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Café Cubano

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coffee & espresso•cuban•vegan, gluten-free
10 minutes•6 demitasse servings•

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces water
  • 4 tbsp dark roast coffee – finely ground (for moka pot/espresso)
  • 5 tbsp granulated sugar
Café Cubano

Instructions

1. Fill the bottom chamber of a 6-cup moka pot with the water to just below the safety valve.

2. Fill the filter basket with the finely ground dark roast coffee, level it without tamping, and assemble the pot.

3. Set over medium heat with the lid open. As the first drops of coffee appear, quickly pour about 1 tablespoon into a heatproof cup containing the granulated sugar, then return the pot to the heat.

4. Brew until a steady stream forms and you hear a gentle gurgle, 3–5 minutes total; remove from heat just as it begins to sputter to avoid bitterness.

5. Vigorously beat the sugar and captured coffee with a spoon until the mixture turns pale and thick, 1–2 minutes, forming espumita.

6. Slowly pour the remaining brewed coffee into the sugar paste while stirring constantly until fully dissolved and a thick foam rises on top.

7. Let stand 15–30 seconds for the foam to settle, then pour into demitasse cups and serve immediately (or serve as a colada with small cups alongside).

Café Cubano, also called cafecito, is a small, intensely flavored sweet espresso crowned with a creamy layer of espumita. The drink balances deep, roasty coffee notes with a caramel-like sweetness, delivering a bold sip that’s smooth rather than harsh. It’s typically served in tiny demitasse cups or shared as a colada, where the foam-topped coffee is poured into small shot cups for passing around.

Rooted in Cuba’s coffee culture and shaped by the spread of espresso brewing in the 20th century, Café Cubano became a daily ritual at home and at neighborhood windows (ventanitas). The defining technique of whipping the first drops of coffee with sugar to create espumita distinguishes it from other sweetened espressos. With Cuban migration, the tradition flourished in places like Miami, where it remains a social staple and a powerful symbol of hospitality and community.