What Is An Upside Down Caramel Macchiato?
What’s your first thought when you hear Upside Down Caramel Macchiato? Something along the lines of “did I hear you right,” “can you say that again,” “what is the Upside Down,” and most of all, “what is an Upside Down Caramel Macchiato?”.
You can find a similar type of drink at Starbucks. However, let’s not forget that this place loves variety and often delights us with new offers.
So simply put, Upside Down Caramel Macchiato is an iced caramel latte with a twist. That variation is a vanilla drizzle over the top.
Let’s start from the beginning.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- What is Latte Coffee?
- What is a Starbucks Latte?
- What is Caramel Macchiato?
- What is an Upside-Down Caramel Macchiato?
- Upside Down Caramel Macchiato Vs Regular
- How Do You Make An Upside Down Caramel Macchiato Recipe?
What is Latte Coffee?
There are small differences in how Latte coffee is made and served in numerous cafes and coffee shops.
However, every variation is based on a universal drink definition.
Latte Caffe is an espresso-based beverage with only 2 ingredients: 1/3 Espresso and 2/3 steamed milk. On top of it, you can see a microfoam layer of about 0.2 to 0.4 inches.
Depending on the cafe, you could acquire your Latte coffee in 8 to 12 oz cups.
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What is a Starbucks Latte?
At Starbucks, Lattes are available in various sizes, with the espresso amount used depending on the size of the drink. Of all the espresso-based drinks, lattes use the highest amount of milk.
Some interesting facts about Latte coffee in Starbucks:
- Lattes can be flavorful using syrups such as cinnamon dolce and vanilla syrup. The menu of latte flavors changes during the year, with certain drinks only available during the current season.
- Starbucks uses 2% milk for most of its lattes. However, you can request that it be half and half, skim, with soy, oat, or almond milk.
- Sizes of ventis for drinks with ice are larger than hot drinks. A hot venti drink weighs 20 ounces, while the iced version weighs 24 ounces. Since venti sizes are slightly larger, they have an extra dose of syrup that is in the iced drinks.
Hot Lattes at Starbucks
You are probably familiar with the different Starbucks cup sizes for their drinks.
For the nutrition stats of the hot Starbucks lattes I chose to use the Venti cup size.
STARBUCKS HOT LATTES | CAFFEINE | CALORIES | CHOLESTEROL | FAT | SUGAR |
Pumpkin Spice Latte | 150 mg | 470mg | 60mg | 16g | 63g |
Honey Oatmilk Latte | 170mg | 360mg | – | 13g | 36g |
Caffè Latte | 150mg | 250mg | 40mg | 9g | 23g |
Cinnamon Dolce Latte | 150mg | 420mg | 60mg | 16g | 51g |
Starbucks Reserve® Latte | 265mg | 290mg | 45mg | 15g | 22g |
Starbucks Reserve® Hazelnut Bianco Latte | 200mg | 520mg | 50mg | 25g | 50g |
Starbucks® Blonde Vanilla Latte | 170mg | 320mg | 35mg | 9g | 44g |
The number of syrup pumps and Espresso shots for all the cup sizes are:
STARBUCKS HOT LATTES CUP SIZES | SYRUP PUMPS | ESPRESSO SHOTS |
Short (8oz) | 2 pumps | 1 shot |
Tall (12 fl oz) | 3 pumps | 1 shot |
Grande (16 fl oz) | 4 pumps | 2 shots |
Venti (20 fl oz) | 5 pumps | 2 shots |
Iced Lattes at Starbucks
For the nutrition stats of the iced Starbucks lattes I chose to use the Venti cup size.
