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Cuban · Caribbean

Cafecito cubano

Vegetarian

Cafecito

Strong espresso sweetened by whipping the first drops with sugar into a pale foam (espumita), then stirring in the rest of the shot. Served in tiny cups throughout the day.

Cafecito cubano is a Cuban hot drink, ready in about 8 minutes and made with espresso and sugar. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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No licensed photograph of this dish yet.

Prep
3 min
Cook
5 min
Total
8 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
41

Ingredients

4 small cups

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put the sugar (opens in a new tab) in a small jug. Start brewing the espresso (opens in a new tab) and, as soon as the first teaspoon or two of coffee comes out, pour it onto the sugar.

    • 2 min

  2. Step 2

    Beat the sugar (opens in a new tab) and coffee vigorously with a spoon or small whisk (opens in a new tab) until it becomes a thick, pale-tan paste, about 1–2 minutes.

    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    When the rest of the coffee has brewed, stir it slowly into the paste — a light foam will rise to the top. Pour into small cups and serve at once.

    • 1 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Cuba · Commonly attributedAlso popular in United StatesMore food from Cuba
Dish
Breakfast · Snack · Hot drinks
Cooking method
Whipped
Taste
sweet, bitter, rich
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat · Low-sodium · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday
Cook more with
Espresso · Sugar
Techniques
Emulsification

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

41 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 40 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 0%
  • Carbohydrate 98%
  • Fat 2%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy41 kcal104 kcal
Protein0 g0.1 g
Carbohydrate10.5 g26.2 g
Net carbohydrate10.5 g26.2 g
Sugars10 g25 g
Added sugars10 g25 g
Fibre0 g0 g
Fat0.1 g0.1 g
Saturated fat0 g0.1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium4 mg11 mg
Salt equivalent0 g0 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
35 mg
Calcium
1 mg
Iron
0 mg
Magnesium
24 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
0 µg
Vitamin C
0 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
0 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Use only a few drops of coffee for the espumita — too much and the sugar won't whip.

Serve with

  • Share a 'colada' in a larger cup with thimble-sized cups for everyone.

Storage

  • Drink straight away; the foam collapses within minutes.

Variations

  • Cortadito: Cafecito topped with an equal amount of steamed milk.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sip & Blend

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

The body of the dish

Gravy, sauce & base

Used in step 1

Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sip & Blend

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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