Cappuccino Vs Latte

If you are not a coffee aficionado, deciding on a particular kind of coffee drink seems to be a daunting task since all the names sound familiar. Not only are the names of the coffees in a different language, even the cup size is simply undeterminable. For all you coffee illiterates, do not fear. If you wish to delve into the world of rich, thick, and frothy espresso drinks, first knowing the types of espresso drinks would be crucial. There are primarily three kinds of espresso - straight espresso, caffé latte, and cappuccino. Amongst them, the latte and cappuccino are the most widely consumed drinks and the most commonly confused as well. Though they share the same ingredients, both boast of distinct differences. With the following lines, find out the similarities and differences between cappuccino and latte.

Difference Between Cappuccino And Latte

To begin with, both cappuccino and latte are Italian terms and are pronounced as ‘cap-o-chene-o’ and ‘laa-tay’ respectively. Further, latte is known as café au lait in French, the café con leche in Spanish, and Milchkaffee in German.
While latte is simple and delicious coffee milk, cappuccino contains more milk or foam. Latte is prepared with a double shot of espresso, topped by steamed milk. On the other hand, cappuccino contains equal amounts of the ingredients. It has one third espresso, one third steamed milk, and one third foamed or frothed milk.
Latte has large amounts of milk, making it very filling and hence, makes a great breakfast accompaniment. The coffee in latte can be replaced with other base drinks, such as tea, mate, or matcha. The Italian latte does not contain foamed milk. However outside Italy, it is topped with a 5 mm thick froth on top.
On the contrary, cappuccino contains a 2 cm thick layer of foam due to the way hot foamed milk is poured into the espresso. The liquid in the cappuccino tastes stronger than that of latte and can be ordered in two varieties: wet or dry. A ‘dry’ cappuccino, or cappuccino scuro, will have less milk than the regular cappuccino, while a ‘wet’ cappuccino, also known as cappuccino chiaro, consists of more milk than the regular cup.
The method of serving both the beverages forms another major difference between the two. Latte is served in a 7-8 oz glass, allowing the drinker to view the amount of milk that has gone into its making. Conversely, cappuccino should be served in a porcelain cup with 6-7 oz of coffee in it. The porcelain cup has a large base and a narrow mouth, allowing the drinker to enjoy his cuppa coffee. Further, porcelain retains heat better than other materials.
A latte is embellished with a pour of foamed milk, creating designs on the surface that are usually in the shape of a heart or leaf, though various other patterns are also created. A cappuccino is garnished with a dusting of ground cinnamon.

How to Cite

Related Articles

See also

More in 'Art & Entertainment'