Coffee Drink
Cuban Coffee (Café Cubano): Recipe and Espumita
Cuban coffee, or café cubano, is strong, sweet coffee with espumita, a foam made by beating a little coffee with sugar. A moka pot works for this home version. A cafecito is a small serving; a colada is commonly ordered to share. The basic drink contains no milk.
Drink Snapshot
- Caffeine
- Moka: unmeasuredEspresso alternative only: ~63 mg per portionMayo Clinic reference for 30 ml (1 US fl oz) prepared espresso.
- Calories
- About 26 kcal6 g (1½ US tsp) sugar plus a small coffee-energy allowanceIngredient model using espresso as an energy proxy for the coffee.
Serving, sugar and sources
- Serving
- One quarter of the batch: 30 ml (1 US fl oz) coffee plus 6 g (1½ US tsp) sugar
- Made with
- 120 ml (4.1 US fl oz) prepared coffee + 24 g (2 US tbsp) sugar, divided four ways
- Sugar
- About 6 g. 6 g added sugar per equal portion; no milk in the base recipe.
- Preparation
- About 10 minutes; moka-pot brewing time varies
USDA ingredient references support the calorie estimate. The separate espresso alternative uses Mayo Clinic’s caffeine reference. See the full calculation or label comparison.
Key Takeaways
- 1Beat the first teaspoon of coffee into sugar before adding the rest.
- 2Our 120 ml (4.1 US fl oz) coffee and 24 g (2 US tbsp) sugar batch makes four small portions.
- 3Espumita is sugar foam; use the moka method here or the separate espresso alternative.
On This Page10 Sections
Café Cubano Recipe
Recipe
Cuban Coffee with Espumita
- Makes:
- 4 portions
- Time:
- About 10 minutes; pot time varies
Ingredients
- Ground coffee suitable for your moka pot, enough to fill its basket level without tamping
- Water to the level specified by your moka-pot manufacturer, below the safety valve
- 24 g (2 US tbsp) fine white granulated sugar
Equipment
- Moka pot yielding at least 120 ml (4.1 US fl oz) coffee
- scale and teaspoon
- heatproof mixing jug and measuring jug
- four small cups
Method
- Prepare. Put 24 g (2 US tbsp) sugar in a heatproof mixing jug. Fill the moka pot as directed: water below the valve and a level, untamped coffee basket. Keep sugar outside the pot.
- Brew. Heat gently. Carefully add the first 5 ml (1 US tsp) coffee to the sugar. Return the pot to low heat if needed.
- Beat. Whip the sugar and coffee into a pale, thick paste, adding drops of coffee if dry. Watch the pot and remove it when brewing finishes.
- Measure. Including all coffee used in the paste, use 120 ml (4.1 US fl oz) coffee in total: 115 ml (3.9 US fl oz) more if the paste contains exactly 5 ml (1 US tsp). Set surplus coffee aside.
- Combine. Gently stir the measured coffee into the paste until dissolved. Divide the complete mixture and foam evenly between four cups; serve hot.
Estimated nutrition per serving: 26 calories; total sugar 6 g. Serving: 1 quarter: 30 ml (1 US fl oz) coffee + 6 g (1½ US tsp) sugar.
Recipe notes
Sugar and foam change volume. Divide the whole sweetened batch; do not measure 30 ml (1 US fl oz) of it as plain coffee.
Calories use espresso as a coffee-energy proxy. For the espresso alternative, combine normally extracted shots totaling 120 ml (4.1 US fl oz) and divide four ways.
Cuban Coffee with Espumita
Use a moka pot that produces at least 120 ml (4.1 US fl oz) finished coffee. Fill the pot normally, following its manufacturer; measure the brewed result for this recipe. Do not underfill its basket or add extra pressure to force a particular yield. Our moka-pot guide covers the brewer in more detail.
The first-small-pour method follows Café Bustelo's preparation guidance; the 120 ml (4.1 US fl oz) batch and 24 g (2 US tbsp) sugar are our defined home quantities. Bialetti's instructions support an untamped basket and gentle heat.
Can You Use an Espresso Machine?
Yes. Prepare 120 ml (4.1 US fl oz) espresso from normally extracted shots, reserving the first teaspoon for the paste. Follow the same sugar quantity and divide four ways. Do not keep running one puck to reach 120 ml (4.1 US fl oz). Espresso and moka coffee use different brewing systems, even though both can provide a concentrated base for this preparation.
Why Espumita Works Differently from Crema
Espumita is the sweet foam produced when sugar and a little coffee are beaten together before dilution. Espresso crema forms during espresso extraction. A moka pot can therefore make this sugar foam without making espresso crema.
Café Cubano Troubleshooting
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| Problem | Likely place to look | Next adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Thin brown puddle instead of paste | Too much coffee added at the start | Start a new paste with the first teaspoon only |
| Dry, crumbly sugar | Too little liquid to beat | Add coffee by drops, counting it within the 120 ml (4.1 US fl oz) total |
| Heavy, dark paste | Incomplete beating or coarse sugar | Beat until paler; use fine granulated sugar next time |
| Little foam after combining | Rough mixing or a weak paste | Mix gently and share the foam promptly |
| Burnt coffee under the sweetness | Excess heat or finished coffee left cooking | Lower the heat and remove the pot when brewing finishes |
| Too sweet | The sugar portion does not suit you | Reduce sugar in the next batch; expect less or different foam |
Do not add sugar to the moka pot itself. An unsweetened version can be enjoyable coffee, but it will not have this sugar-based espumita. Alternative sweeteners do not necessarily behave like granulated sugar when beaten.
