Jackfruit vs Cempedak: What's the Difference?
Short answer: Jackfruit and cempedak are closely related Artocarpus fruits from Southeast Asia. Jackfruit (A. heterophyllus) is larger, with firmer, crisper, milder bulbs. Cempedak (A. integer) is smaller and more elongated, with softer, stickier, intensely sweet flesh and a stronger, durian-like aroma. Cempedak also clings more to its core, and its seeds and even skin are often battered and fried.
| 🍈 Jackfruit | 🟡 Cempedak | |
|---|---|---|
| Taste | Ripe pods are intensely aromatic and sweet — banana, pineapple, and bubblegum in one bite, with a satisfying chew. Unripe "green" jackfruit is neutral and fibrous, a texture chameleon for savory cooking. | Custardy, honey-sweet, and fragrant, with a hint of durian's richness; softer and more slippery than jackfruit, with a slightly fibrous, mango-caramel flesh clinging to its seeds. |
| Type | Tropical & subtropical | Tropical & subtropical |
| Peak season | Spring, Summer | Summer, Autumn |
| Origin | Western Ghats of India | Maritime Southeast Asia (the Malay Peninsula and Borneo) |
| Calories (per 100 g) | 95 | 116 |
| Sugar (per 100 g) | 19.1 g | 20 g |
| Vitamin C (per 100 g) | 13.8 mg | 15 mg |
| Typical price | Budget | Mid |
If jackfruit is the mild giant of the Artocarpus clan, cempedak is its smaller, louder cousin - beloved across Malaysia, Indonesia, and southern Thailand.
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is big and firm, its hard, knobbly rind hiding crisp golden bulbs that are sweet but restrained, with only a faint aroma. It handles being pulled apart, which suits both fresh eating and savoury “pulled” dishes.
Cempedak (Artocarpus integer) is more elongated and usually much smaller, with a softer, finely bumpy skin. Inside, the flesh is deep yellow to orange, soft, sticky, and honey-sweet, carrying a stronger, muskier, faintly durian-like perfume. The bulbs cling tightly to the central core, so it’s messier to strip. The most famous way to eat it is goreng cempedak - whole bulbs dipped in batter and deep-fried until the sugars caramelise. The flat seeds are boiled or roasted like jackfruit seeds.
Choosing between them comes down to intensity and texture: jackfruit for a firmer, cleaner, milder bite; cempedak for a soft, rich, aromatic, dessert-like hit. If the aroma stops you in the market and the fruit is smaller than a jackfruit, it’s almost certainly cempedak.
Frequently asked questions
Is cempedak just a small jackfruit?
No - they're separate species in the same genus. Cempedak (Artocarpus integer) is its own fruit, generally smaller and more cylindrical than jackfruit, with softer flesh, a stronger smell, and a fine downy skin rather than jackfruit's hard knobs.
Which tastes stronger?
Cempedak. Its flavour is richer and more perfumed, with a mild durian-like funk that jackfruit lacks. Jackfruit is cleaner and milder, more banana-and-bubblegum than musky.
How do you eat cempedak?
The soft bulbs are eaten fresh, but a classic preparation is to batter and deep-fry them into goreng cempedak. The seeds are boiled or roasted, and unlike jackfruit, cempedak's whole battered flesh - skin and all - is sometimes fried.