How to Make Cuban Coffee (Café Cubano)
Learn how to make Cuban coffee at home with a Moka pot and sugar—just like it's done in Miami kitchens. Includes step-by-step instructions and tips for perfect espumita.
Servings 4
Calories 13kcal
Equipment
- Moka pot (stovetop espresso maker)
- Spoon
- Small glass or metal measuring cup (for beating sugar and coffee)
Ingredients
- 5.5 teaspoons Espresso-ground coffee such as Café Bustelo, Pilon, or La Llave – (for a standard 1-cup Moka pot, loosely packed amount depends on size of Moka pot)
- 3½ heaping teaspoons sugar white granulated or raw cane sugar
- 1.3 cup Water – to fill the base of the Moka pot up to the safety valve
Instructions
- Fill the Moka pot. Add cool water to the bottom chamber up to the safety valve. Insert the filter and fill it with espresso-ground coffee. Level off but don’t pack it down.
- Screw on the top of the pot and place it on the stove over medium-high heat. Leave the lid open so you can see when it starts to brew.
- Prepare the sugar. Add 3½ heaping teaspoons of sugar to a sturdy measuring cup or small bowl.
- As soon as the coffee begins to brew, remove the pot from heat and spoon about 1 teaspoon of that first, strong brew into the sugar.
- Vigorously stir the sugar and coffee together until the mixture lightens in color.
- Pour the rest of the brewed coffee into the sugar mixture and stir gently to combine. Serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe was made using a standard 1-cup Moka pot, which holds just over 1 cup of water before reaching the safety valve. The valve is a small metal pressure-release feature located on the side of the bottom chamber. If you're using a different size, adjust the water, coffee, and sugar accordingly.
Nutrition
Serving: 2ounces | Calories: 13kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 0.1mg | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.003mg