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    Food » Django White Cake

    Django White Cake

    Posted: 05/02/2023 | Last updated: 05/02/2023 by Erin 2 Comments
    Post may contain affiliate links via Amazon Associates or other programs. (Disclosure)

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    Make your own Django White Cake! A light and tender triple layer white cake topped with a snow white traditional boiled frosting that looks just like the one used in the tense post-dinner scene in Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained

    Django Unchained - white cake scene / Columbia Pictures / The Weinstein Company

    Just look at Mr. Calvin Candie up there - sorry, Monsieur Candie - casually indulging in his sweet dessert - classic southern white cake. He is completely unbothered after teasing, taunting, intimidating, and threatening the guests of his plantation over the purchase of one of his slaves, Broomhilda, the wife of Django, a freed slave on a mission to rescue her.

    Do you love food themes in movies? Try making your own Django white cake at home!

    A slice of three layer Django white cake sits atop a lace-covered table.
    This cake looks like it was taken straight out of the movie.

    What Is The Meaning of The White Cake in Django Unchained?

    Though I'm not a huge fan of gratuitous violence or blood and guts in film, I am a die hard Quentin Tarantino fan. Why? I think he is brilliant with timing, building muscle-clenching tension in scenes, and using food as an important storytelling device. Watch any of his movies and you'll find a food item prominently featured in one or more scenes.

    Near the climax of the movie Django Unchained, the most fascinating and atrocious character in the film - Calvin Candie - first makes mention of white cake during the uncomfortable-as-all-heck dinner scene at his plantation home. Later in the parlor, we get a beauty shot of the cakes presented on a table covered in a lace tablecloth, while Candie picks up a slice and casually balances it atop the freedom papers for Django's wife, Broomhilda, who had just been purchased from the cruel slave owner by Dr. King Schultz.

    Why is the white cake in Django more important than just giving the characters something to do after the dinner concluded? There are several theories:

    • The color. Obviously, given the nature of the film, the white on white on white color of the cake makes a statement by itself.
    • Symbol of wealth. White cake required a special list of ingredients to keep the color of the cake and frosting as white as possible, and such ingredients were only available to those of high financial standings.
    • King Shultz is a dentist. When offered a slice of white cake in Candie's library, Shultz replies with, "I don't go in for sweets, thank you." This could be a nod to his profession and is in contrast to Candie's visibly decayed teeth that we get a glimpse of in other scenes. This could also be some slight shade toward Candie himself, given Shultz's hatred of the sweetly-named slave owner.
    • It anchors the scene. Tarantino does this often when using food as a storytelling device. The cake gave the characters reason to hang out in the parlor while enjoying dessert, and gave Candie further reason to peacock around his guests by flaunting his wealth.
    Bottom Photo Credit: Django Unchained - white cake scene / Columbia Pictures / The Weinstein Company

    This Recipe Vs. The Movie Version Vs. History

    In the comparison photo above, I show a screenshot from the movie alongside the cake that I made. The scene showed Monsieur Candie picking up a couple of slices of white cake while holding Broomhilda's slave/freedom papers in his other hand. It's the most direct shot of the cake in the movie and I used it for inspiration while creating this recipe. You can see that other than my slices being a bit thicker than the film version (hey, we like cake) it's pretty darn close!

    The defining feature of a classic white cake is that it is, well, white. This requires the removal of any ingredients that will mar the color of the cake or the frosting. Ingredients like egg yolks, dark vanilla extracts, and butter will give your cake a darker/more yellow color.

    I made my cake base from scratch using only egg whites and clear almond extract. Almond was a common flavoring used in pre-Civil War times, making this a historically appropriate choice as well.

    I did use butter in the cake, but not all butters are created equal! So I did a little research at first. Using this article I found, I chose to use Challenge brand butter since it is 'less yellow' than other brands. While my cake is not toooootally snow white, it certainly does match the movie version.

    Now for the frosting. The idea of a fully frosted cake was a trend that came over from Europe in the mid 1800's, which jives with Django's setting of the antebellum South. While American Buttercreams use a combination of powdered sugar and softened butter, I assumed that the more readily ingredients of the time would be eggs and plain sugar, prompting my choice to use an old-fashioned boiled frosting that involves cooking a simple sugar syrup and then drizzling it onto egg whites while whipping them into fluffy stiff peaks.

