Latte Vs Cappuccino

Latte vs Cappuccino is often a choice that I, and many coffee lovers, are faced with when it comes to our morning or afternoon cup of coffee.

These two coffees are different despite using the same three basic ingredients.

Keep reading for the details and find out about these two great coffees.

A latte and a cappuccino both look very similar, are served in the same type of coffee cup, have the same volume and are made with the same three basic ingredients that make up almost all milky coffee drinks:

Espresso.
Steamed Milk.
Milk Foam.

The big difference between a latte and a cappuccino is the amount of each of these three ingredients that are used, the ratio of coffee to milk.

These slight but important differences create two very different coffee beverages.

A latte is made with a greater amount of milk and has a rich creamy taste with a mild coffee flavor cutting through the creaminess of the milk.

A latte has a rich, silky velvet-like texture and luxurious mouthfeel. It’s a sweet coffee, naturally sweet, due to the milk sugars and the high milk content.

A cappuccino has a stronger coffee flavor due to less milk being used and a light, fun and airy mouthfeel.

Let’s get to the details of each drink in this Latte Vs Cappuccino comparison.

Read: What is the difference between a latte cappuccino and macchiato?

What Is In A Latte?

As stated earlier, the three ingredients in a latte are an espresso drink made with an espresso shot or two, steamed milk and milk foam.

The espresso shot is made with finely ground coffee and hot water using a coffee to water ratio of 1:2.

Once the espresso is ready, steamed whole fat milk is poured into the single or double espresso shot using an espresso to steamed milk ratio of 1:2.

A fine typically 2 cm layer of milk foam is added to the top. The drink is famed for its latte art, some of which is rather outstanding, especially 3D latte art.

Iced Latte

An iced latte is made in exactly the same way that a regular latte is made with the minor difference that cold milk is used instead of steamed milk, iced is used to chill the drink and there is a lack of latte art due to the presence of the ice cubes.

It still makes for a great iced coffee with the same flavor profile.

What Is A Cappuccino?

A cappuccino is considered as the perfect equilibrium between espresso, steamed milk and the milk foam due to the equal amounts and thus equal ratios of each of the three ingredients in a 1:1:1.

A perfectly brewed cappuccino is rich, bold and with lightly sweet notes from the dairy content. It has a lovely light, fluffy and fun mouthfeel due to the microfoam, the foamed milk topping.

Read: Difference between cappuccino and latte

Iced Cappuccino

An iced cappuccino is the same as a regular cappuccino with the significant difference that a whipped cream is used instead of foamed milk to create the fluffy foamy topping.

This is due to difficulties in creating the required foam due to the presence of the ice.

Due to the presence of the whipped cream, there is a notable difference in the flavor and texture of an iced cappuccino when compared to the hot version.

It is still a great and very enjoyable coffee drink on a hot day.

Latte Vs Cappuccino Taste

When comparing two coffees it is important to talk about their individual flavor profile to give you a great idea and indication of what to expect from each drink and see how the difference in their construction and elaboration affect the flavor profile of a coffee beverage.

Let’s get to it and talk about a latte Vs cappuccino taste.

Latte Flavor Profile

Due to a latte being made with twice as much steamed milk as there is espresso, this means that it is a coffee drink where the milk and the creaminess of the milk dominate the beverage.

While the taste of coffee is still there as it pierces and breaks through the milk and its creaminess. It’s naturally sweet due to the lactose, the milk sugars.

It’s a drink enjoyed by coffee lovers due to the rich creaminess of the milk, the light coffee flavor and rich silky texture and mouthfeel.

The steamed milk adds a light hint of caramel due to the lightly caramelized milk sugars.

A Tasty Latte

Read: What is the difference between a latte and a cappuccino?

Cappuccino Flavor Profile

A perfectly made cappuccino has an amazing flavor and texture. The bold coffee flavor easily makes its way past the creaminess and sweetness of the milk due to less milk being used.

It has a great and fun bubbly texture due to the layer of foamed milk.

Which Is Stronger: Latte Or Cappuccino? – Is A Cappuccino Stronger Than A Latte?

A cappuccino is stronger than a latte due to the reduced amount of milk when compared to a latte.

It is a cappuccino that is stronger in terms of the coffee flavor and the overall strength of the coffee. As far as the caffeine content is concerned, both have the same amount of caffeine as both drinks are made with a single or double shot of espresso.

