Cuba Cubita Espresso
Dark and roasty with a caramel-like sweetness and a sugar crust: the cafecito of Cuba, made in a moka pot.
Cuban coffee is a small, strong, sweet cup made in a stovetop moka pot. The first drops of coffee are whipped with sugar into a pale foam called espumita, and the rest is stirred in.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 65 mg in one serving (1–2 oz shot (30–60 ml)), a concentration of 144.4 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
| Brewing method | Moka Pot with Demerara Froth |
|---|---|
| Coffee-to-water ratio | 1:8 |
| Dose & yield | 15g → 120g |
| Grind size | Fine (finer than drip, a little coarser than espresso) |
| Water temperature | 198°F / 92°C |
| Target brew time | 3-4 minutes on the stove |
| Serving | 1–2 oz shot (30–60 ml) |
What you need
- 15 g dark-roast coffee, ground fine (finer than for drip, a little coarser than for espresso)
- 150 g filtered water, heated to about 92°C
- 3 teaspoons demerara or natural brown sugar (about 12 g)
Required gear
- Three-cup stovetop moka pot
- Burr grinder
- Small pitcher or cup for the sugar
- Small spoon
- Scale accurate to 1 g
- Small cups for serving
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Fill the base of the moka pot with 150 g of hot water, about 92°C, just below the safety valve. Fill the basket with 15 g of ground coffee, level it without tamping, and screw the pot together, holding the hot base with a towel.
- 0:30Put 3 teaspoons of sugar in a small pitcher. Set the pot on medium heat with the lid open so you can watch the coffee come up.
- 2:30When the first dark drops come out of the spout, pour about a teaspoon of them onto the sugar. These first drops are the strongest, so do it quickly.
- 2:45Whip the sugar and the drops hard with a small spoon for 30 to 60 seconds, until the mixture is thick, pale and creamy. This is the espumita.
- 3:30When the pot starts to gurgle and the stream turns pale, take it off the heat. Pour the coffee into the pitcher in a slow stream, stirring gently so the foam rises to the top.
- 4:00Pour into small cups, one or two ounces each, and serve at once.
Troubleshooting
What it may be good for
A number worth knowing
We list about 65 mg for a small cup of 1 to 2 oz. That is less than the roughly 95 mg in a typical 8 oz cup of brewed coffee, but Cuban coffee is often drunk in several small cups, so it can add up.
About the sugar
The sugar does more than sweeten. Whipped with the first drops of coffee, it becomes the foam that crowns the cup. A traditional cafecito uses about a teaspoon for each small cup, so a three-cup moka pot calls for around three teaspoons.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you.
Cuban coffee is a small, strong, sweet cup made in a stovetop moka pot. The first drops of coffee are whipped with sugar into a pale foam called espumita, and the rest is stirred in. The taste is dark and roasty, with a caramel-like sweetness from the brown sugar.
Origin & Story
Coffee has been part of Cuban life since 1748, when José Antonio Gelabert planted the first coffee plant on the island. It grew into a major crop after French planters fleeing Haiti, from 1791, brought better growing methods. Today about 92 percent of Cuban coffee is grown in the Sierra Maestra.
The way Cubans drink it is a ritual of its own. A cafecito is a small, strong shot, often made in a stovetop moka pot and sweetened with demerara or natural brown sugar. The sugar is not stirred in at the end. It is whipped with the first and strongest drops of coffee into a thick, pale foam called the espumita, or espuma, and the rest of the coffee is poured over it.
That foam is the signature of the drink. Whipping the sugar with a little hot coffee lets more of it dissolve, so the cup comes out sweeter and slightly more syrupy than a plain sweetened shot. Cuban coffee is shared, too: a colada is several shots in one cup, passed around with small cups at workplaces, and in Miami and Tampa people order at the ventanitas, little walk-up windows.
The coffee itself is usually a dark roast of arabica, with a full body and a dark, roasty flavor, and the sugar adds a caramel-like sweetness. Cubita is one of the best-known Cuban brands.
To make it, fill the base of a three-cup moka pot with water to just below the valve, fill the basket with 15 g of finely ground dark-roast coffee, and set it on medium heat. Put three teaspoons of sugar in a small pitcher. When the first dark drops come out, pour about a teaspoon of them onto the sugar and whip hard with a spoon for 30 to 60 seconds, until the mixture is thick and pale. Pour in the rest of the coffee when the pot is done, stir gently, and serve at once in small cups.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 85/100 |
| Acidity | 30/100 |
| Bitterness | 60/100 |
| Body | 80/100 |
| Aroma | 85/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Cuba Cubita Espresso?
One serving, 1–2 oz shot (30–60 ml), contains approximately 65 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Cuba Cubita Espresso?
Keep the heat low. A flame that is too high scorches the coffee and makes it bitter; the 92°C (198°F) is the water you load into the base, and pre-heating it shortens the time the coffee spends on the stove.
How long should Cuba Cubita Espresso be extracted?
Timing: 3-4 minutes on the stove. Method: Moka Pot with Demerara Froth. Ratio: 1:8 (15g coffee to about 120g brewed coffee). Grind or leaf format: Fine (finer than drip, a little coarser than espresso).
Why does my Cuba Cubita Espresso taste bitter?
Bitterness in a moka pot usually means too much heat. Start with pre-heated water in the base, keep the flame low, and take the pot off as soon as the coffee turns pale and starts to gurgle.
What is espumita?
It is the sweet, pale foam at the heart of Cuban coffee. Sugar is whipped with the first, strongest drops of coffee from the pot until it turns thick and creamy, and the rest of the coffee is then stirred in.
What is the difference between a cafecito and a colada?
A cafecito is a single small, sweet shot. A colada is made with several shots, usually three to six, served in one larger cup with small cups for sharing.
Who should avoid Cuba Cubita Espresso?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Maker
In this recipe: Three-cup stovetop moka pot
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