Australians love their coffee! Flat white, latte and cappuccinos are amongst the most popular coffee orders in the country, but do we know the difference?
Yes, we do!
All three drinks begin with a shot of espresso for a strong caffeine kick. Then, varying amounts of steamed or frothed milk are added to the drink. As for the origins of these drinks, the cappuccino hails from Italy while the latte has a different name in different countries, though the commercial caffè latte is an American invention. Opinions are still divided on where the flat white originated from though most believe it is Australian whilst others say New Zealand.
What is a flat white?
A Flat white is milky coffee. Traditionally has 2 shots of espresso, ⅔ of the cup of steamed milk with a small amount of microfoam on top. Microfoam is very fine and smooth in consistency. This beverage is usually served in a 150ml-180ml cup. Making it essentially a latte with less foam, occasionally more espresso and a smaller volume.
What is a cappuccino?
A Cappuccino is a frothy coffee. It has 1-2 shots of espresso, ⅓ of the cup steamed milk and ⅓ foam (usually about 2cm). Served in a 150-180ml cup with chocolate powder dusted on top.
What is a latte?
A Latte is also a milky coffee. It has 1-2 shots of espresso (often 2), then ⅔ of the cup steamed milk 170-225ml and 1cm of foam on top. Also known as a cafe latte.
Which is more popular in Australia, a Flat white, a Latte or a Cappuccino?
When you need a pick-me-up in the morning, there’s nothing better than a hot cup of coffee. While there are a lot of different types of coffee drinks you can order, their individual popularity varies between countries. In Australia the Latte is the most popular, followed closely by flat white and cappuccino. When it comes to milk preferences, Regular cow’s milk is at the top of the list, then alternative milks most commonly requested include, almond and soy milk.
Which has more caffeine in it, a Flat white or a Cappuccino?
A flat white is always made using 2 shots of espresso whereas a cappuccino is made with 1-2 shots. Each shot of espresso contains approximately 64g of caffeine, this means that a flat white usually has 128g and a cappuccino contains between 64g-128g. However if they were both made with 2 shots (as they often are) then it would be equal, the cappuccino would then taste much stronger as it has a lower coffee to milk ratio even though the caffeine content is the same.
Which has more calories, a flat white or a cappuccino?
Due to a cappuccino containing less volume of milk and coffee as well as a lower milk ratio, it has less calories than a flat white. The average cappuccino has approximately 60-160 calories and flat white is 95-280 calories. It will differ slightly depending on where it is made and the size of the cups provided.
The process of making a cappuccino vs flat white vs latte
Latte: To make a latte at home, you need 2 shots of espresso to start in a mug and some lightly frothed milk (⅔ of the cup). You can use any form of milk frother you’d prefer, either attached to a coffee machine, stovetop or electric. You should layer the espresso and the frothed milk because the latte only has a small layer of milk foam, pour the liquid, steamed milk on the espresso, to prevent the foam from being mixed you can use a spoon to hold back the foam. Once it’s ready, you can add the milk foam (around 1 cm). Once you have perfected this technique, you can start experimenting and learning how to make latte art!
Cappuccino: The process of making a cappuccino is very similar to a latte. Starting off with 1-2 shots of espresso, then pouring warmed, frothed milk (⅓ of the cup) into the cup, swirling as you pour. If you want a light cappuccino, also called a wet cappuccino, pour more milk into the mixture. If you want a dark cappuccino, or dry cappuccino, pour less steamed milk into the mixture. Finally top off with as much foam as you wish and garnish with chocolate powder.
Flat White: Prepare your shot of espresso and steam the ⅔ cup of milk. The milk needs to have micro foam which makes it harder to make than a latte. The best way to get a small layer of microfoam is with a steam wand as other frothers create too many bubbles. Alternatively you can heat the milk, then use a handheld battery foamer as it gives you more control on how much foam to create. Pour the milk into the cup and enjoy!
History Of The Cappuccino
The beverage we recognise today as the cappuccino was first seen in northern Italy during the 1930s, and at first, it was made in the Viennese style that had been around since the 18th century. Viennese style coffee was made with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon or chocolate on top.
The steamed milk variant came along a little later. Real espresso machines became widespread during the 1950s, and that’s when people started making cappuccino with espresso instead of standard coffee.
This is the form of cappuccino that we know today and that has become popular all over the world.
History Of The Flat White
The history of the flat white is much shorter than that of the cappuccino as it has only been around since the 1980s.
It was first seen in coffee shops in Australia and New Zealand though there is some debate on which country created the drink. Many attribute the invention to Australia though.
Regardless, the beverage has become popular internationally, namely in the United Kingdom and is now popularised by major coffee franchises in the United States of America, such as Starbucks.
Did you know there are iced lattes and iced coffees for the summer? Find out more about them here.
Want to know about the differences between an iced coffee and an iced latte? Check out our article here.
Love this post! As a coffee newbie, I’ve been wondering what the difference is between a latte, flat white, and cappuccino. Thanks for breaking it down so clearly. Now I know which one to order when I’m at my local coffee shop!