    This type of frosting yields a delectably light and creamy frosting that isn't sweet, so even though this Django white cake looks like it'd be a sugar bomb... it really doesn't taste that way! It's so delicious and I know you'll love it, whether you're making it for film nostalgia or just because you want a good cake!

    A fluffy slice of triple layer white cake with boiled frosting - inspired by Django Unchained -  sits on an old-fashioned plate over a lace tablecloth.
    Look at those fluffy layers. It just screams Southern plantation wealth, does it not?

    Ingredients For Django White Cake

    This is a scratch made cake using the most colorless ingredients I could find. Here's what you'll need:

    • Unsalted butter - use the least yellow butter you can find. I used Challenge brand, and I've heard Walmart's Great Value brand is also quite white.
    • White granulated sugar
    • Egg whites
    • Almond extract
    • Vanilla Extract - clear, imitation versions will work best, though they don't taste as good as the real thing. I used a small amount of regular (brown) vanilla extract and found it didn't affect the color too much.
    • All-purpose flour
    • Baking powder
    • Salt
    • Whole milk

    Ingredients For Old-Fashioned Boiled Frosting

    This cake uses a light and fluffy boiled frosting that doesn't contain any butter and comparatively little sugar than traditional buttercreams. Here's what you'll need:

    • White granulated sugar
    • Cream of tartar
    • Salt
    • Water
    • Egg whites
    • Almond extract
    A slightly overhead view of white cake from the movie Django Unchained with slices cut out and sitting behind it.
    This is a tall 8-inch cake with three full-height layers. Plenty to feed a crowd.

    Troubleshooting Tips

    To make your Django white cake the best it can be, here are some possible pitfalls to avoid when bringing it all together.

    • Room Temperature - make sure your egg whites and butter are room temperature. White will whip more readily and attain more volume when room temperature. Butter needs to be room temperature to properly cream with the sugar.
    • Don't overmix - as with any delicate cake, make sure to only mix until the ingredients are just combined once you add the dry ingredients to the butter, sugar, and egg whites.
    • Grease those pans - you'll want the cakes to release easily from the pans to keep your layers pretty, so use butter or shortening to rub on the sides and bottom of the pan, making sure to get all the way into the corners. Coat the grease with a light dusting of flour, and then add a parchment round to the bottom. You'll be able to get your cakes out with no problem!
    • Don't overbake - all ovens are different, so check your cakes early and often and pull them out as soon as they are done!
    • Use a Thermometer - when cooking the sugar syrup for the frosting, make sure you use a pot-clipped candy thermometer or digital probe thermometer to ensure the mixture reaches 240F degrees, but not much hotter than that.
    • Stop at stiff peaks - when you are whipping your frosting into stiff peaks, stop as soon as this state is achieved. Pick up the mixer and turn the beaters upside down. If the bit of frosting on the bottom of the beater sticks up without flopping back over, then the frosting is done. Beating further will cause the frosting to collapse and not be as fluffy!
    An overhead view of a fluffy frosted white cake, a copycat of the movie version from Django Unchained.
    This white cake is beautiful, delicious, and perfect for film lovers.

    Storage and Freezing Instructions

    Storage: Because the frosting is made with raw egg-whites, Django white cake will need to be kept in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. I recommend using a locking cake dome to keep the air out of it, and this will help prevent the cake from drying out in the refrigerator.

    When serving, however, I recommend removing the cake from the fridge a couple of hours before you intend to serve to let some of the chill go out of it. Room temperature cakes always have better taste and texture, in my opinion. Consume cake within 4-5 days for best quality.

    Freezing: You can freeze the baked cake layers, unfrosted, before you are ready to assemble the cake. Wrap the cake layers tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months for best quality. Let the layers thaw on the counter top when ready to use. You can even frost them while the layers are still mostly frozen!

    I do not recommend freezing the frosting or making it ahead of time, as the boiled frosting depends on its whipped and airy texture, and freezing it will destroy the texture and the egg whites will start to separate from the other ingredients. Instead, I recommend you make the frosting when ready to assemble the cake.

