Sweet, strong, and small
Cafecito, Cuban coffee, is espresso brewed through sugar, which whips into a foam called espuma on top, then usually shared in small shots. USDA measures it at 199 mg of caffeine per 100 g, close to its figure for plain espresso (212 mg per 100 g). A single 1 oz pour carries about 62 mg; the more typical 2 oz serving, the size a cafecito is often split from, carries about 123 mg.
The sugar changes the taste completely but does not dilute the caffeine much: cafecito lands close to an 8 oz cup of drip coffee (95 mg) in a fraction of the volume, and a shared pot poured into several shots gives each drinker a strong, quick dose.
How it compares to other small, strong coffees
Cuban coffee sits in similar territory to other concentrated styles measured by USDA: Turkish coffee at 37 mg per 100 g is actually much weaker per gram, because it is served more diluted, while straight espresso is somewhat stronger per gram than cafecito. A cortadito, cafecito cut with steamed milk, carries the same caffeine as the cafecito it’s made from; the milk changes the volume, not the dose.
Counting cafecito against your day
At about 123 mg for a 2 oz serving, cafecito is under the 200 mg single dose EFSA assessed as safe for healthy adults, though a colada, the larger shareable pour some Cuban coffee shops offer, can add up fast if drunk alone. Three 2 oz servings, 369 mg, approach the 400 mg daily figure the FDA cites for healthy adults.