I putbit in the fridge to see if it will stick together it isn’t working I feeling to cry n I spend 30us buying all d damn ingredients.
Hi Chris. Tried the recipe and it was wonderful. Easiest pone recipe I’ve ever tried. Question, though: Can you freeze this pone once it is cooled. I’m planning to make quite a bit next time. Thanks and keep up the deliciously good work!
I LOVE pone, cassava or corn(flour). In Barbados we do not put pumpkin, milk, b.powder or ginger in our pone and it is very good. I don’t use a recipe, just sight and taste.
Hi Chris,
You are my go to person for Trini recipes. I tried the fried bake, khurma and now the pone. I used my food processor to “grate” all the ingredients and it came out perfectly. The pone is still cooking in the oven …would let you know how it comes out.
Thanks so much for posting your videos and recipes
I have a question, not a comment. Can I make this the day before I plan to serve it? If so, should it be stored in the refrigerator? Thanks.
most certainly
I have always wanted to make Cassava or sweet potato pone,,but keep putting it off ,as one needs a few people to eat a pie dish of Trinidad pone ….but I will get there in time………and I will follow your recipe….thanks Querino
I made several Pone for Christmas and they all were wonderful. Some of the comments were it reminded them of “back home”. Pone is a thing that people don’t make anymore, don’t know how to make. I had one guest hide it, not want to share and want to take the whole thing home for themselves. I tried something different as a guest requested some black pepper so I added about 1tbs. Something they had in the pone growing up. I am pretty sure that every Christmas I will be opening up your book to make this one. Excellent
great work Chris keep it up.Tried the sweetbread recipe.Happy Holidays from RichmondHill Ontario.
Thanks much for this recipe. First time trying cassava pone and it came out perfectly. Sticky, not too sweet and delicious. I doubled the recipe very brave for a first attempt:). The only addition I made was added a sweet potato. Simply delish thanks again.
Hi there Chris,
I have been following you for some time now. My hubby is Grenadain and I am southern American…Yeah what you al call a Yankee…lol But not I am a true southerner… 🙂
I really need your take on Hard dough Bread… I lived in NYC and eat Allen Bread who is a Trini…but man..I know I can make this bread…just need at starting point..
BTY…I have baked the Currant rolls, made the Mango Coconut ice cream, making the Cassava Pone today before Thanksgiving..and will make the Pumpkin soup but with Pig tails….
I’ve not posted a hard dough bread yet, but it’s on my to-do list )growing daily). I’ll try to have it up shortly.
My husband askin me to make pone which I have never done before but like all my other first in the kitchen I trust Chris my kitchen buddy to make me a pro and put a smile on my husbands face. Luv u Chris my husband won’t be mad because I told u that.
Just made some…..sweet fuh days!!! Thank you Chris!
I did not know you could add pumpkin to cassava pone.
They use pumpkin in Trinidad.
I made a cassava pone 3 days ago, but I did not include some of the ingredients on this recipe but I can assure you that this pone will definitely taste excellente.
Thank you for this recipe.
half teaspoon of black pepper gives it an ump.
Hi this Cassava pone recipe is great, but i find that with a half teaspoon of salt brings it really together
Hi chef Chris,
Got the link to your web site via my brother. I’m from Suriname and there cassava pone is known as “boyo”. I suppose a name that either has it’s roots in an African or English dialect. Anyway, it has been over 30 years last I ate a “boyo”. Until of course, I made one last weekend following your recipe “in broad strokes”, that is, I love to improvise and follow my instincts when cooking from a recipe. It came out beautifully and tasted like I remember from childhood. No need to mention that it was finished in no time. Thank you so much.
Another saver. GREAT. I used canned pumpkin and soaked the raisins a bit beforehand in Cinnamon tea with a “tups”of Rum.
Hi
Thank you for sharing this with everyone. I will try this (Of course my grandmother will be helping) 🙂
Are raisins necessary? I am not much of a raisin fan… Can I substitute almonds instead?
Lol,I like the effect of the aroma. Will try the cassava pone without the pumpkin, coconut and or potato.
Hi Chef Chris
I have it in the oven right now! In Guyana we used to make it with only the cassava and coconut…and bake it in the fireside… Back in the hard old days…that’s traditional Guyanese style.
Thanks
Hi Chris,
Can you put the measurements in UK conversion as well. I love the Cassava Pone recipe I had it in Jamaica and have been looking for the recipe since I got back.
Well meh pone in de oven, and as you does say, meh house smelling "wicked". LOL Cya wait!
Oh gosh ah love me some cassava pone. Ah making some today self. Thanks and enjoy your weekend.
looks great
Chris am angry with you when you say you are making something the traditional way but you encourage one to make shortcuts like using items from a can or frozen and using a processer when one must use a grater. Doing things to get the taste that Granny or Mama used to get, requires no kind of shortcuts of anykind, if for any reason you are toooo lazy to forego the shortcuts, then leave the traditional treats to our knowledgable and resourceful folks and waits until they make their items and offer you some, because if we all continue to create and use shortcut then by the time it is our great grandchildren's turn to make these goodies, then the real tradition of activities and taste will be loss forever. Also some yellow sweet potatoes should be added to this mixture for a better texture and taste, dont forget a pinch of salt.