How Café Cubano Tastes
Expect a small, concentrated drink with pronounced sweetness and a light foamy first sip. Depending on the coffee and roast, the underlying flavor may be roasty, cocoa-like or nutty. If the unsweetened base tastes scorched, fix the brewing before adding more sugar.
Cafecito, Colada, Cortadito and Café Con Leche
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| Order | Useful meaning | What to clarify |
|---|---|---|
| Café cubano or cafecito | Small, sweet coffee without milk | Café serving size and sweetness |
| Colada | A sharing order with little cups | How many people it is intended to serve |
| Cortadito | Sweet Cuban-style coffee with a small amount of milk | Milk type and amount |
| Cuban café con leche | A milkier coffee, often a breakfast order | Whether sugar is already included |
The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau's coffee guide describes these practical ordering distinctions. Ask how many people the colada is intended to serve.
Café Cubano Caffeine, Calories and Sugar
Each equal portion of this home recipe has 6 g added sugar and about 26 kcal in our ingredient model.
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| Defined serving | Caffeine | Estimated calories | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moka recipe: quarter of the batch | Unmeasured | About 26 kcal, using the energy proxy below | About 6 g, all added |
| Espresso alternative: 30 ml (1 US fl oz) espresso + 6 g (1½ US tsp) sugar | About 63 mg, generic espresso reference | About 26 kcal | About 6 g, all added |
Serving calculation and espresso reference
The calorie calculation is transparent: USDA granulated sugar, FDC 169655, supplies 387 kcal per 100 g, so 6 g contributes 23.2 kcal. USDA espresso, FDC 171891, provides a small 2.7 kcal allowance for 30 ml, using its 9 kcal/100 g and 29.6 g-per-fluid-ounce portion. We use that as an energy proxy for the moka coffee.
For the espresso alternative only, Mayo Clinic's reference lists 63 mg caffeine per 30 ml. Thus a 120 ml espresso batch has a generic reference of 252 mg, divided four ways.
What Changes When You Share the Batch Differently?
Share the same prepared batch in these portions:
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| Equal portions from the same batch | Coffee input per portion | Added sugar per portion |
|---|---|---|
| 4, as written | 30 ml (1 US fl oz) | 6 g (1½ US tsp) |
| 3 | 40 ml (1.4 US fl oz) | 8 g (2 US tsp) |
| 2 | 60 ml (2 US fl oz) | 12 g (1 US tbsp) |
Dissolved sugar and foam change finished volume. Divide the whole sweetened mixture, rather than assuming a measured 30 ml (1 US fl oz) of it still contains 30 ml (1 US fl oz) coffee. When using a portion to make a milk drink, count this sugar before adding any more.
History and Culture
South Florida-based recipe writer Blanca at Casablanca Cooks describes coffee sharing as part of Cuban-American life in the area. The colada and its little cups make that social role visible in the serving format. “Cuban coffee” here describes a preparation and drinking tradition; it does not require beans grown in Cuba.
Common Questions
Is Cuban Coffee Stronger Than Espresso?
It may taste very intense because it is served small and sweet, but the name does not establish a caffeine ranking. This version uses moka coffee; an espresso-machine version uses a different extraction. Compare actual coffee portions and reliable product information rather than sweetness or cup size.
Can I Make It Without a Moka Pot?
An espresso machine can supply the measured coffee input. Other strong brewing methods can produce a sweet coffee adaptation, but their flavor and extraction differ. The sugar-paste sequence stays the useful starting point.
Is the Foam Whipped Cream?
No. The pale paste and resulting espumita contain coffee and sugar. Milk is an addition for drinks such as cortadito, not an ingredient in the base recipe.
Can I Use Brown Sugar?
You can experiment, but it changes the flavor and mixing behavior. Fine white granulated sugar makes the reference recipe easier to repeat. Keep the sugar mass consistent when comparing results.
Editor's Take
Sources and Further Reading
7 references
External links open in a new tab
Preparation and method
Definition and context
- Casablanca CooksCuban home preparation and sharingSouth Florida-based recipe author's account of preparation and South Florida coffee sharing.(opens in a new tab)
- Greater Miami Convention & Visitors BureauCuban coffee orders in MiamiCafecito, colada, cortadito and café con leche as local ordering categories.(opens in a new tab)
Nutrition references
- Mayo ClinicGeneric espresso caffeine63 mg per 30 ml espresso, used only for the espresso alternative.(opens in a new tab)
- USDA FoodData CentralGranulated sugar, FDC 169655387 kcal per 100 g; 6 g sugar supplies about 23.2 kcal.(opens in a new tab)
- USDA FoodData CentralEspresso energy, FDC 171891Energy and portion mass support an explicitly labelled coffee-energy proxy, not moka caffeine.(opens in a new tab)