Which means both a latte and a cappuccino have 75 mg of caffeine when they are made with a single shot of espresso and 150 mg when made with a double shot of espresso.

Which Is Sweeter Cappuccino Or Latte?

Between these two drinks, it is a latte that is the sweetest of the milk and the greater amount used, twice as much as cappuccino, that makes a latte the sweeter of these two delicious coffee beverages.

Due to containing more milk and thus more milk sugars and more fat, a latte has more calories than a cappuccino.

How Much Milk In A Latte ml?

Since we are on the topic of milk and the amount of milk that is in a latte, let’s detail how much milk is used in both ml and fluid ounces for the benefit of all readers.

A latte made with a single shot of espresso which is 30 ml (1 Oz) and the espresso to milk ratio for this beverage is 1:2; the amount of milk used is 60 ml (2 Oz).

A latte that is made with a double shot of espresso which is 60 ml (2 Oz) has twice as much milk, 120 ml (4 Oz) of milk.

How Much Milk In A Cappuccino?

A cappuccino typically uses half as much milk as a latte due to the more focused espresso to milk ratio, which is 1:1.

Thus,

A cappuccino made with a single shot of espresso has an equal amount of milk used, which is 30 ml (1 Oz).

Similarly,

A cappuccino that is made with a double espresso, has 60 ml (2 Oz) of espresso and 60 ml (2 Oz) of milk.

Frequently Asked Questions About Latte Vs Cappuccino

Is A Cappuccino Stronger Than A Latte?

Yes, a cappuccino has a stronger and more prominent espresso flavor than a latte due to the more focused espresso-to-coffee ratio of 1:1.

A latte due to the espresso-to-coffee ratio of 1:2 is milkier and creamier.

Is Caffe Latte Just A Latte?

Yes, a caffe latte is just a latte. There are many other names for a latte, with caffe latte and café latte or simply just a latte being the popular names used.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming a French café au lait is a latte; it is slightly different as the espresso base is replaced with brewed coffee. A café au lait is more similar to a café misto.

Another one to watch out for is the Spanish café con leche as the difference is very minor, the milk used in a café con leche is scalded milk instead of steamed milk.

Is Cappuccino The Strongest Coffee?

No, there are many other coffee drinks that have a stronger coffee flavor with a straight espresso and a ristretto being notably stronger.

Even other espresso drinks with milk are stronger with a macchiato being one.

As far as the caffeine content goes there are many, many more drinks that have more caffeine than a cappuccino. A cappuccino only has 75 mg of caffeine per shot.

Which is fairly normal.

Is Latte Better Than Cappuccino For Weight Loss?

No, since a latte uses more milk in its construction there are more calories, fat, and sugar than a latte, which makes a cappuccino a better choice for weight loss.

Coffee is great for weight loss as it has been proven to enhance metabolism and suppress your appetite.

Does Latte Have Sugar?

Caffe latte does not have sugar added to it during its production. The sugar content that is there naturally comes from the milk sugars from the steamed milk.

The amount of sugar in a latte for various drink sizes is as follows:

Short 8 Oz (240 ml): 9 grams.
Tall 12 Oz (360 ml): 14 grams.
Grande 16 Oz (480 ml): 18 grams.
Venti 20 Oz (600 ml): 23 grams.

This is the amount of sugar before you add any sweetener.

Does Cappuccino Keep You Awake?

Yes, there is enough caffeine at 75 mg per serving in a cappuccino to keep you awake. If you are particularly fatigued, it may be better to order a double cappuccino.

Do Italians Put Sugar In Latte?

As a standard way of making the drink, Italians generally speaking don’t add sugar to a latte, but the drinker may add sugar depending on their taste preferences.

Is It OK To Have A Cappuccino Everyday?

Yes, it is perfectly fine to have a cappuccino every day. In fact, there exist some studies that indicate that consuming one or two cups of cappuccino per day has the effect of reducing the negative effects of bad cholesterol by as much as 20%.

Coffee is a source of very powerful antioxidants like chlorogenic acid which helps to repair damage caused by free radicals.

Final Thoughts – Latte Vs Cappuccino

In the battle of latte vs cappuccino I have details of many aspects of both these drinks and I hope that I have covered this topic perfectly for you. If I have missed anything, or you have any questions, please seek me out as I will answer all questions. received.

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Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location