Sock It To Me Cake

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This Sock It To Me Cake is made 100% from scratch! You’ll love this easy recipe for a tender coffee cake with a ribbon of brown sugar, cinnamon and toasted pecans through the center.

I love making bundt cakes. My all-time favorite is this chocolate-vanilla marble cake, which uses a whopping 10 eggs for those days when your hens are taking over the kitchen counter. I also adore this lemon bundt cake. In fact, every time I make it for someone I get a text within days asking for the recipe.

Today we’re taking a trip back to 1960’s America with a vintage bundt cake recipe called “Sock It To Me Cake.” The original version was made with boxed yellow cake mix, but I prefer to make the entire thing from scratch. Yellow cake is easy to make, so why not? You’ll love the moist and tender crumb on this bundt cake, which is offset by a crunchy ribbon of brown sugar and toasted pecans in the center. The entire thing is finished with a simple vanilla glaze for a totally irresistible dessert that’s a real showstopper.

Why You’ll Love This Sock It To Me Cake Recipe

• Easy. Making this cake is as simple as whipping up a simple batter, adding a layer of sugar and nuts, then popping it all in the oven. The vanilla glaze comes together in a bowl with hardly any effort.
• Incredible texture. The contrast between the tender cake and the crunchy filling is so satisfying!
• Elegant. Even though this cake is easy to make, the end result is totally stunning. You could make this bundt cake for Easter dessert and it would fit in with the fanciest layer cake.

What Is Sock It To Me Cake?

Sock It To Me Cake is a vintage cake from 1960s America. During that time period, it was common for people to say “sock it to me,” which meant “give it to me.” You can hear this phrase, for example, in Aretha Franklin’s famous “Respect” song.

No one knows exactly how this cake gained the name “Sock It to Me.” Odds are it was because this cake is so good everyone was like “gimme!” when a slice was available. The original recipe was made with Duncan Hines’s yellow cake mix and is a popular Southern dessert to this day.

The Trick to Perfect Bundt Cakes

One of the reasons I love making bundt cakes is because the pans come in such a gorgeous variety of patterns. However, all those rivets can make it tricky to de-pan your cake once it has finished baking. One of the most common problems I hear with bundt pans is the cake breaking or sticking when you try to remove your cake.

How do you make sure your cake is easy to get out of the bundt pan? By meticulously and carefully prepping your pan. You need to grease and flour your pan generously. That means ensuring the butter or cooking spray gets into every nook and cranny. It also means using a good amount of flour. I like to sprinkle the flour all over the insides of the greased pan, then tap the bottom of the pan while turning the pan in my hands. This helps work the flour into all the little crevices and openings in the pan. Check out my step-by-step photos below to see what your bundt pan should look like before you add your cake batter.

What You’ll Need

Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make Sock It To Me Cake. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for specific amounts.

For the Cake

• Unsalted butter – Make sure it is at room temperature.
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs – You are going to need 6 large eggs at room temperature.
• Kosher
• All-purpose flour
• Sour cream
• Vanilla extract

For the Pecan Filling

• Pecans – I recommend using toasted pecans because they will add more flavor to your cake. If you can’t find toasted pecans at the store, you can toast them yourself. I’ve added notes on how to do that below.
• Brown sugar – Light brown or dark brown sugar both work.
• Ground cinnamon

For the Glaze

• Confectioner’s sugar
• Milk – If you are out of milk you can also use heavy cream or even coffee creamer. If your creamer has vanilla or some other flavoring, leave out the extract below.
• Vanilla extract

How to Toast Pecans

Toasting pecans is incredibly easy to do. All you need is a rimmed baking sheet and your oven. Here’s how to do it:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Spread out the pecan halves in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Place in your oven and bake for approximately ten minutes. Give them a stir halfway through the baking time.
• Let the pecans cool, then roughly chop them with a sharp knife.

Not a Fan of Pecans?

You can also use walnuts. Toast them the same way you would toast the pecans, then chop them up and proceed with the rest of the recipe as if you were using pecans.

How to Make a Sock It To Me Cake

Are you ready to make a Sock It To Me Cake? Here’s how to do it, step-by-step:

• Prep your tools. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 14-16 cup Bundt pan.
• Cream together butter and sugar. Until light and fluffy. This takes about 2 minutes. You can use your stand mixer or a handheld mixer.
• Add eggs one at a time. Stir between additions until well combined.

• Add salt and half of the flour. Stir until well combined on the lowest speed.
• Add sour cream and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
• Add the remaining flour. Give everything a good stir, being sure to scrape down the bottom and sides of your bowl.
• Begin assembling your cake. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan.

• Make the filling and add it to the cake. Using a small bowl, combine the toasted and chopped pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture evenly on top of the batter.
• Add the last of the batter. Spread the remaining batter evenly on top of the pecans.
• Bake for 85-90 minutes. Or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

• Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing it onto a cooling rack until completely cool.
• Glaze. Whisk confectioner’s sugar with milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Spoon glaze over cake.

Tips for Success

• Grease and flour your pan well. I know I mentioned this earlier in the post, but it really is so crucial when it comes to making a bundt cake that won’t stick.
• Don’t rush the baking process. This cake bakes for longer than most cakes and at a lower temperature. Don’t try to raise the temperature to 350F or the outside of your cake will set faster than the inside.
• Browning too quickly? If you find that your cake is golden on the outside but still not testing done, you can cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil. This will allow the cake to continue baking while also preventing the outside from browning too much. Make sure you put oven mitts on your hands when adding the foil to avoid burning your fingers on the hot pan.
• Cooling time is essential. Make sure you let the cake cool for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. If you try to remove it too soon the cake will break.

How Do You Remove a Bundt Cake From the Pan?

My preferred way to do this is to place a wire cooling rack on top of the bundt pan. Then I carefully hold the bundt pan and rack together and invert the pan so that it is on top. This way the cake will fall out onto the rack.

How to Store This Bundt Cake

Let the cake cool to room temperature, then you can store it as follows:

• Counter. Wrap it loosely in saran wrap and store it on the counter for up to 3 days. If you cover it too tightly moisture from the glaze will build up and make it sticky, so leave some openings for air to get in.
• Fridge. This is my preferred storage method. For this, the cake should be tightly wrapped and then it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. The fridge will prevent the glaze from softening. When you are ready to eat your cake you can enjoy it cold or you can let it warm to room temperature on the counter for about an hour.

Can I Freeze It?

Yes, you can freeze Sock It To Me Cake. I recommend freezing it in slices so that it is easier for you to grab single servings in the future. To do this, slice the cooled cake, then wrap each slice in saran wrap and place them all in an airtight, freezer-safe container. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours when you’re ready to dig in.

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