Cuban Coffee (Cafecito)

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 05/13/21
Cuban Coffee

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Yield: 4 to 6 drinks
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
72 Calories
0g Fat
17g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 72
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 148mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 16mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 100mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Cuban coffee is sweet, rich, and delicious. Traditionally, it's served after dinner, and there's no need for dessert when you're sharing this beverage with family and friends. It requires a special technique that creates shots of espresso with a thick layer of foamy crema on top. Unlike other espresso drinks, the crema is created with sugar, not milk, and you don't need to have an expensive espresso machine in the kitchen to make it.

To make Cuban coffee, a 6-cup or 9-cup stovetop espresso maker or moka pot work best. Brewing the coffee is easy and fine-ground Cuban coffee makes it authentic. Freshly ground coffee beans work just as well.

There are a couple of tricks to transforming sugar into the perfect crema and it does take practice. First, watch the pot and use the first tablespoon or so of coffee that's brewed. It's concentrated and almost like coffee sludge, ideal for whisking with sugar to create the thick paste known as espuma (or espumita). To get the desired consistency you need to whip the mix for a couple of minutes. It takes patience and muscle, but the resulting coffee is worth it.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup finely ground coffee, or amount needed for pot

  • 1 1/2 cups water, or amount needed for pot

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Cuban Coffee

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  2. In a large stovetop espresso maker, brew coffee according to the manufacturer's instructions using fine-ground coffee.

    Brewing Coffee in a Stovetop Espresso Maker for Cuban Coffee

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  3. In a glass measuring cup with at least 2 cup capacity, add the sugar. Once a little bit of coffee has brewed, add about 1 tablespoon to the sugar. Reserve a little extra coffee concentrate in a small dish to use if needed. Place the pot back on the stove to finish brewing.

    Making Espuma for Cuban Coffee

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  4. Make the espuma by using a small whisk or spoon to vigorously beat the sugar and espresso until it is a pale brown, almost foamy paste, about 2 to 3 minutes. You cannot beat it too much.

    Making Espuma for Cuban Coffee

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  5. When the coffee has finished brewing, pour it over the espuma while stirring to incorporate. Let the foamy crema rise to the top.

    Forming the Ideal Crema for Cuban Coffee

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios 

  6. Pour into individual demitasse espresso cups. Shake the measuring cup a little and use a spoon as you pour to get crema into each cup.

    Pouring Cuban Coffee

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  7. Serve and enjoy.

    Cuban Coffee in cups

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Tips

  • Use the amount of coffee and water required for the capacity of espresso maker you're using.
  • When whipping the espuma, it will be grainy at first. Keep going and it will turn into a foamy paste. It should be thick enough to drip off the end of the whisk or spoon but not runny and the sugar should be nearly dissolved. Add another splash of concentrated espresso if needed.
  • There's no need to adjust the sugar to your size pot—1/4 cup works for 6-cup and 9-cup pots. The larger volume will not be quite as sweet.
  • You can use a 3-cup moka pot but will need to reduce the espuma or the coffee will be too sweet. Since 1/4 cup of sugar is easier to beat into espuma than 1/8 cup, consider making the larger amount. Once the espuma is ready, divide it in half or spoon a tablespoon (or to taste) of espuma into individual cups. Store excess espuma in a sealed container in the refrigerator and use it within a day; let it reach room temperature and whip again before adding coffee. The second round may not be perfect, but it will still taste good.

How Strong Is Cuban Coffee?

Cuban coffee consists of strong coffee sugar, so it has the same amount of caffeine as a strong cup of black coffee (50 or more milligrams per 1/2 cup serving, depending on the beans, roast, and coffee maker). Cuban coffee can also be made using decaf coffee.

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