Cappuccino vs. Latte

A cappuccino is made with espresso, steamed milk and foam. A latte (more accurately, a caffè latte) is made with espresso, steamed milk and foam.

So what’s the difference?

Someone once said the devil is in the details (many credit the saying to Nietzsche), but both drinks are heavenly when made right. So let’s skip the devil and go with infamous bank robber Willie Sutton instead; he said success in any endeavor requires single-minded attention to detail. Here are the details that make all the difference.

In a cappuccino there are equal amounts of espresso, heated milk and milk foam. By contrast, a latte is made with one-third espresso and two-thirds milk, with a much smaller amount of foam on top. Just like a cappuccino, latte can be made with either one or two shots of espresso. What’s important is keeping the ratio of espresso and milk correct. 

Latte, when made by an accomplished barista, actually has a thin layer of what’s known as microfoam on top; microfoam is denser than ordinary milk foam, with a silkier texture. The density of microfoam is what allows baristas to create elaborate designs on the top of a latte. So-called “latte art” is much more difficult to produce in the softer foam that tops a cappuccino.

The same types of variations are common for both cappuccinos and lattes. They can be sweetened with flavorings or syrups, or iced (usually with the help of cold milk). There are other more subtle changes you can make to a latte, but – to add to the confusion – they have their own specific names.

• The “flat white” originated in Australia and is made like a single shot latte, but with only a thin layer of microfoam on top. In fact, that’s how it got its name. The top of the drink is flat and white. Get it?
• The “cortado” is similar, but features equal amounts of espresso (usually a single shot) and steamed milk, with no microfoam. That makes it smoother than a flat white, which is thicker. As you’ve probably guessed, you can thank Spain for coming up with the cortado.
• A “double latte” might sound uncomplicated, but it’s best to confirm what you’re going to get with your barista. Lattes are usually created with two shots of espresso (that’s why they have to be made in a tall glass), so if you order a double latte – wanting a drink made with a double shot – you might get four shots of espresso instead. Good luck sleeping after that!

Had enough? Then you should probably skip to our next section, because we have more espresso drink confusion to clear up before moving on.

Even More Espresso Drinks That Aren’t Cappuccino

Take a deep breath. We’re basically going to do a crash course on the Starbucks menu – and for good measure, we’ll add a few espresso drinks you can’t even find at Starbucks.

• Macchiato: The Italian word macchiato means “marked,” which is a good clue to what’s in this drink. The traditional espresso macchiato is “marked with milk,” meaning one or two teaspoons of steamed of foamed milk is added to the top of a shot (or double shot) of espresso. The mirror image is known as a latte macchiato, with a half-shot of espresso added to the top of steamed milk to mark it before it’s topped with foam.
• Mocha: The caffè mocha is essentially a latte, with either chocolate powder or chocolate syrup added to it. Whipped cream may be served on top. 
• Mochaccino: This drink, invented by the large coffee chains, is most often a cappuccino with chocolate added to it, but it can also be made with espresso and hot chocolate. Whipped cream on top, of course, unless it’s one of the many variations (like the ubiquitous pumpkin spice flavor) the chains love to put on their menu.
• Breve: This “almost a latte” is made the same way as a latte, but with steamed half-and-half instead of the steamed milk.
• Mocha Breve: Probably no mystery here; it’s a mocha with half-and-half substituted for milk.
• Café Bombón: This must be a Spanish thing – this drink from Spain is half espresso, half condensed milk. You try it first and let us know what you think.
• Galão: We move over to Portugal, where the galão is a popular version of the latte but with three-quarters milk, one-quarter espresso.
• Café con Leche: If you’re a foodie, you can think of this one as a “deconstructed” latte; it’s a shot of espresso with hot milk served on the side. In France it’s called café noisette.
• Con Panna: A shot of espresso topped with whipped cream.
• Viena: This is a con panna on steroids: a double shot of espresso that’s infused with whipped cream until the coffee mug holding it is completely full.
• Espresso: We can’t close out this section without a nod to espresso, the granddaddy of them all. You could look at it as cappuccino without the foamed milk, milk froth and “decorations.”
• Doppio: Easy one. A double shot of espresso.
• Ristretto: Basically an espresso shot, but made with half the usual amount of water in order to make the coffee twice as potent.
• Lungo: The reverse of the ristretto, an espresso shot made with twice the usual amount of water to create a milder coffee.
• Red Eye: For those who never want to sleep again, the red eye is a shot of espresso topped with black coffee. A double shot of espresso and coffee is a black eye, and for obvious reasons, a triple shot and coffee is known as a dead eye.
• Americano: Leave it to Americans to dilute a great coffee, right? The caffè Americano is a layered drink with hot water poured on top of espresso. 
• Long Black: Some purists insist that the hot water should go into an Americano first, in order to preserve more of the espresso’s crema. That’s known as a long black, a name coined by Australia where this is a very popular drink.

Yes, there are even more, but we’ll stop here since we have one last bit of business left.

We’ll start with the bad news: you’ll probably never be able to make a cappuccino quite as good as the one you’d get from the barista at one of your favorite upscale coffee bars.
Now, the good news: you should be able to come awfully close, with the right equipment and some practice.

Oops, more bad news: having the “right equipment” includes owning an espresso machine.
Ah, there’s more good news, too: even without the expensive machine, you can still make an extremely good “almost-an-cappuccino.”

Let’s get to it.

Making the Espresso

A two-thousand dollar espresso machine would be ideal for this project. It’s also overkill for most home baristas. You can get a really good espresso maker for your kitchen for about four or five hundred bucks – and if you’re a coffee nut, the investment is well worth it.

A better choice for most people is a Nespresso Vertuo capsule machine, which will only set you back $100-200 if you look for the best deal. The Nespresso is less versatile and it won’t turn out the true full-bodied, rich flavored shot you’d get with a pricey espresso machine. However, it’s much easier to use, and the final product will be a lot closer to coffee-house espresso quality than the stuff you can brew with a drip coffee maker.

Those who don’t want to spend anything extra don’t have to give up and go to Starbucks. The French press in the pantry, or even the drip coffeemaker sitting on the counter, can still turn out a pretty potent cup of coffee – and that’s going to get them pretty close to a darned good cappuccino.

By the way, since you want to make the strongest coffee you can in order to replicate the deep, rich taste of espresso, that means using espresso beans (if you can get them) or a high-quality dark roast. Fine grind, please.

Preparing the Milk

Once again, having an espresso machine with a steam wand makes things easy. But who needs easy, when you can come up with a much less-expensive alternative?

For the steamed milk that goes into a cappuccino, use full-fat milk and heat it to 140-155°F on your stovetop or in your microwave (that will only take a few seconds).

Finally, there are several ways to make the frothed milk that goes on top. A great yet cheap investment for those who plan on playing home barista is a handheld frothing tool, but you can also use a blender or a whisk to froth your milk, or just shake it up thoroughly in a mason jar with a secure top.

Assembling the Cappuccino

Easy-peasy. Pour one or two shots of the espresso or very strong coffee into the bottom of a cup or mug, carefully add an equal amount of steamed milk, and then spoon the same amount of froth onto the top. Decorate with shaved chocolate or cocoa powder for a professional, finished look.

It may take some practice to get the strength of the espresso or coffee right, and to time the preparation so you can assemble your cappuccino and then enjoy it while it’s still hot. Then again, the prospect of repeatedly drinking cups of homemade cappuccino, until you’re completely satisfied with the final product, sounds awfully good.