How to Distinguish Between Latte and Cappuccino? Are There Differences Between Cappuccino Cups and Latte Cups?

Whether you walk into a chain coffee shop or a specialty café, you'll definitely find Latte and Cappuccino on the menu. Many people think these two coffees differ only in cup size or foam thickness, but that's not actually the case. Today, FrontStreet Coffee will teach you how to quickly distinguish between them.

What is Latte Coffee?

Latte comes from the Italian transliteration of "Latte." Latte coffee refers to a coffee made by mixing a certain proportion of milk into espresso, belonging to the category of flavored coffee. The word "LATTE" is Italian and directly translates to "milk," so LATTE can also be understood as not necessarily equal to coffee. There are several types of lattes on the market that don't contain a single drop of coffee, such as: matcha latte, black tea latte, etc., but they all contain milk. Therefore, the correct term for latte coffee should be "CAFFÈ LATTE."

The original latte coffee originated in Vienna, the city of music. Viennese people have been drinking coffee since the 17th century. At that time, when the Turkish army failed to attack Vienna and retreated in chaos, they left behind 500 bags of coffee beans. These coffee beans became the raw material for Vienna's first coffee shop (Blue Bottle). To cater to European tastes, the café owner filtered the coffee grounds and added a large amount of milk, making the bitter black coffee smooth and sweet. The taste fascinated the Viennese people, and milk coffee subsequently became popular worldwide.

The ingredients for latte coffee are simple, requiring only espresso and milk, with no fixed ratio, mostly ranging from 1:5 to 1:8. FrontStreet Coffee uses a 1:6 ratio, with 40g of espresso liquid and 240g of milk. When preparing hot latte, FrontStreet Coffee adds the espresso liquid to a preheated coffee cup, then uses an espresso machine's steam to froth the milk. The milk temperature should be controlled between 55-65°C to create a dense foam with moderate thickness, then evenly blend it with the coffee liquid. The final latte art is the finishing touch.

FrontStreet Coffee's hot latte presents a sweet aroma reminiscent of liqueur-filled chocolate, with cream-like smoothness. FrontStreet Coffee's iced latte will first be filled with 75 grams of ice cubes + 25ml of fresh milk, then 40 grams of coffee liquid is extracted and poured over the surface. Before drinking, FrontStreet Coffee reminds guests to stir thoroughly.

Speaking of iced latte, FrontStreet Coffee wants to talk about Dirty coffee, also called "dirty coffee," which became popular starting in 2019. Hot espresso is poured over frozen milk, creating distinct layers. The espresso liquid sinks along the cup's edge, giving a "dirty" appearance. Generally, Dirty coffee cups are smaller than iced lattes. Dirty coffee usually needs to be consumed immediately to experience the special "alternating hot and cold" texture.

What is Cappuccino?

Actually, it's currently very difficult to trace who exactly invented cappuccino as a beverage, but researching the data reveals that the word "Cappuccino" originates from "Kapuziner," which means "monk" in German and also refers to an old-style coffee.

Legend has it that this drink originated in 18th-century Viennese cafés. At that time, coffee was consumed along with the grounds. To make it more palatable, a Polish man named Kulczycki used a cloth bag to filter the coffee grounds, then served it in a glass cup, adding honey, spices, and cream. This not only made the coffee taste better but also presented a special reddish-brown color that visually resembled the habit color of the Capuchin Friars Minor. Thus, the Viennese people called it "Kapuziner."

As it spread to Italy and along with the development of pressure coffee machine technology, Italians began using espresso, and frothed milk foam replaced cream. Then a spoon was used to shape the foam on the coffee's surface into a pointed cap shape. Gradually, it acquired its Italian name, which is what we know today as Cappuccino. As for its "predecessor" Kapuziner, people are more accustomed to calling it Viennese Coffee.

How to Make Cappuccino

The ingredients of cappuccino and latte coffee are almost identical: ESPRESSO + milk + foam. The difference is that cappuccino has more foam than milk, while latte has more milk than foam. Some cappuccinos also use double ESPRESSO. For the same price, cappuccinos are usually smaller than lattes, with a stronger coffee flavor, and the collision of dense foam with bitter coffee creates an excellent taste. Lattes are larger than cappuccinos because they contain more milk than cappuccinos, making the coffee flavor relatively milder, but their silky texture and beautiful latte art have captured many people's preference.

When making cappuccino, typically a short and wide porcelain cup is used. Moreover, cappuccino foam should be higher than the cup's rim, appearing full and smooth, and coffee won't spill out even when shaking the cup left and right. Latte only needs a thin layer of milk foam, as the more important aspect is tasting the smooth texture of milk coffee. Regarding foam, cappuccino requires the milk to be frothed very thickly, while latte needs to be frothed into thin foam, requiring more technique and demanding that the foam has good fluidity, a glossy surface, and sufficient density.

The most widely circulated belief about cappuccino making is that the ratio of coffee, milk, and foam should be 1:1:1 respectively. Taking a 6-ounce (about 177ml) coffee cup as an example, that is: double espresso (60ml), 1/3 hot milk (60ml), and the remaining 1/3 foam. This creates foam thickness of about 2.5cm, where the first few sips are almost entirely foam, while the coffee underneath will be very strong.

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Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473