Cuban coffee is an espresso-style shot sweetened during brewing with a whipped sugar foam called espuma; espresso is brewed unsweetened and sugared only afterward, if at all.
A cafecito is judged by its cap: the first drops of coffee off the heat are whipped into white granulated sugar until they turn pale and thick (espuma), then the rest of the shot goes on top. That one step — sugar meeting coffee before the cup is finished — separates Cuban coffee from espresso with a spoonful stirred in at the end.
Espresso is coffee brewed from finely ground beans and hot water under pressure; nothing in that definition mentions sugar. It finishes with crema, the tan foam pressurized extraction produces. Cuban coffee finishes with espuma, a foam you make with your wrist. Same small cup, different engineering behind the top quarter inch.
Is Cuban Coffee Actually Espresso?
Not strictly. Traditional Cuban coffee is often brewed in a stovetop moka pot (cafetera moka) rather than a pump-driven espresso machine, which is why some sources call it espresso-style instead of true espresso.
Espresso is a brewing method defined by pressure; Cuban coffee is a preparation style defined by sugar. You can make a cafecito in an espresso machine, but the stovetop cafetera is classic and produces a stronger, denser brew than drip without reaching espresso’s nine bars of pressure. So Cuban coffee is espresso-adjacent, sometimes literally espresso, and never defined by the machine — only by what happens to the sugar.
How Do You Make Cuban Coffee?
Put the sugar in the cup first, catch the first drops of brewed coffee, whip them into foam, then pour in the rest. The order matters more than the equipment.
- Add a few spoonfuls of white granulated sugar to a heatproof cup or small pitcher. Brown sugar works too, giving a rounder, molasses-leaning note.
- Start the coffee — stovetop cafetera or espresso machine, both fine.
- As the first dark drops come out, add just those few drops to the sugar.
- Whip hard with a spoon or small whisk until it turns into a pale, thick paste — the espuma, sometimes called espumita.
- Pour the rest of the hot coffee over the foam. The espuma rises and settles as the cap.
Serve in a small cup, taken like a shot. If your “Cuban coffee” was brewed normally and stirred with sugar at the end, you made sweet coffee — not a cafecito. That stirred-in version is the most common mistake and why the drink tastes flat next to the real thing.
Cuban Coffee vs. Espresso: The Differences That Matter
| Feature | Cuban Coffee | Espresso |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetening | Sugar added during brewing, before the cup is full | Brewed unsweetened; sugar added after, if desired |
| Signature top layer | Espuma — whipped sugar foam made by hand | Crema — foam produced by pressurized extraction |
| Typical brewing vessel | Stovetop moka pot (cafetera moka) | Espresso machine running under pressure |
| Inherent sweetness | Sweet by construction | Not sweet unless you make it so |
| Serving size | Small cup, consumed like a shot | Single or double shot, usually 1–2 oz |
| Also called | Café cubano, cafecito, Cuban espresso | Espresso, short black |
| Common mistake | Treating it as espresso with sugar stirred in afterward | None specific; sugar timing is personal preference |
A café con leche, a cortado, and a milk-based “Cubano coffee” are different drinks; milk changes the drink entirely and doesn’t belong in this comparison.
If you want to brew the real thing at home and are weighing stovetop against electric options, this roundup of tested Cuban coffee machine choices covers what holds up in a home kitchen.
Does Cuban Coffee Have More Caffeine Than Espresso?
There is no official standard for Cuban coffee’s caffeine content, and published ranges vary — treat exact milligram figures with suspicion. Caffeine depends on beans, grind, cup size, and brew strength, not the sugar step; the espuma adds sweetness, not stimulant. A cafecito’s kick tracks the coffee you started with, per Nescafé’s guide to Cuban coffee, which describes it as espresso-style coffee built around that whipped sugar base.
FAQs
Is café cubano the same as a cortado?
No. A café cubano is a small, heavily sweetened coffee with a whipped sugar foam on top. A cortado is an espresso cut with roughly equal warm milk and no whipped sugar cap. Similar in size, completely different in taste and build.
Can I make it without special equipment?
Yes. A stovetop moka pot or cafetera works, as will a standard espresso machine or even strong drip brew in a pinch. Equipment affects body and intensity, but the whipped sugar foam — not the machine — makes the drink Cuban.
Do I have to use white granulated sugar?
White granulated sugar is common because it whips into a pale, stable foam most reliably. Brown sugar gives a deeper, molasses-like flavor but foams less brightly. Either works; the whipping step matters more than the sugar type.
References & Sources
- Nescafé. “Cuban Coffee.” Describes the espresso-style build and the whipped sugar base of the drink.
- Wikipedia. “Cuban espresso.” Supports terminology (café cubano, cafecito), moka pot brewing, and the espuma step.
- Food Republic. “Cuban Coffee vs. Standard Espresso: The Difference.” Covers the core distinction between sweetened-during-brewing Cuban coffee and unsweetened espresso.