STARBUCKS ICED LATTES | CAFFEINE | CALORIES | CHOLESTEROL | FAT | SUGAR |
Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte | 225 mg | 480mg | 60mg | 18g | 65g |
Iced Honey Oatmilk Latte | 225mg | 300mg | 0 | 9g | 37g |
Iced Caffè Latte | 225mg | 180mg | 25mg | 6g | 15g |
Iced Cinnamon Dolce Latte | 225mg | 420mg | 60mg | 18g | 51g |
Starbucks Reserve® Iced Latte | 165mg | 290mg | 45mg | 15g | 22g |
Starbucks Reserve® Iced Hazelnut Bianco Latte | 200mg | 390mg | 40mg | 18g | 37g |
Iced Starbucks® Blonde Vanilla Latte | 225mg | 270mg | 20mg | 5g | 41g |
The number of syrup pumps and Espresso shots for all the cup sizes are:
STARBUCKS ICED LATTES CUP SIZES | SYRUP PUMPS | ESPRESSO SHOTS |
Tall (12 fl oz) | 3 pumps | 1 shot |
Grande (16 fl oz) | 4 pumps | 2 shots |
Venti (24 fl oz) | 6 pumps | 3 shots |
What is Caramel Macchiato?
When baristas make a caramel macchiato, they begin by pumping vanilla syrup into the base of the cup. Afterward, they put the steamed milk, espresso, and foam. On the top, they put caramel drizzle.
It is easy to identify the caramel macchiato by the caramel drizzle. With the drizzle, a skilled barista can create a lattice-like pattern on milk foam.
Did you know that if you drink an iced caramel and flip it over, you’ll make a caramel macchiato?
The major difference between the caramel latte and a macchiato is the arrangement of ingredients.
RELATED TOPIC: Difference Between Macchiato vs Mocha
What is an Upside-Down Caramel Macchiato?
If a coffee beverage is “upside-down,” it means the order of ingredients is reversed.
So, if you order an upside-down caramel macchiato, you can be sure that the barista will begin by pouring caramel syrup into the cup’s bottom. After that, the barista will add the espresso shots, the steamed milk, and then the milk foam. The barista will top the coffee with a drizzle of vanilla to finish it.
This drink may be familiar, isn’t it?
It’s like an iced caramel latte with a vanilla drizzle that is served on top. It’s because the caramel macchiato upside down and the caramel latte are identical drinks. If you’re desperate for the vanilla drizzle, just ask for an iced caramel latte topped with a vanilla drizzle, and you’re all set.
Upside Down Caramel Macchiato Vs Regular
If you’re wondering which is the best, let me tell you that both are equally good therefore it is all about your personal preferences.
One of the most noticeable differences between the two types of coffee is how they appear when served.
A typical macchiato has several transparent layers. The milk is first white before the coffee.
If you flip the coffee upside down, you’ll have your layers more blended. You’ll find the caramel syrup and the remainder of the coffee at the bottom.
The mouthfeel is slightly different from the other models.
In the classic caramel macchiato, it is added on top because it’s heavy. It will sink to the bottom and mix evenly with the rest of the drink. The caramel taste will be as if it’s an addition.
In the upside-down version, the caramel sits at the bottom. How it will be integrated with the drink’s other components will depend on a few variables, including the temperature of the coffee and whether you stir it or not.
If the coffee cup is hot when served on top, it will mix with the coffee, creating an overall taste profile. If it’s not, it will be very sweet at the finish of your drink or a lovely beginning.
How Do You Make An Upside Down Caramel Macchiato Recipe?
INGREDIENTS
- 2 Espresso Shots
- 2-3 tablespoons of Caramel Sauce
- ¾ cup of Milk
- 1 tablespoons of Vanilla Syrup
- Ice (optional)
Step-by-Step Preparation
- Prepare the Espresso Shots.
- Pour the caramel syrup into the bottom of the glass.
- Slowly pour the Espresso shots over the caramel syrup. Thus you will have distinct layers, which make macchiatos a popular drink.
- Include the ice if you want chilled drinks. This way, you’ll have the milk floating on the top.
- Pour the milk on top, and then drizzle it with vanilla syrup.
- This is it. You’ve made an upside-down caramel macchiato! Enjoy.