Sock it to Me Cake is a rich and buttery cake that's delicately spiced and perfectly moist! It has a cinnamon pecan filling and is topped with a simple yet velvety cream cheese glaze. This easy bundt cake recipe has quickly become one of my favorite recipes due to its buttery texture and insanely delicious flavor.
For more pound cake recipes, try my sour cream pound cake and kentucky butter cake!Â
This sock it to me cake recipe is made completely from scratch. Nope, we're not using boxed cake mix, put that back on the shelf!
This recipe calls for butter, shortening (aka good ol fashioned lard), sugar, eggs, and flour (and a couple other ingredients but you get the gist). And it's for good reason. Simple ingredients sometimes yield the best results - and this holds true for this southern staple.
The cake itself is a super moist pound cake with a surprise filling - a cinnamon pecan streusel filling to be exact! It's like coffee cake and pound cake got together and had a baby - and frankly, I'm all of the way here for it!
So skip using yellow box cake - and let's make this easy cake recipe, from scratch!
Short answer, no one really knows. It's one of those popular cakes that no one really knows much about but everyone loves. One theory is that sock it to me cake comes from Aretha Franklin's song "Respect" where at the bridge she says "sock it to me sock it to me" - meaning give me a piece of that cake. Sock it to me = lay it on me!
Another theory is that the cake's name came from a show called "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" where the show's catchphrase was "sock it to me". But apparently, Duncan Hines came up with the recipe, originally using cake mixes to make it and everyone else began to do their own rendition.
(full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card)
Don't skip the time requirements in the recipe! Please please cream the butter and sugar together for the full 3 minutes! Don't add the eggs too quickly! Let the cake cool in the pan for the full 20 minutes! These are critical to success of this recipe.
Liberally grease the bundt pan! This is critical to getting the cake to release cleanly from the pan without getting stuck. So really pile on the nonstick spray or cake release.
Let the cake cool in the bundt pan for 15 minutes after baking! When you remove the cake from the oven, it's still "cooking". You have to let the cake firm up prior to removing it from the bundt pan so that it doesn't fall apart. Trust me, wait the full 15 minutes to ensure that the cake's fully baked throughout and doesn't fall apart.
Don't overmix! As soon as all of the flour is incorporated into the batter, stop mixing. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then mix for another 20-30 seconds to make sure everything is mixed together.
Use the right pan! Make sure to use a 12 or 14 cup bundt pan to make this recipe! If you don't, the batter will overflow and all of your hard work will go to waste and we don't want that.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan liberally with nonstick baking spray. Set aside. (Image 1)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and kosher salt. Set aside. (Image 2)
Make the pecan cinnamon streusel by combining chopped pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix together until combined and set aside. (Image 3)
Add room temperature butter, shortening, and oil to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together for 3 minutes on medium speed, scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the sugar and continue to mix for 3 more minutes.
Begin adding eggs, one at a time, making sure that each egg is fully incorporated prior to adding the next (about 30 seconds). Then add the vanilla extract and butter emulsion. Mix until just combined, about 10-15 seconds. (Image 4)
Add half of the flour mixture and mix together, about 30 seconds. Then add the sour cream and mix until combined, about 20 seconds. Then add the last half of the dry ingredients and mix until everything comes together and is smooth, about 30 seconds. (Image 5 and 6)
Pour half of the batter into the prepared bundt pan, then sprinkle the pecan filling on top of the batter. Add the rest of the batter and smooth into an even layer to make sure that the streusel is completely covered. (Image 7 and 8)
Bake for 1 hour and 10-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, up to 15 minutes. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! Then turn over onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Then mix together water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then remove from the heat and add 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Mix together and use a pastry brush to coat the outside of the cake in the syrup.
Once the cake has cooled completely, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract with a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Use a hand mixer to mix everything together, then pour on top of the cooled cake. (Image below)
Nut-Free - simply omit the pecans from the cinnamon filling.
Gluten Free - you can use gluten free 1-to-1 flour for this recipe. Swap it out to equal parts.
To ensure a cake made from scratch is moist, you can add ingredients that retain moisture, such as buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt, which also enhance the flavor. Additionally, avoid overbaking the cake, as this can dry it out; instead, check for doneness a few minutes before the recipe suggests.
Pound cake is also known as "quatre quarts" in France, which translates to "four quarters," highlighting the equal proportions of its main ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. In Britain, it is sometimes referred to as "sponge cake" or "Madeira cake," though these can have slightly different textures and ingredients. The German equivalent, "Sandkuchen," is similar in its basic components but often includes flavors like lemon or almond. Each regional variation keeps the spirit of the original recipe, focusing on rich flavor and dense texture.
If you're short on time, you can absolutely make this with yellow cake mix (I recommend duncan hines or betty crocker). If using box mix then you’ll add 1 cup of sour cream, ¼ cup water, 4 eggs, and ¼ cup granulated sugar to make the bundt cake. Keep the filling and the cream cheese frosting the same as listed in the recipe card.
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