Given that the preparation of several espresso and milk beverages is quite identical, it's relatively easy for me, along with numerous others, to find it challenging distinguishing what exactly constitutes a cappuccino. For instance, does a cappuccino contain coffee?
Because cappuccinos are part espresso, and espresso is a type of coffee, cappuccinos do have coffee in them. Usually about 40 grams worth of coffee beans that amounts to around 130mg of caffeine. The rest of a cappuccino is made of equal parts steamed milk and foamed milk.
In this article, I’ll quickly cover what a cappuccino is and then go over why a cappuccino is made with coffee and how much coffee is in it. Let's get started!
What is a Cappuccino?
A cappuccino is a hot coffee drink made from a combination of equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk.
Sometimes cappuccinos are confused with lattes which are also a drink made with espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk. The difference between a latte and a cappuccino is that a cappuccino has equal amounts of all 3 ingredients, while a latte has a lot more steamed milk and only a small layer of foamed milk on top.
Let's go over each of the 3 ingredients that make up a cappuccino.
Espresso is a type of coffee that is served in small shots and is made by forcing pressurized hot water through very finely ground and tightly packed coffee beans. Although espresso is made from the same types of beans as coffee, its unique brewing process makes it much stronger, richer, and higher in caffeine than regular coffee.
Steamed milk is created by slowly combining milk with steam in an espresso machine to create a silky, textured, and heavy milk with tiny bubbles in it
Foamed milk is like steamed milk, but has a lot more air in it, making it more light, airy, and dry than steamed milk. Foamed milk is what baristas use to create designs such as flowers, leaves, hearts, and more on the top of lattes.
The combination of espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk in a cappuccino creates a drink with a bold coffee, creamy, rich, and smooth taste.
Does a Cappuccino Have Coffee in It?
Cappuccinos are 1/3 espresso, and since espresso is a type of coffee that means that cappuccinos have coffee in them.
Espresso isn't an entirely different drink than coffee, it's just a certain method of making it. You can actually make espresso from the same beans used to make regular drip coffee, even if those beans aren't a dark roast.
A good way to think about it is that all espresso is coffee, but not all coffee is espresso.
How Much Coffee is in a Cappuccino
Once you've found out that there's coffee in a cappuccino your next question is probably “how much?”
A cappuccino is typically made with 2 shots (or ounces) of espresso. The amount of coffee beans used to pull these two shots can vary based on the type of bean, grind, espresso machine, and personal preference. But on average, there are about 40 grams of coffee in a cappuccino
How Much Caffeine is in a Cappuccino
Figuring out the amount of caffeine in a cappuccino is pretty simple.
As I said above, most cappuccinos are made with 2 shots of espresso. And since 1 shot of espresso has about 65mg of caffeine in it (Depending on the type of bean used and level of extraction) a cappuccino made with 2 shots of espresso has 130mg of caffeine in it.
For reference, a regular cup of coffee has around 100mg of caffeine.
Other Nutrition Facts of a Cappuccino
If you’re curious about the coffee in cappuccinos, you may also be wondering about what else is them, specifically when it comes to nutrition.
In a 12oz cappuccino, there are:
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100 Calories
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7g of Protein
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4g of Total Fat
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2.5g of Saturated Fat
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90mg of Sodium
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10g of Carbs
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9g of Sugar
Final Thoughts
So because cappuccinos are ⅓ espresso, and espresso is a type of coffee, 1/3 of a cappuccino is coffee. Usually about 40 grams worth of beans.
If you’d like to learn more about cappuccinos, coffee, and other espresso drinks, be sure to check out the rest of my website! Have a great day!
