Difference Between Mocha and Cappuccino

Mocha vs Cappuccino
 

Many variants of drinks such as Mocha and Cappuccino are prepared from the same coffee; therefore, it is important to know the differences between them to be able to enjoy your favorite drink at a coffee house. Coffee is a wonderful beverage that has been a source of energy for millions of people around the world who start their day with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Mocha and Cappuccino are two popular drinks made out of coffee and loved by people in all parts of the world. However, there is some difference in the making of them. This article attempts to highlight those differences by describing the process through which these drinks are made, as well as, ingredients that go into making mocha or a cappuccino.

What is Mocha?

Mocha is essentially a latte made with semi-sweet chocolate topped with whipped cream. That means, apart from the espresso and steamed milk, mocha uses a specific kind of chocolate for the extra flavor. It is a beverage that contains one third of espresso and two thirds of steamed milk with generous sprinkling of chocolate or cocoa powder.

The terminology used in connection with mocha is café mocha. Café mocha is to be taken as coffee and chocolate. In other words, it can be said that chocolate is regarded as one of the chief ingredients in the preparation of mocha. It is very interesting to find whipped cream atop the mocha preparations. These whipped creams are of different flavors, and the most important flavor being the chocolate flavor. Mocha is perhaps the most bitter or chocolaty in taste than other blends or variants prepared with the same coffee. The mochaccino served at your local Barista store is nothing but this mocha.

Mocha is also referred to as a special variety of coffee that has rounder and smaller beans than other coffees around the world. This type of coffee is native to Yemen and Ethiopia and it was first exported through the port of Mocha, hence the name.

What is Cappuccino?

Cappuccino is made up of espresso and milk. Cappuccino is 1/3^rd espresso with 1/3^rd amount of steamed milk, and finally 1/3^rd milk foam. In cappuccino, the milk is frothed. Micro foam of milk is prepared for the froth used in cappuccino. Skimmed milk tends to produce more froth than whole milk, which is why it is used in making cappuccino. To make cappuccino, frothed milk is poured over espresso. There are some who like to add or sprinkle chocolate powder over a cappuccino.

The milk used in cappuccino is foamy and makes cappuccino feel very light. But as the volume of milk is less, it makes cappuccino the strongest of coffee drinks that have an espresso base. When preparing cappuccino, air is rushed inside milk to give it a smooth texture. Thus, cappuccino is espresso, over which steamed hot foamed milk is poured so that you find thick foam at the top. Often an experienced Barista will decorate the top foamy layer with artistic shapes at the time of pouring milk on top of espresso (called Latte art).

What is the difference between Mocha and Cappuccino?

• Cappuccino and Mocha are two different beverages made out of coffee.

• While cappuccino is just espresso and foamy milk at top, mocha is both a special type of coffee bean that is rounder and smaller and a coffee beverage that contains espresso, milk, and good quantity of cocoa powder or chocolate powder.

• Mocha is more bitter in taste than cappuccino.

• Cappuccino is light as it has a lot of milk froth.

• Cappuccino has a strong coffee taste as the milk portion used in it is less. Mocha has chocolaty taste.

 

Images Courtesy:

1. Cappuccino in Tokyo summer park (CC BY 2.0)