My grandmother used to make pone but died before I could get the recipe from her. I have made this twice now following Chris' exact directions and it tasted like I remembered growing up, my mom tried it and said it was exactly like Gran's.
I do not consider using pre-grated items laziness, we don't all have the same access to these ingredients nor do we all have the time require to grate items the old fashioned way. Why ride a donkey when you can drive a car? Do you churn your own butter for recipes or buy it pre-made? Do you milk the cow and make your own evaporated milk or get it from the store?
As I mentioned earlier I followed the recipe using pre-grated & frozen cassava as well as coconut milk from a can and there was no difference in taste.
Just took it out of the oven, can't wait to try it.
It was awesome! Served it at US Thanksgiving with plenty islanders and got rave reviews, none was left. Thank you for sharing, my mum said it tastes just like my Gran's 🙂
Hey I just made this cassava pone and it is amazing!! My husband is from Guyanna and I'm mixed, my fathers from Bahamas while my mother is from Holland. Unfortunately, I don't see my carribean family a whole lot as they live in Bahamas and I grew up in Toronto. All my life I've had to resort to restaurants or friends and my husbands family for a taste of my carribean roots. Any cook book I bought or website I tried didn't give me the result of true authentic, delicious carribean cuisine. This was until i found your website!! You changed my life and gave me the gift of cooking food from my heritage. I am so thankful and please keep the recipes coming! So far I've Cooke; stewed pork, jerk pork, jerk chicken, coleslaw,root vegetable stew, rice and peas, orange cake and now your cassava pone – this was all in a week mind you as I haven't cooked anything other than carribean since I found your site!! I swear my husbands in heaven and thankful weekly rotation meals are no longer spaghetti and meatballs, stirfry, and pork schnitzel!!! Xox forever grateful,
SW
hi chris great desert.. can you make a video on custard pie from trinidad.. i dont know if i have the name right.. yammmy
Last year I made pone for the first time during Christmas. Well…it wasn't too too bad…but I didn't put any pumpkin and I had put a lil too much coconut. It was like hard time. Anyway…I can't wait to give your recipe a try. It looks soo good. O goshh…mmm mmm mmm.
First you said 350', then 375' which is correct?
You originally said to preheat the oven to 350' (3-5-0) then you said you had it cook for 1 hour and 12 minutes @375'- which is correct????
Do you have to use pumpkin or it’s optional
this looks delis I will try this
ok this looks delis I have to try it
I love your page- keep up the great work!!!
Hi Chris, this looks gr8 i have to try it .never know u can add pumpkin to it.
Hi Chris,
I can't wait to try this recipe but I don't like raisins can I use dates instead?
Hi I'm from Trinidad and Tobago, just leave out the raisins it would taste just a s good
I made this over the weekend and it was delicious….just like my grandmothers w/out raisins….mmm GOOD!!!!
it"s absolutely awesome that some one could have such a collection of recipes from all these islands. Do you have a recipe book with all these reciprs. If you do please send the information as to the name and where i can purchase it. Send me the information in my e-mail.. I have a big question, i am assuming you are from the islands yourself, which one.
Hey Chris, Thanks for this been, looking for this for a while now , and guess what came across this by pinning and showing my friend from India what provision and salt fish looks like. You know I am trying this. Wish me luck!! that It comes out as good as yours xo♥
p.s Have to take a closer look at all the yummy goodness I can try and recommend to friends. My best wishes ..Kari!
Hi Chris, I can't wait to try. Please post recipe for doubles. Thanks a million.
Pone is my Dad's specialty. Just looking at this gives me a craving for some.
I finally tried the cassava pone recipe and it is really awesome. I've tried a few recipes in the past but this one is clearly the best as the pone is finger licking good. Thank you very much for all the great recipes and videos.
Chris, thanks for sharing your recipes. This pone looks good. I have got to try this recipe for not just my husband, but for me too. Oh, it looks like it taste good.
Hi Chris, I tried the cassava pone recipe and it came out fantastic. You are an inspiration. I never thought I could have made cassava pone. I always depend on my grandmother or my mum. Now I don't have to. Thanks for making everything so easy to follow.
Mmmm Chris this cassava pone looks so good I cant wait to try it. P
i'm still waiting for ur sweet bread recipe so i can compare it with my grandmother's own. love the recipes! keep it up!
Amber, Chris' website has the sweetbread recipe awhile now. I have personally tried it and can now boast that I do a better sweetbread than my mom….
chris next time try some grated sweet potato in your cassava pone recipe 🙂
Great recipe for the pone! Mine is in the oven! Have not made it in over 15yrs,
So had to google it, and the steps and ingredients in this one was very similar
To the one mt grand father Monis from Blanchissuese used to make. Can't
Wait to put my knife through it! Thanks for providing such a true recipe.