    Need A Lighter Cake? This Creamsicle Angel Food Cake Is Perfection.

    A close-up of the inside of Django white cake, showing the individual layers and frosting.
    Loads of cake and frosting, but I promise it's not overly sweet.

    How Many People Does This Cake Serve?

    This is a tall 8-inch cake comprised of 3 full height layers. You can get anywhere from 14-24 slices out of this cake depending on how big you slice each serving. Making standard thin 'pie slice' servings, you can easily get 14 slices of cake.

    If you choose to cut your cake 'party style', you will cut a circle around the inside of the cake before cutting each section into individual slices. You will be able to get 24 smaller slices using this method. Use this guide for help.

    Make The Famous 1920 Ritz Carlton Lemon Pound Cake

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    Django White Cake


    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Erin
    • Total Time: 50 minutes
    • Yield: 14-24 servings 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Lover of film nostalgia? Try this Django White Cake is inspired by the tense scene in the movie Django Unchained by Quentin Tarantino. This cake is three layers of fluffy, light cake topped with a light whipped boiled frosting.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    For White Cake

    • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 2 cups white granulated sugar
    • 7 large egg whites, room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon almond extract
    • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup whole milk

    For Boiled Frosting

    • 1 ½ cups sugar
    • ½ teaspoon cream of tarter
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup water
    • 4 egg whites, room temperature
    • ½ teaspoon almond extract

    Instructions

    For White Cake

    1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans and place a small round of parchment paper in the bottom of each one. Set aside.
    2. Add butter and sugar to a bowl and mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. Keep the mixer running on low and add egg whites one at a time until just combined.
    3. Add vanilla and almond extracts and mix until combined. In a second bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.
    4. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk in 2-3 additions, mixing on low until just combined. Divide batter between the pans evenly.
    5. Bake cakes for about 25 minutes - watch carefully - until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
    6. Let cake layers cool in pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks. Wait until they are fully cooled before frosting them.

    For Boiled Frosting

    1. Combine sugar, cream of tartar, and salt into a medium sauce pan. Stir, add water, and stir to combine.
    2. Fit pot with candy thermometer. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring with a nonstick spatula, until it reaches the soft ball stage (240F). Remove from heat and allow to cool for a bit.
    3. In a separate, large bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Transfer sugar mixture to a container with a lip for easy pouring.
    4. Stream sugar into egg whites while beating on medium high heat. When all of the syrup has been used, add almond extract and beat on high speed until stiff peaks are formed.

    Assembly

    1. If your cake layers have a significant dome, use a large serrated-edge knife to cut the layers flat.
    2. On a cake plate, add one cake layer and top with frosting. Add second layer and top with more frosting. Add the last layer and top with frosting, then add frosting to the sides of the cake, filling in the gaps between the layers.

     

    Notes

    This cake will serve 14-24 people depending on how you slice it.

    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 40 minutes
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Stovetop and Oven
    • Cuisine: N/A

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    Make sure you can easily locate this recipe when you're ready to get in the kitchen and make your white cake! Use the image below to Pin to your Pinterest boards. Want to share the fun with your friends and family? Try using the buttons at the top and bottom of this post to share on social media!

    Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

    A fluffy slice of white cake from the movie Django Unchained, with text for Pinterest.
    Pin for Later!

    Related posts:

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    2. Famous 1920 Ritz Carlton Lemon Pound Cake
    3. Grocery Store Cake Frosting Copycat
    4. Grilled Pound Cake
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    About Erin

    Erin is a mom of two human babies and two fur-covered babies. She loves comfy clothes, eats too much peanut butter, and watches excessive amounts of Netflix. Make her day and toss her a like on Facebook or follow her on Instagram. Post may contain affiliate links including those via the Amazon Associates program

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Judytague

      August 11, 2023 at 11:19 am

      Can one add coconut to this cake and frosting?

      Reply
    2. Tammy

      May 02, 2023 at 8:07 pm

      Nice job! This is so fun!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Erin! I love food and I bet you do, too! I cook for my family and share the recipes that we love. Let's have some fun!

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