This classic Sock It To Me Cake recipe features a tender yellow cake sweetened with rich brown sugar and swirls of warm cinnamon and topped with a sweet glaze!
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Pin RecipeThe Best Sock It To Me Cake Recipe
The phrase “sock it to me” essentially means give me something really quick. Legend has it that a baker once made this cake and asked if a customer wanted a slice. The answer was “sock it to me!” which is a very strong “yes”! The cake got its name as everyone always wants a big slice as quickly as possible.
A sock-it-to-me cake is a type of bundt cake made with a cinnamon and pecan filling. The cake is classically rich and buttery, so I like to make it using a yellow box cake mix. Then, I make an easy brown sugar-spiced filling to layer in the middle of the cake along with the chopped pecans. The result is a cake that looks like it came from a fancy bakery but is quite easy to make!
Similar to coffee cake, you can serve sock it to me cake as a dessert topped with whipped cream or for breakfast with a cup of coffee. No matter how you enjoy it, this recipe is one of my favorite ways to make a box cake mix taste homemade!
(If you love this recipe for sock it to me cake, be sure to try more bundt cake recipes like my Cake Mix Rum Bundt Cake and Lemon Bundt Cake, too!
Ingredients for Sock It To Me Cake
To print: see recipe card below
Cake Mix
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix – Rather than make a sock it to me cake from scratch with all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, unsalted butter, and a long list of other ingredients, I opt for a boxed yellow cake mix. I prefer Duncan Hines Butter Golden cake, but any brand of yellow cake mix will work.
- 1 cup chopped pecans – Buy your pecans pre-chopped to save you some time.
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup whole milk
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
Variations
- Replace the canola oil with vegetable oil or melted coconut oil.
- You can use light brown sugar in place of dark brown sugar but will give the cake a milder flavor.
- Use almond extract in the glaze to make the sock it to me cake even nuttier.
- Opt for toasted pecans to add more depth to the flavor.
Directions for How to Make Sock It To Me Cake
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- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, grease a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray, and dust it with flour. Tap out any extra flour, and set the pan aside.
- Create the crumbly streusel filling: Scoop two tablespoons of the cake mix into a medium-sized or small bowl. Add the pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon to the bowl, and stir to combine.
- Combine: Pour the remaining cake mix into a large bowl. Add the sour cream, oil, and 1/4 cup milk. Mix to combine. Then, for the best results, add the eggs one at a time to create a thick, smooth batter.
- Layer: Pour half the cake batter into the prepared pan. Then, sprinkle the pecan mix evenly on top followed by the remaining batter.
- Bake: Transfer the cake to the oven, and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and springy to the touch. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. Then, flip it onto a cooling rack or serving plate.
- Glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar in a bowl with vanilla and whole milk. Drizzle it evenly on top of the cake, slice, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
You can easily serve this recipe on its own as a sweet treat. However, it’s also great with a side of vanilla ice cream! Or, pair it with a warm cup of coffee, and enjoy it just as you would a classic coffee cake.
How to Store + Freeze Sock It To Me Cake
- Store leftover cake at room temperature for two to three days or in the fridge for up to one week. To keep it fresh, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
- Freeze your cake without the glaze for up to three months. To do so, let it cool completely. Then, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil.
- To serve, thaw your cake at room temperature for three hours. Then, add the glaze, and enjoy as usual.
Quick Tip
You can also use two 8″ loaf pans to make this sock it to me cake. Simply divide the batter between two greased, floured loaf pans.
Then, sprinkle each with half of the cinnamon filling, and top it with the rest of the batter. Baking in loaves makes the dessert similar to a pound cake. Serve it sliced with the glaze drizzled on top.
Sock It To Me Cake
Equipment
- 1 10 Inch Bundt Pan
- 3 Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box (15.25 oounce) yellow cake mix
- 3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup whole milk
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Then spray a 10 inch bundt pan with baking grease and dust it with flour. Tap out any extra flour and set the pan aside.
- Scoop two tablespoons of the cake mix into a medium sized bowl. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans to the bowl and stir. Set aside for now.1 box (15.25 oounce) yellow cake mix, 3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar, 1 cup chopped pecans, 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- Pour the rest of the cake mix into a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, sour cream, oil and ¼ cup of milk to the bowl. Whisk the ingredients together to form a thick, smooth batter.4 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, ⅓ cup canola oil, ¼ cup whole milk
- Pour half of the batter into the greased, floured bundt pan. Then, sprinkle the pecan mix into the pan, evenly over the batter.
- Pour the remaining batter into the bundt pan, covering the pecan layer.
- Bake the cake in a preheated oven for about 45 minutes. The cake will be golden brown and spring back to the touch. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out cleanly, with no sticky batter.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 30 minutes then flip the cake out of the pan to cool completely on a cooling rack or serving plate.
- Once the cake has cooled, whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla and whole milk together for the glaze. Pour it over the top of the cake then slice and enjoy!1 cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 Tablespoons whole milk
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this Sock It To Me Cake recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and comment below!
I used 3 tsp of cinnamon in the filling and it tasted great! I would recommend reducing the baking time. Start checking your cake at 35-37 minutes. I baked it for 42 minutes and it was a tad overbaked….still delicious, but drier then it should have been. I also saved a Tbsp of the filling to sprinkle on top the icing. Will make this one again!
The amount of cinnamon is missing from the ingredient list.