How to Make Cuban Coffee (Cafecito)
Quick answer: Cuban coffee, or cafecito, is an espresso brewed in a moka pot and sweetened in a distinctive way. You whip sugar with the very first drops of espresso, the most concentrated ones, until they form the espuma, a sweet, creamy, pale-beige foam. You then pour the rest of the coffee over it, which lifts the foam to the surface. Use about one teaspoon of sugar per small cup, and serve straight away.
- Coffee base: an espresso brewed in a moka pot (such as a Bialetti), finely ground
- Sugar: about one teaspoon per small cup (white, or raw cane sugar)
- Key move: whip the sugar with the first drops to build the espuma
- A good espuma is a pale, smooth, creamy light-beige paste
- Serve in small cups, with the golden foam on top
- Variations: colada (to share), cortadito (with a little milk)
What is Cuban coffee?
Cuban coffee, also called cafecito, is a sweetened espresso that has grown into a genuine social ritual, both in Cuba and across the Cuban diaspora in Miami. What sets it apart from a plain sweet espresso is the espuma: a glossy, golden foam built by whipping sugar with the very first drops of coffee. That foam crowns the cup and gives cafecito its velvety texture and its trademark sweetness.
The traditional method uses a moka pot, the three-part aluminium stovetop brewer many people know by the name Bialetti. The coffee it produces is short, intense and concentrated, exactly what the espuma needs. The central move takes only seconds: catch the first fraction of the brew, the most syrupy part, and work it into the sugar before you pour the rest.
Cafecito is meant to be sweet. That is not a flaw in the recipe but its signature: the sugar is not a simple add-on, it is part of the drink's structure, whipped and emulsified rather than just dissolved. That is what gives the dense foam and the round taste that define a real Cuban coffee.
Ingredients and equipment
The list is deliberately short. Everything rests on a well-concentrated brew and on the quality of the whipping.
- Finely ground coffee for a 6-cup moka pot (about 18 to 22 g), a grind suited to a moka pot
- 2 to 3 teaspoons of sugar, about one teaspoon per small cup; white sugar gives the smoothest espuma, raw cane sugar such as demerara adds a caramel note
- Cold water for the moka pot base
- A moka pot (such as a Bialetti) in the 6-cup size, or an espresso machine
- A small spoon or tiny whisk, a cup or jug for whipping, and small cups for serving
The step-by-step method
Success comes down to one precise thing: catching the first drops at the right moment and whipping them long enough with the sugar. Prepare the sugar before you put the pot on the heat, because the window to catch those first drops is short.
- Fill the moka pot. Pour cold water into the lower base up to the safety valve. Fit the filter basket and fill it with finely ground coffee without tamping, just levelling the surface. Screw the top chamber on firmly.
- Prepare the sugar. Put 2 to 3 teaspoons of sugar straight into a heatproof cup or a small jug, about one teaspoon per small cup. This is the vessel where the espuma will be born.
- Catch the first drops. Set the pot on medium heat and watch closely. As soon as the coffee starts to bead and rise, take the very first spoonful, the darkest and most syrupy, and pour it straight onto the sugar. Those concentrated first drops are the key to the espuma.
- Whip the espuma. Beat the sugar and those first drops vigorously with a small spoon for 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture thickens, pales and turns into a smooth, creamy paste of a light-beige colour. The more you whip, the denser and more stable the espuma becomes.
- Pour and serve. Let the rest of the coffee finish rising in the pot, then take it off the heat as soon as the gurgling speeds up, to avoid a burnt taste. Pour that coffee slowly over the espuma while stirring lightly: the sweet foam rises and crowns the surface. Divide at once into small cups and serve without waiting.
Colada, cortadito and cafe con leche: the variations
The cafecito is the base for a whole family of Cuban drinks. The difference lies in the volume served and whether milk is added. The notes below follow traditional Cuban coffee practice.
| Drink | Amount | Milk | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafecito | one small cup | none | sweet Cuban espresso, individual |
| Colada | 3 to 6 shots | none | to share, with small cups |
| Cortadito | one small cup | a little (about 1:1) | cafecito softened with milk, often evaporated |
| Cafe con leche | large cup | plenty (about 1:2) | morning milky coffee |
In short: the colada is the social version, a larger amount of cafecito ordered to be shared among colleagues or friends, handed out in small cups. The cortadito softens the cafecito with a splash of hot milk, often evaporated milk, in a ratio close to 1:1. The cafe con leche is the Cuban take on milky coffee: far more milk, served in a large cup, often at breakfast.
Frequently asked questions about Cuban coffee
What is the espuma in Cuban coffee?
The espuma (or espumita) is the sweet, creamy, pale-beige foam that is the signature of cafecito. You create it by whipping sugar with the very first drops of espresso, the most concentrated ones, until it turns into a pale, airy paste. The rest of the coffee is then poured over it, and the espuma rises to crown the cup with a golden foam.
How much sugar goes into Cuban coffee?
Use roughly one teaspoon of sugar per small cup, which works out to about 2 to 3 teaspoons for a 6-cup moka pot. White sugar gives the smoothest espuma, while a raw cane sugar such as demerara adds a more caramel note. Cafecito is meant to be sweet: that is a feature of the recipe, not an excess.
What is the difference between a cafecito, a colada and a cortadito?
A cafecito is a sweetened Cuban espresso served in a small cup. A colada is a larger amount of the same coffee, roughly three to six shots, served with small cups so it can be shared between several people. A cortadito is a cafecito softened with a little hot milk, often evaporated milk, in a ratio close to 1:1.
Can you make Cuban coffee without a moka pot?
A moka pot (such as a Bialetti) is the traditional and simplest tool for Cuban coffee. An espresso machine works too, as long as you catch the first very concentrated drops for the espuma. A French press or a drip filter will give a coffee that is too light: without a strong, concentrated brew, the espuma will not set properly.
Sources
- Britannica, "Cafe Cubano", history and characteristics of Cuban coffee.
- Serious Eats, "Cuban Coffee (Cafecito)", definitions of cafecito, colada and cortadito.
- Cafe Bustelo, cafecito recipe and espuma technique.
- The Kitchn, "How To Make Cuban Coffee", moka pot method and first drops for the espuma.
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