Going to a coffee shop can be so confusing. There are so many different drinks, so many flavor options, and so many different names like latte, frappe, and cappuccino, that the choices may seem infinite. What drinks have espresso and which have coffee? What’s the difference between a cappuccino and a frappuccino? Which can you add flavors to?
Maybe you want to try something new, but are unsure which to choose, or maybe you’ve been getting the same thing for a while and are just curious about what’s in it.
Either way, you’re in the right place!
You probably know that plain coffee only has one ingredient. Some people like to add milk, sweetener, or flavors to it, but coffee isn’t considered a mixed or blended drink. Plan espresso is the same way, but it comes in one-ounce shots rather than larger cups. However, most of the other names on the menu board are mixed drinks where either espresso or coffee is mixed with other ingredients. The frappe, Frappuccino, cappuccino, and latte are all like this.
First, the cappuccino.
What is it?
Cappuccinos are great for a small boost of energy or if you like drinks with milk and foam that are still somewhat bitter. They’re mixed drinks made with espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam. They can have one or more shots of espresso, but they always have the ratio of 1/3 of each component. If the cappuccino has one ounce of espresso, then it’ll have one ounce of milk and one ounce of foam. Then, just like coffee, they can be added to or changed based on what you want it to taste like, such as adding syrups or spices, or using different milks and creams. That means that the more shots of espresso are in the drink, the bigger it is overall because more milk and foam are added too.
Caffeine –
Coffee and cappuccinos also have different amounts of caffeine, but which is stronger? Both are different based on where they come from and how long they’re roasted, but in general a shot of espresso has around 30-50 milligrams of caffeine, while an eight-ounce cup of drip coffee has between 65 and 120 milligrams. This means that getting a cappuccino with a single shot of espresso actually has less caffeine than a regular cup of coffee, but a cappuccino with a double shot of espresso has more.
What is a frappe? How about a Frappuccino?
Both are good choices if you’re looking for a cold, sweet drink. The main difference is that, like coffee and cappuccinos, one is made with coffee and the other is made with espresso.
A frappe is a frozen drink that has been blended or shaken with ice. It always has milk and sweetener in it and sometimes has other flavors added like vanilla or cinnamon. Most frappes have coffee in them, but sometimes they’re made just like milkshakes with sugar, milk, and flavors other than coffee.
But is a frappe the same as a Frappuccino?
The answer to that is that they’re very similar! A Frappuccino is sort of like a cross between a frappe and a cappuccino. In a Frappuccino, equal amounts of espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam, just like a cappuccino, are blended with ice, sweetener, and milk or cream. It uses espresso rather than coffee, and can have more than one shot just like the cappuccino. One way to think of it is like a cappuccino milkshake, and flavors can be added to it as well.
One other thing about the Frappuccino is that the name has been trademarked by Starbucks and changed somewhat to be sweeter and more milkshake-like.
What is a latte?
A latte is a very popular mixed espresso drink similar to a cappuccino. It’s famous for being creamy and delicious and for having designs or pictures drawn on top with foam or spices. Because it has more steamed milk than espresso, the bitter espresso flavor is also milder. It usually has one shot, but can have more, and sometimes has flavors like mocha or vanilla.
Unlike a cappuccino, though, a latte has much more steamed milk than espresso and not as much foam. Where a cappuccino is always 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 milk foam, a regular latte has one shot of espresso and four to six times the amount of milk. This means that a regular latte has one shot of espresso and as many as six ounces of steamed milk. This ratio often stays the same when more espresso shots are added, and a two-shot latte may have double or more the amount of milk of a one-shot latte.
A regular latte, also like a one-shot cappuccino, has less caffeine than an 8-ounce cup of coffee, but if more shots are added the latte will have more caffeine than the coffee.
But what should you choose?
It all depends on what you want in the moment, and how much energy you want the drink to give you.
If you’re looking for something cold, a frappe or Frappuccino might be just what you need. If you want more caffeine, a latte, cappuccino, or Frappuccino would all be great. If you want less caffeine, a cappuccino or latte with one shot of espresso or a small coffee will fit the bill. You may also find that you don’t like the taste of espresso, so coffee drinks are more your speed. Or vice versa, and you want to stick to espresso. Almost any drink can have flavors or spices added to it, even plain coffee and espresso, and the flavors available might change depending on what coffee shop or cafe you’re at.
Also keep in mind that espresso drinks are usually smaller than coffee drinks, or the espresso in them is spread out with milk or foam. This means that espresso drinks sometimes take a shorter time to drink, so the boost of energy that comes after is shorter and more intense, while a coffee may take longer to drink, so the caffeine is spread out over more time and so is the energy that comes with it.
Hopefully we have given you some insight into the difference between a cappuccino and a frappuccino.